Florida's Number of Uninsured Motorists in the Top Five

Sandy Grinnell

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Based on a recent report from the Insurance Research Council (IRC), Florida ranks in the top five states for number of uninsured motorists. In 2007 13.8 percent of all motorists in the U.S. were uninsured - in Florida it was 23%. Only New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama and Oklahoma had more uninsured motorists on the road than Florida.

To make matters worse, the IRC found a direct correlation between an increase in the unemployment rate and the rate of uninsured motorists. With Florida's unemploment rate jumping from 4.9% in November 2007 to 7.3% in November 2008, we can expect almost another 2% increase in the number of uninsured motorists in the coming months. The reason of course is that individuals will do whatever they can to get by and dropping their auto insurance is just one expense some folks feel they can live without.

We all know of course that this is short-sighted but it's out of our control. So what should you do to protect yourself from these uninsured motorists? Call your insurance agent to discuss your current Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage and buy as much as you can afford. It is your only defense against these tough economic times and the increase in uninsured motorists on our highways.