Thinking of Accepting the Initial Settlement Offer from the Insurance Company? After a car accident, the at-fault party’s insurance company may be quick to offer a settlement to seemingly compensate you for the cost of your injuries. Some insurance companies may seem to suggest it is a “now or never” settlement offer. You do not […]
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Here’s Why You Should Reconsider Your Florida Auto Insurance in the New Year
As we begin a new year, it’s a good time to review your Florida auto insurance policies. We often hear from clients and friends that they don’t really understand or even know what coverages they have. You may even renew your policy every six months without looking at your policy documents. That could be a […]
Florida Governor Vetoes Liability Coverage Auto Insurance
Florida auto insurance will continue to be one of the most expensive in the country. Share this update on Twitter. Recently, Governor DeSantis vetoed the Mandatory Bodily Injury Liability law that was overwhelmingly passed by the Florida legislature. (In April, the Florida House passed the bill 99-11 and the Senate passed it 38-1). The […]
What Auto Insurance Is Required in Florida?
What auto insurance (or car insurance), is required in the state of Florida? Florida law only requires that an owner of a motor vehicle purchase Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage liability coverage. The law doesn’t require that a motor vehicle owner purchase liability insurance for bodily injuries. So, if you are in an automobile […]
How Insurance Companies Evaluate Claims
How Insurance Companies Evaluate Claims (Part II) Click here for Part I of this article about settlement demands. So now that the insurance company has your settlement demand package, what happens next? With the volume of claims an insurance company receives, it’s almost impossible to imagine an insurance adjuster reading through every single medical record. […]
Auto Insurance Terms
Commonly Used Auto Insurance Terms Bodily Injury Liability (BI) Coverage Pays for death or serious and permanent injury to others. Your claim against the at-fault party will be made against their BI coverage, if they have it. It is optional under Florida law. Property Damage Liability (PD) Coverage Pays for damages that an […]
Is Usage Based Insurance Right for You?
What if your insurance company could grade your driving? Thanks to technology, now they can. That’s what happens with usage-based insurance, or “UBI”. With UBI, you allow your insurance company to monitor your vehicle to determine your premiums. The better driver you are, or the less risk you are to the insurance company, the better rates or discounts you receive. Saving money with a UBI device sounds like a great idea, but is it? What is Usage-Based Insurance? UBI uses […]
Essential Steps to Protect yourself before the Accident Happens
Are you sure you have full coverage on your Florida auto insurance policy? Take a second look. What you think is full coverage may not be the case. It is essential that you have the right insurance when involved in a car accident in order to protect yourself and your family. What auto insurance is […]
Is My Personal Injury Settlement Taxable? Understanding the Rules and Exceptions in Florida
Do I have to pay taxes on my personal injury settlement? When tax season rolls around, we often have clients asking us this question. If you received a personal injury settlement, you might wonder if you have to pay taxes on it. The answer to this question is not always straightforward, but generally, the answer […]
Why it’s Crucial that You Hire a Motorcycle Attorney
Here’s why you should hire a motorcycle accident attorney. Motorcycle and automobile accidents are very different from one another, however, Attorney C. Todd Smith is experienced in handling both. Motorcycles are built and operate much differently than automobiles and because of this may result in more catastrophic injuries. At C. Todd Smith Law we […]
Florida Passes Controversial Tort Reform Law HB 837
In only three short weeks, the Florida legislature has passed a new law, HB 837, which is a major overhaul of our civil justice system related to negligence and insurance cases. The bill was signed into law on March 24, 2023. Proponents of the new law claim it will bring a better balance and transparency […]
Three Steps for Achieving Your Goals
Need help with your personal or professional goal setting? Here are a couple of tips to get you started. The most important aspect of goal setting is to define what you want and always, always have a plan. As they say, “Any road can take you there if you don’t know where you’re going”. TIP […]
