Florida's failure to repeal PIP could cost drivers more in the future

Nearly 20% of drivers on the road in Florida have no insurance at all. That is among the highest percentage in the nation. (Photo: PhotoSpirit/Adobe Stock)

With the stroke of a veto pen, Florida governor Ron DeSantis has kept personal injury protection (PIP) and all the shenanigans that go along with this coverage alive and well. I will be the first to admit that this bill was far from perfect, but it was a much-needed start. 

According to the governor’s office, there was concern that it could result in rising premiums. What is missing from this concern is that Florida currently does not require motorists to carry bodily injury coverage. So, yes, the motorists who do not currently have bodily injury coverage would have likely seen an increase in premiums. However, they would have largely been offset by not having to pay for PIP, a coverage riddled with fraud, waste and abuse. As for the rest of Florida’s drivers who carry full coverage, they would have likely seen a reduction in premiums, especially for uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, both of which are currently among the highest in the nation.