Hurt In Accident – Property Damage Liability

Automobile accidents can cause serious harm, not only to drivers and passengers, but they can also cause great vehicle damage to cars, trucks, and other property involved in the accident. It is extremely important for you to have the right insurance coverage to make sure you are protected in an accident.

In Florida, the state requires all drivers with a valid Florida drivers license to carry a minimum of $10,000 Property Damage Liability (PDL) coverage. Since laws differ from state-to-state in regards to required auto insurance coverage and property damage liability insurance coverage, please check with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to make sure you have the appropriate coverage. While some states offer Property Damage Liability insurance as an optional insurance it may be worth adding to your auto insurance policy because of the benefits provided by property damage liability insurance.

Property Damage (PD) Liability insurance covers a policy holder’s (a driver and/or their family member’s) legal responsibilities for a covered accident that involves damage to someone’s property (motor vehicle, car, truck), up to the limits and conditions documented in your auto insurance policy. Property Damage Liability insurance only covers the property damage that you caused (meaning the accident was your fault or at-fault driver) to another person’s car or property. It does not cover damage to your vehicle or property.

Property damage can include more than just damage to a motor vehicle. Maybe your teenage driver backs the family car into your neighbor’s mailbox or your serve to miss an animal in the road and run into a fence. Property damage can also include damage to a:

• Fence
• Telephone Pole
• Mailbox
• Building
• Animal

If you are in a car crash and are found at fault in the accident, rather than having to pay for repairs to the other car, truck, or vehicle, the insurance company must pay a minimum of $10,000 in property damage liability per crash. Otherwise you must pay for these expenses out-of-pocket, which can get very expensive, especially the high cost to repair a car or to replace a truck, if it is declared a total loss.

If you are having issues with your insurance company — tried to purchase Property Damage Liability insurance and were denied, or if you were in an accident and have a Property Damage Liability claim that was denied (an insurance bad faith claim) contact us here.