Did Florida get rid of PIP and no-fault insurance in 2026?
No. Florida's no-fault system and the $10,000 PIP requirement are still in effect as of August 2026. Repeal bills SB 522 and HB 769 both died in committee on March 13, 2026 without reaching a floor vote. The 14-day treatment requirement, emergency medical condition finding, 80 percent medical and 60 percent lost-wage payment structure, and permanent injury threshold all remain unchanged.
I was in a crash in Jacksonville — do I really have to see a doctor within 14 days?
Yes. Under Florida's no-fault law, you must receive initial medical care within 14 days of the crash or your $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits are forfeited entirely. The visit must be to a qualifying provider — an emergency room, a physician, an osteopath, a chiropractor, a dentist, or a licensed ambulance or hospital service. Massage therapy and acupuncture do not qualify.
How long do I have to file a car accident lawsuit in Florida?
Two years from the date of the crash for most injury claims. Florida Statute § 95.11(5)(a) sets a two-year deadline for negligence actions, a change that took effect March 24, 2023 and cut the old four-year window in half. Miss the deadline and the court can dismiss the case no matter how strong the facts are, so the practical deadline is much earlier than the legal one.
My medical bills are way more than $10,000 — what happens when PIP runs out?
Once PIP is exhausted, you may be able to pursue the at-fault driver and other available insurance for the remaining medical bills, lost income, and other losses. PIP pays 80 percent of reasonable and necessary medical expenses and 60 percent of lost wages, up to $10,000 total. The next layers are typically the at-fault driver's bodily injury coverage, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, and in some cases a commercial policy if a work vehicle was involved.
Can I recover money for pain and suffering after a Florida car accident?
Only if your injury meets Florida's permanent injury threshold. Florida Statute § 627.737(2) allows non-economic damages — pain, suffering, inconvenience, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life — in a motor vehicle case only where the injured person suffered significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, a permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death.
The crash report says I was partly at fault. Can I still recover anything?
Possibly — Florida allows recovery as long as you are 50 percent or less at fault. Under Florida Statute § 768.81(6), a person found more than 50 percent responsible for their own harm recovers nothing. At 50 percent or below, your damages are reduced by your share of fault: a $100,000 case with 30 percent fault assigned to you becomes a $70,000 recovery.
The driver who hit me had no insurance. What are my options?
Your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage is usually the primary source of recovery. Roughly one in five Florida drivers carries no auto insurance. Florida does not require drivers to buy UM coverage — insurers only have to offer it. Check your declarations page. If you carry UM on more than one vehicle, "stacked" coverage may multiply the available limits.
The other driver's insurance adjuster wants a recorded statement. Do I have to give one?
No — you are generally not required to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company. Your own insurer may have contractual cooperation requirements, which is a different question. Adjusters often call within days, before the full extent of an injury is known, and early answers about how you feel or how the crash happened can be used later to minimize injuries or shift fault.
