Animal coverage is not just for those who own dogs. I have handled cases where pet monkeys have caused serious injuries. Horse owners should also make sure they have coverage.

There are two things you can do minimize your financial exposure. First, if’ you have a pet, make sure you have animal coverage included in your homeowner’s policy. The only way to know is by reading your policy. Don’t rely on the outline of coverage at the front of your policy. While the law requires your insurance company to outline the major policy exclusions, I’ve seen outlines that do not advise that animal coverage is excluded. Secondly. don’t rely on what your agent tells you. Your agent might be wonderful, but many agents don’t know that the major carries they broker policies for have begun to exclude animals from coverage.

Secondly, when it comes to dogs–especially if you have a large dog, post a “Beware of’ Dog” sign in a conspicuous place in the front or your home. The law makes you automatically liable when your dog causes injury to someone. The law does not, contrary to popular opinion, give your dog “one free bite.” Most injuries take place on the property of the home where the dog lives. However, if’ you have a sign, you are no longer automatically liable. In order to recover, the animal attack victim must prove that you ”ere negligent. In other words, the difference between having and not having a sign is automatic liability versus liability only if it can be proven that you failed to do something a reasonable person would have done. A sign will not protect you from liability if you allow your dog to roam freely outside your home. It will not protect you if you are walking your dog without a leash. The law is in a state of flux right now as to whether you can be held responsible to a trespasser injured by your dog. If you have a large prope1ty, it would be a good idea to have dog signs posted at regular intervals around your property.

Has your dog bitten someone before? Be extremely careful! Florida law allows you to be held responsible for punitive damages if your dog bites and has done so before. Your homeowner’s carrier does not cover you for punitive damages. What do you do if someone is injured because of your pet? After first aid has been administered, call your insurance company and repo11 what happened. Secondly, if you did post signs, take pictures of them so you can prove they were posted. If you have animal insurance included in your homeowner’s policy, your insurance company will handle the claim from there. When you finish reading this article, it would be a good time to review your policy. If you have an animal, especially a dog; and if your policy excludes animal attacks from its coverage, get a new insurance policy.

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Like most people, you know you have insurance, but now that you need it, what do you really have? Pull out your automobile declaration page it5 you read this article; and let’s see if you’re happy with what your agent sold you. Florida law requires you to have two components of automobile insurance. Everyone must have $10,000 of personal injury protection (PIP) and $10,000 of property damage (PD) coverage.

PIP comes in two flavors, no deductible and a deductible. If your PIP does not have a deductible; and fortunately, yours did not, your insurance carrier will pay for 80% of your medical bills or 60% of your lost wages, up to a total of’ $10,000. It does not matter whether you apply your PIP coverage to medical bills, lost wages or a combination of both, but once you reach $10,000, PIP is exhausted.

Your insurance company pays these PIP benefits to you or your doctors, regardless of who was at fault, hence “No-fault” insurance. Who pays the remaining 20%? Hold that question for a couple of paragraphs. If you have PIP with a deductible, usually $2,000, you still have the same coverage as above, except, your insurance company will not pay the first $2,000. Who pays that $2,000?

You do! “Butt,” you say, “The accident wasn’t my fault!” Sorry, Florida’s No-Fault scheme figures that by purchasing a deductible you saved on premiums and have recouped your $2,000.

The PD coverage is not par1 of’ the No-fault roll scheme. Unlike PIP, PD pays for the damage you caused to someone else’s property. If you or someone else caused damage to your car. your optional collision insurance “ill pay. subject to the deductible you selected. Alternatively. you can make a claim against the other driver’s carrier.

BMW, Mercedes and Lexus owners beware! The ten thousand in PD coverage gets utilized quickly, so be sure you have collision sufficient to cover your import.

After PIP pays, you have $2,000 in unpaid medical bills and $12,000 in lost wages. Who pays the rest of your $14,000 in economic damages? This is the scary pan. Like the student who rear-ended you, most South Florida drivers only have what Florida requires and nothing more.

lot of drivers have no insurance at all. Bodily inju1y (Bl) coverage pays for the lost wages, medical bills and non-economic damages (pain. disfigurement. lost enjoyment of life) you cause when you negligently operate your car. It is not required (Florida is more concerned about someone paying for your property damage than your broken knee), but as someone who has worked hard, you need this coverage to protect your assets if you cause an accidental injury

Bl coverage always has two numbers, usually expressed with a “/” between the two. Your policy may have $10,000 – $20,000 or $300,000 – $ 500.000.00 or some other combination.  The first number is the maximum amount your carrier will pay any one person. If you hit a car with multiple passengers and you have a I 0/20 policy, your carrier will pay up to $20,000 for the entire claim, but no one person will be paid more than $10,000.

If you purchase BI coverage, Florida requires your insurance carrier to give you an equal amount of uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. UM is son of like PIP. It is the amount of money your carrier will pay you, the occupants or your car and your dependents when someone like George hits you and has no Bl.

Unlike PIP, however, UM only pays when you can prove George was at fault. Since most people have no Bl. I strongly recommend that everyone purchase UM. It is the single most important part of your automobile insurance.

Be careful! When you purchase auto insurance you will be asked if you want to waive UM coverage. Don’t! If you did. you probably did not understand what it was; and were enticed with the idea of saving money on your premiums.

Look at your policy’s declaration page. If you don’t see UM or uninsured motorist coverage listed, you don’t have it. Call your insurance agent at once. If you own two cars, you can combine your UM coverage by purchasing “stacked” coverage.

Fortunately, your agent sold you a policy with UM; and now your insurance company will pay you for the injuries George caused.

There are two other provisions you should know about, both of which are optional. Medical Payments sometimes abbreviated as “Med Pay” will pay your own doctors what is not covered by PIP. It covers the 20% that PIP does not pay, plus

any additional bills, up to the amount of your combined PIP and Med Pay coverage. $5,000 is a standard Med Pay coverage.

You may not want to purchase it if you have a health insurance plan that covers you for what your PIP does not pay. However. it is relatively inexpensive.

Another relatively inexpensive option is additional PIP. If you have $50,000 in PIP and $1 0,000 in Med Pay coverage, your carrier will pay your doctors up to $60,000 for yours and your family’s injuries and lost wages. Given today’s high cost of medical care. you don’t need to be catastrophically injured to insure $60,000 in medical bills.

Driving in South Florida can be frightening. Not understanding your coverage in advance or an accident can be financially debilitating.

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