If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Florida, your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance is designed to help cover your initial medical expenses. But what happens when those benefits run out—and you still need treatment?

Unfortunately, this is an extremely common situation. More than 90% of the time, PIP benefits will not be enough to cover all of your medical bills or treatment. When your PIP is exhausted, you may be left with unpaid medical bills and difficult decisions about your care.

Here’s what you need to know about what happens next—and what options you have.

Why PIP Benefits Run Out So Quickly

Florida requires drivers to carry a minimum of $10,000 in PIP coverage. While that might sound like a reasonable amount, it often falls far short of actual medical costs after an accident.

Consider that PIP only pays 80% of your medical bills after your deductible. So even if you have the full $10,000 in coverage, the maximum you’ll actually receive for medical expenses is around $8,000—and that’s before accounting for your deductible.

A single ambulance ride, emergency room visit, and follow-up imaging can easily consume your entire PIP benefit. If you need surgery, physical therapy, or ongoing treatment, you’ll likely exhaust your PIP long before your recovery is complete.

The reality is that PIP coverage only pays a small portion of the necessary medical care most accident victims require. This leaves many people in a difficult position: they need continued treatment but have no coverage to pay for it.

What Happens When PIP Runs Out?

When your PIP benefits are exhausted before your treatment is complete, you’re typically left in one of these situations:

1. You’re Left with Unpaid Medical Bills

Once PIP is gone, any additional medical expenses become your responsibility. Hospitals, doctors, and other providers will bill you directly for the remaining balance. These bills can quickly add up to tens of thousands of dollars.

Many accident victims find themselves going without necessary medical treatment simply because they can’t afford to pay out of pocket. This can delay recovery and lead to long-term health complications.

2. You Must Pursue a Claim Against the At-Fault Driver

If another driver caused your accident, you may be able to pursue a claim against their insurance for your remaining medical bills and other damages. However, there’s an important catch:

The at-fault party’s insurance company will not pay your medical bills upfront.

Unlike PIP, which pays as you incur expenses, the other driver’s liability insurance works differently. Their insurance company will typically wait until you’ve finished treatment and incurred all your medical bills. Then—and only then—will they consider paying you, and usually only if you agree to sign a release giving up your right to pursue any additional compensation.

This means you may need to find ways to pay for your treatment while waiting for a settlement that could take months or even years.

3. Your Health Insurance May Step In

If you have health insurance, it can serve as secondary coverage after your PIP is exhausted. Your health insurer may cover additional medical expenses, though you’ll likely be responsible for deductibles, co-pays, and any amounts not covered by your plan.

Keep in mind that if you later receive a settlement from the at-fault driver’s insurance, your health insurer may have a right to be reimbursed for what they paid—this is called subrogation.

4. MedPay Coverage Can Help Bridge the Gap

If you purchased Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage on your auto insurance policy, it can provide additional funds for medical expenses beyond PIP. MedPay typically pays 100% of covered expenses (unlike PIP’s 80%) and doesn’t require you to meet Florida’s serious injury threshold.

Unfortunately, MedPay is optional in Florida, so many drivers don’t have it. If you’re reviewing your policy after an accident, it’s worth checking whether you have this coverage.

The Challenge of Getting Treatment Without Coverage

One of the most frustrating aspects of exhausting your PIP benefits is the gap it creates in your medical care. Without a way to pay for treatment, many accident victims face impossible choices:

  • Delaying necessary medical care until a settlement is reached
  • Paying out of pocket for treatment they can’t afford
  • Accumulating medical debt that damages their credit
  • Stopping treatment altogether, which can worsen injuries and complicate recovery

This is one of the biggest challenges we see with Florida’s PIP system. The coverage is simply inadequate for the medical costs most accident victims face, and the burden falls on injured people who are already dealing with pain, lost wages, and disrupted lives.

How a Personal Injury Claim Can Help

If another driver was at fault for your accident, pursuing a personal injury claim may be your best option for recovering the full cost of your medical treatment and other losses.

A personal injury claim can help you recover compensation for:

  • All medical expenses—past, present, and future
  • Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Property damage
  • Other damages related to your accident

However, to file a personal injury lawsuit in Florida, you typically need to meet the state’s “serious injury threshold.” This means your injuries must be significant and permanent, involve permanent scarring or disfigurement, or result in permanent loss of a bodily function.

An attorney can help you understand whether your injuries qualify and guide you through the process of pursuing compensation.

What If the Other Driver Is Uninsured or Underinsured?

If the driver who caused your accident doesn’t have insurance—or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your damages—you may be able to file a claim under your own Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.

UM/UIM coverage is optional in Florida but highly recommended. It protects you when the at-fault driver can’t pay for the damages they caused.

Don’t Wait to Explore Your Options

If your PIP benefits are running low or have already been exhausted, don’t wait to explore your options. Florida’s statute of limitations gives you only two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit (changed from four years under HB 837 in March 2023).

The sooner you consult with an attorney, the more time there is to investigate your accident, gather evidence, and build a strong case for the compensation you deserve.

We’re Here to Help

At The Lowman Law Firm, we understand how stressful it is to face mounting medical bills when your PIP coverage has run out. We’ve helped thousands of Florida accident victims navigate this exact situation and recover the compensation they need to pay for their care and move forward with their lives.

Our team offers free case evaluations, and we work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

With offices across the region, we’re never far away:

Contact us today for a free consultation. You’re our neighbor, not a number—and we’re here to fight for you.

Related Resources