Florida PIP and the 14-day medical rule, explained plainly
Almost every Florida injury question eventually becomes a coverage question, and the answer usually starts with personal injury protection. This page explains what PIP generally is, the 14-day rule people miss most often, and where PIP stops.
AnswerSignal is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice, legal representation, or referrals in exchange for a fee. Information on this page is general and may not apply to your situation. No result is promised or implied. Deadlines in Florida are strict — speak with a licensed Florida attorney about your own facts.
What PIP generally is
Florida is a no-fault state for most crashes involving motor vehicles: personal injury protection (PIP) coverage generally applies first, and Florida law requires initial medical care within 14 days for PIP benefits to be available. Whether a claim can go beyond PIP depends on the injuries and the facts.
PIP follows the person, not only the vehicle. Depending on the policies involved it can apply to you as a driver, a passenger, a pedestrian, or a cyclist through your own household auto policy.
PIP is a first-party benefit paid by your own insurer regardless of who caused the crash. It is not a settlement, and accepting it does not resolve anything against another driver.
The 14-day rule
Florida law generally requires that initial medical care be received within 14 days of the crash for PIP benefits to be available. Waiting to see whether pain resolves is the single most common way people lose access to their own coverage.
The level of benefit can also depend on whether a qualifying provider determines an emergency medical condition exists. That determination is medical, not something an insurer's adjuster decides for you.
Where PIP stops
PIP limits are finite and are commonly exhausted well before treatment finishes for a significant injury. What happens next depends on health coverage, medical payments coverage, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and whether a claim can proceed beyond no-fault.
Florida's PIP requirement generally applies to motor vehicles with four or more wheels, which is why motorcycle riders usually cannot rely on it.
Deadlines
Florida changed its negligence deadline in 2023. Many negligence claims arising on or after March 24, 2023 are subject to a two-year deadline, and other deadlines can be shorter or longer depending on who is involved (for example, claims involving a government entity). Deadlines are fact-specific — confirm yours with a licensed Florida attorney rather than relying on any general summary.
Who this page is for
- Anyone injured in a Florida crash who has not yet been treated.
- People whose PIP benefits ran out mid-treatment.
- Pedestrians, cyclists and passengers who assume PIP does not apply to them.
Information worth gathering
- Declarations pages for every auto policy in your household.
- The date and provider of your first medical visit after the crash.
- Your PIP claim number and the adjuster's contact details.
- A running total of bills paid, denied and outstanding.
Practical checklist
- Get evaluated within 14 days of the crash, even if symptoms seem minor.
- Ask your own insurer, in writing, to open a PIP claim and confirm the claim number.
- Keep every bill, explanation of benefits and referral in date order.
- Check every household policy for medical payments and UM/UIM coverage.
- Note the date PIP is exhausted — it changes what happens next.
Want a person to look at your situation?
Tell us what happened and where in Florida it happened. We are not a law firm, we do not give legal advice, and we do not accept submissions from anyone already represented by a lawyer for the same matter.
If you choose to share your details, we only contact you about your inquiry. We never publish your information, and we do not accept submissions from people who already have a lawyer for the same matter.
Share your situationWhat happens after you submit
- 1A person reads what you sent. Nothing is automated into a legal decision.
- 2If your situation is outside Florida, already represented, or something we cannot help with, we tell you that plainly instead of passing it along.
- 3If it is something an attorney should see, we ask your permission before sharing anything, and we tell you who we would share it with.
- 4You are never charged, and you are under no obligation. We do not guarantee that any attorney will take your matter.
Common questions
- What is the Florida 14-day rule?
- Florida law generally requires initial medical care within 14 days of a crash for PIP benefits to be available. Missing that window can remove access to your own coverage regardless of fault.
- Does PIP cover everything?
- No. PIP limits are finite and commonly exhausted before treatment finishes. What applies afterwards depends on the specific policies involved and the facts of the claim.
Related Florida reading
Other Florida situations
Who publishes this page
These pages are published by AnswerSignal (AnswerSignalApp), a Florida-focused software company. AnswerSignal is not a law firm, does not employ attorneys, and does not provide legal services.
Content is written in plain English from publicly available Florida statutes and agency materials, and is kept general on purpose. It has not been reviewed by an attorney, and we do not present it as legal advice — where a page describes Florida law it describes the general framework, not how it applies to your facts.
If something here is inaccurate or out of date, tell us and we will correct or remove it.