BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — If you've noticed your car insurance rates creeping up, you're not alone.
One of the biggest reasons for the increase in premiums is uninsured drivers causing damage they can't cover.
Law enforcement agencies are cracking down on uninsured drivers
Law enforcement agencies across Palm Beach County are cracking down. In just one day last week, 419 traffic stops resulted in 113 warnings and citations for no proof of insurance. That's about one in every four drivers pulled over, and data shows roughly one in six drivers are uninsured.
Boynton Beach resident Emily Plager knows firsthand how expensive this situation can be.
"Brand new door, both doors actually… my right door still does not shut all the way," Plager said.
Just eight months after purchasing a new car, Plager found herself in a financial fallout.
"I was driving westbound on Boynton Beach Boulevard, and a car made an illegal U-turn and T-boned me right into my right side," she recalled.
The damages? About $12,000. Her car spent two to three months in the shop, and though she was not at fault, her insurance premium still went up.
"They told me, 'Hey, your insurance is going to have to take over because the person who hit you does not have insurance.' My insurance said my premium would not go up because I was not at fault, but it did," Plager said.
She also noted that her mother was recently hit by an uninsured driver.
"It seems like the people who don't have insurance really get no consequences from it," she said.
Automotive
Florida car insurance rates still accelerating, forcing 'panic shopping'
Attorney Chris Lassen with Freeman Injury Law isn't surprised by the frequency of these accidents.
"Not a week goes by, it's just that common," Lassen said.
To address the rising cost of insurance, the National Insurance Crime Bureau teamed up with multiple Palm Beach County law enforcement agencies. Their recent one-day crackdown led to over 400 traffic stops and more than 100 citations and warnings for no proof of insurance.
Numbers from the Insurance Information Institute show that 15.9% of Florida drivers do not have car insurance, which is higher than the 14% national average.
Lassen believes Florida's high insurance rates contribute to the problem.
"Everybody has this kind of view of insurance that it's just throwing money away, and it is — until you need it. And if you don't need it, it's kind of easy to let it go," Lassen explained.
For those willing to pay extra for protection, Lassen recommends uninsured motorist coverage.
"Make sure your own policy has collision and uninsured motorist coverage on it. The more you buy, the better. But at the very least, those coverages make sure that if someone hits you, your car will get taken care of. And if there's any damage — like you break your arm, you're out of work — uninsured motorist coverage will step up," Lassen advised.
The Boynton Beach Police Department says this joint effort to crack down on uninsured drivers will continue in hopes of making the roads safer for everyone.
