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By Lenorae Atter, Attorney

Car insurance is required in Florida, but what if your car is inoperable?
In Florida, car insurance is a requirement. Specifically no-fault insurance, which covers your medical bills and is also known as Personal Injury Protection or PIP, is a requirement to drive a car. If you are in an accident and you own a car, regardless of who’s car you are driving, your PIP coverage will be used for your medical bills. If you do not have PIP coverage and you own a car in Florida, then you will not be able to get any other car insurance, including the at-fault driver’s insurance, to provide for your medical bills. However, if you own a car and it does NOT work, meaning that the car does not run (not due to a flat tire), then you may be able to attach to the PIP coverage of the vehicle you were driving or to the coverage of the other vehicle involved in the accident.
In order to show the insurance company that you did not have to maintain PIP coverage you will need to sign an affidavit, a sworn to statement, that you did not have a vehicle that was working at the time of the accident. It is also a good idea to have an affidavit signed by a licensed mechanic and another witness. This helps you to prove your case of not needing PIP or no-fault coverage at the time of the accident.
If you later have a claim for injuries that resulted from your accident, the at-fault insurance company will not be lenient with a settlement offer if you did not have PIP coverage and had a working vehicle. If you are in this situation, it is best to consult with an attorney.