Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26. If last year is any guide, the roads will be packed. AAA counted 81.8 million Americans traveling over Thanksgiving 2025, and at least 73 million of them went by car. Orlando was AAA’s most popular domestic destination. The worst time to drive was the Wednesday before the holiday, from about 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Here is the number that should make every Florida driver pause before that trip. 

20.6% 

of Florida drivers were estimated to be uninsured in 2023 — seventh-highest in the U.S. The national rate was 15.4%. 

Source: Insurance Research Council, 2025 study, via the Insurance Information Institute. 

If one of those drivers hits you, the coverage that protects you is not theirs. It is yours. Here is what to check while there is still time to change it. 

Florida’s minimum insurance does not cover your injuries from someone else’s driving 

Florida requires most vehicle owners to carry two things: 

• $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection (PIP), which pays your own medical bills and lost income no matter who caused the crash. Fla. Stat. § 627.736 (2026). 

• $10,000 of Property Damage Liability, which pays for damage you cause to someone else’s property. Fla. Stat. § 324.022 (2026). 

That is it. Florida does not require most drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage, the part of a policy that pays for injuries you cause to other people. So a driver can be fully “legal” and still have nothing to pay for your injuries. 

PIP also covers less than people think. It pays 80 percent of reasonable medical expenses, up to the $10,000 limit. You must get initial care within 14 days of the crash or you lose PIP benefits. And unless a doctor finds an emergency medical condition, medical benefits are capped at $2,500. Fla. Stat. § 627.736(1)(a) (2026). For a serious injury, $10,000 can be gone in the first trip to the emergency room. 

What uninsured motorist coverage does 

Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage steps in when the at-fault driver has no bodily injury coverage. It also covers an underinsured driver, one whose coverage is too small to pay for your injuries. Fla. Stat. § 627.727(2) (2026). In practice, UM can cover medical bills beyond PIP, lost wages, and pain and suffering, up to your UM limits. Most policies also apply UM in hit-and-run crashes. Check your own policy’s terms. 

UM often protects more than just the driver. Depending on the policy, it can cover you and relatives who live with you as passengers, pedestrians, or cyclists. 

Why many Floridians do not have it 

Florida law requires an insurer that sells you bodily injury liability coverage to include UM coverage at the same limits. But you can reject it, or choose lower limits, in writing. Fla. Stat. § 627.727(1) (2026). The rejection form carries a bold warning: “You are electing not to purchase certain valuable coverage which protects you and your family.” Id. 

Many people sign that form without remembering they did, often to lower a premium. And if you carry only Florida’s bare minimum, you may have no UM coverage at all. 

Five things to check before the holiday 

1. Find your declarations page. It is the summary page of your policy, usually in your insurer’s app. 
   
   1. Look for a line labeled “Uninsured Motorist” or “UM/UIM.” If it is missing or shows $0, you are not covered. 
   1. Compare your UM limits to your bodily injury limits. If UM is lower, you or someone on your policy chose that in writing. 
   1. Check “stacked” or “non-stacked.” Stacked coverage lets you combine UM limits across the vehicles on your policy. Non-stacked costs less but pays less. Fla. Stat. § 627.727(9) (2026). 
   1. Call your agent if anything looks thin. Adding or raising UM is often cheaper than people expect. Ask for a quote before you hit I-4. 

   If you are hurt in a crash this season 

   • Call 911 and get a police report. 
   • Take photos of the vehicles, the scene, and your injuries. 
   • Get the other driver’s name, license, plate, and insurance information. If they have none, write that down. 
   • See a doctor within 14 days, even if you feel fine. That is the PIP deadline. 
   • Notify your own insurer promptly. Your policy will have notice requirements. 
   • Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer before you talk to a lawyer. 
     
     

   Deadlines matter. For most negligence claims arising after March 24, 2023, Florida’s statute of limitations is two years. Fla. Stat. § 95.11(5)(a) (2026). And under Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, if you are found more than 50 percent at fault, you cannot recover from the other driver. Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6) (2026). Claims against your own UM insurer follow your policy and their own rules, so get advice early. 

   How Grace Law can help 

   When the other driver has no insurance, the claim often becomes a claim against your own insurance company. That company may not be on your side. We review your policy, handle the insurers, and fight for what your coverage promises. 

    

   Speak with an attorney about your situation. 

   Hurt in a crash? In English or Spanish  ·  407.777.4994  ·  GraceLawPA.com 

   This article is general information about Florida law as of October 2026, not legal advice. Coverage depends on your specific policy. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship.