Is my Child Covered Under my PIP Benefits if They are Involved in a School Bus Accident?

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In the state of Florida, drivers who have a vehicle registered are required to carry what is known as Personal Injury P0rotection (PIP). PIP is also referred to as Florida No Fault Insurance and covers you regardless of who is at-fault for the accident. As a policyholder, you do have some say in what your limits are, however, some vehicle types may require that you purchase a higher amount of coverage. In general, owners or registrants of a motor vehicle with four wheels or more are required to carry a minimum of $10,000 of PIP and $10,000 of property damage liability [Source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles].

So, let’s say you are involved in an auto accident with a car, truck, or bus, and you sustain an injury. If you have $20,000 in PIP benefits under your auto insurance policy, your insurer should cover you up to that amount once your deductible is satisfied given you have one.

 

Who else will my PIP insurance cover?

 

  • Your children
  • Members of your household
  • Certain passengers who lack PIP insurance as long as they don’t own a vehicle.
  • You if you are riding in someone else’s vehicle and they engage in an accident.
  • You as a pedestrian.
  • You as a bicyclist.

 

If you are involved in an automobile accident and the individuals who are riding in the car with you sustain an injury, they would file an insurance claim using their own PIP insurance assuming they have their own policy as well.

 

Your PIP insurance will also cover your child in the event they suffer an injury while riding on the school bus.

 

This is rather important to know because many individuals assume that PIP insurance only pertains to you and your vehicle. The truth is, if a school bus accident were to arise, you can file a claim with your insurer in an attempt to receive benefits so that your child can seek the medical care they need without you having to pay out of pocket for this treatment. You may also want to speak with a bus accident attorney to learn whether or not your child is entitled to additional compensation from other parties given they sustained a serious injury.

While school buses are generally safe to ride on, sometimes, the bus driver isn’t being as attentive as they should be. You also can’t forget about the hundreds of other drivers sharing the roadway with them who might be driving drunk, distracted, or reckless.

Therefore, the best thing you can do in the event your child is involved in a school bus collision in Fort Lauderdale is consult with a bus crash attorney before accepting any settlements from your insurer or attempting to pursue legal action on your own. You and your child have rights in the matter and the only way to be sure they are being taken into account is if you have a reliable lawyer working beside you. To find a bus accident lawyer in the Fort Lauderdale area now, contact USAttorneys.com today.