Editorial: Is no-fault auto insurance in danger?

OUR POSITION: The Legislature has hinted it will look at changes in Florida's no-fault car insurance.

All Florida residents are required to have auto insurance and that means a no-fault policy.

The Legislature designed the no-fault insurance way back in 1979.

In simple terms no-fault means if you have an accident, each driver can turn it in to their insurance company to settle, no matter who caused the accident. To cover any medical expenses, Florida also required personal injury protection (PIP) that is included in the insurance policy. It covers up to $10,000 of medical expenses.

That is the main purpose of no-fault — to make it easier to get medical treatment without calling a lawyer whose name you see on a billboard.

But, more and more accident victims are calling those lawyers. Why? Well, have you gone to an emergency room lately?

The $10,000 PIP doesn't go too far nowadays.

Last week, some legislators suggested they are considering dropping the required PIP and doing away with no-fault insurance — with some possible tweaks.

The idea is to lower your insurance costs.

We see a potential for even more lawsuits and even bigger profits for those guys you see on the billboards.

A similar, but separate bill that has been filed would eliminate the no-fault system and PIP but require car owners to carry bodily injury coverage.

The biggest problem, some critics argue, is that cost for auto insurance will be a burden on low-income car owners and more people would be driving without coverage.

Maybe the most simple solution would be to increase the $10,000 PIP? Of course that would surely increase the cost of all policies, and no one really wants that.

It will be interesting to see what, if any, changes actually go to the lawmakers for a vote.