Florida's diverse ecosystem gives the state a wide variety of wildlife, from deer and flamingos to bears and alligators.
Unfortunately, these animals often cross roads, wander over bridges, and even scamper through parking lots to look for food. To make matters worse, auto insurers might not cover the damage when your car collides with an animal.
Compensation for Animal Strikes to Vehicles in Florida
An animal darting into the road can cause serious injuries and extensive damage to your vehicle. Although Florida requires minimum insurance coverages for all drivers, these policies usually don't apply when an animal causes a crash.
Potential payment for these crashes depends on whether the accident involved:
- Domestic animals. Accidents caused by pets, farm animals, and other domesticated creatures fall on the animal's owner. You could seek payment under the owner's homeowner's insurance, or another liability policy.
- Wild animals. Wild animals don't have owners, so payment for a wildlife crash falls under your comprehensive auto policy. This optional coverage pays for damage caused by something other than a collision with another car, such as vandalism, slippery roads, and animal strikes.
- Near-miss crashes. If you manage to avoid hitting the animal, but run off the road or strike a fixed object, you may seek reimbursement for repair costs under your collision coverage. Collision insurance is also optional in Florida, and covers repairs to your vehicle after a single-vehicle crash (such as hitting a tree or veering into a ditch).
- Swerve collisions. Sometimes swerving to avoid an animal can cause you to sideswipe cars in the next lane—or place you in the path of an oncoming vehicle. Your state-required personal injury protection coverage can be used to pay medical bills and lost wages for these accidents, while collision coverage may also apply if you're considered to be partially at fault.
If you're struggling after a Florida car accident, the attorneys at DeLoach, Hofstra & Cavonis can advise you on possible options and secure the compensation you need to move on with your life. Simply fill out the brief contact form on this page to set up a consultation with our injury team.
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