What exactly does "No fault state" mean for car insurance? (2015, renting)

[MA_to_Waterset_ApolloBch]

I have heard that Florida is a "No Fault State" when renting cars recently. But nobody has really explained what this means. The best explanation so far is that you pay for your own car repairs in the event of an accident. Does someone have a better explanation?

Maybe a few scenarios can help?

1. 2 cars are backing out of their parking spaces. The 2 cars back into each other.
2. I am driving down the road and someone rear ends me.
3. I am driving down the road and I read end someone.

In Massachusetts I think the following would hold true:

1. Its nobody's fault, each person is responsible for their car repairs. You can get the police/insurance companies involved if either one of you want to.

2. The person who hit me is at fault. I would get their insurance information and call the police to file a report. My insurance company would go after their insurance company to pay for the damages. They would get a citation/points on their license.

3. This is MY fault. I would end up having my insurance company pay for both repairs and I would get a citation and points on my license.

How does this work in Florida? I can't imagine that 2 cars would get into an accident and you would just drive away and take care of your own repairs. I think people would just drive like crazy people and not really worry about what happens. Do you call the police to file a report? Can you go after someone's insurance company for payment? Do you call the police just for a report that your insurance company requires and to hopefully get some penalties against the other driver (if it is their fault).

Thanks

Jason

[rezfreak]

It means the same down here as your situation, unless i'm mis-informed as well.

[SULAW2015]

Florida No-fault has only to do with physical/medical injuries.
It has nothing to do with the collision or the comprehensive, aka the car.
If you are involved in an accident you can go to the hospital for up to 48 hours even up to 2 weeks with your own insurance.

Your accident scenarios are the same as in MASS.

This is not legal advice.

[Kaybri73]

It means regardless of who is at fault your insurance covers your vehicle and their insurance covers theirs. That is my understanding of it.

[SULAW2015]

The other challenge is that 40% of all accidents involve one non-insured driver.
This is a misdemeanor and people tend to run, can give false insurance info, etc.
Uninsured motorists coverage is very important.
Take pictures.

[Kaybri73]

This breaks it down pretty well.......

Florida is A No Fault State

[chi_tino]

Originally Posted by SULAW2015

The other challenge is that 40% of all accidents involve one non-insured driver.

I find this statistic to be so incredibly unbelievable that I'm going to need you to provide a source for it.

[Kaybri73]

Here is a link, not 40% but I think the point was that it is very high here compared to elsewhere.

Florida drivers need protection from uninsured motorists | Straight Talk

[brucerby]

Originally Posted by Kaybri73

Here is a link, not 40% but I think the point was that it is very high here compared to elsewhere.

Florida drivers need protection from uninsured motorists | Straight Talk

Reading the article, it says "one in five" so about 20% of the time the other driver is uninsured.

[SULAW2015]

I stand corrected 48% of all accidents have one uninsured driver.
Since 24% don't have insurance, it takes two people to have an accident.
One with and one with out nearly half the time.