What Is Umbrella Insurance in Florida? Does It Cover Injuries?

Hollywood Car Accident Lawyer | Daniel B Reinfeld, PA

Written and reviewed by Daniel B. Reinfeld, Esq. | Last updated October 28, 2026

Umbrella insurance is extra liability coverage that pays after the liability limits on your auto, home, or boat policy are used up. It covers injuries and property damage you cause to other people, and it usually adds legal defense costs. It generally does not pay for your own injuries, and it does not replace your auto policy. Most umbrella policies start at $1 million in coverage.

What is umbrella insurance?

Umbrella insurance is a personal liability policy that sits on top of your other liability policies. When a claim against you is larger than your auto or homeowners limits, the umbrella policy pays the next layer, up to its own limit.

The name describes the idea. The umbrella covers the gap above your underlying policies. If your auto policy has $100,000 in bodily injury coverage for one person and a jury awards $750,000, the umbrella is what stands between the unpaid balance and your savings, home equity, or future paycheck.

Does umbrella insurance cover injuries?

It covers injuries you cause to other people, not injuries you suffer. Umbrella coverage is liability coverage. It responds when someone makes a claim against you for bodily injury, such as the other driver in a crash you caused or a guest hurt on your property.

It generally does not pay for your own medical bills or your own injuries. Those are handled by other coverage, such as PIP, health insurance, medical payments coverage, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage on your auto policy. Some carriers offer umbrella forms that include uninsured/underinsured motorist protection, but that is not universal, so read the policy or ask the carrier before assuming it is there.

What does umbrella insurance cover?

Typical personal umbrella coverage includes:

Bodily injury liability above your underlying limits, such as a serious multi-car crash where the medical bills exceed your auto policy.

Property damage liability, meaning damage you cause to someone else's property.

Legal defense costs, including attorney fees and court costs, even for a lawsuit without merit.

Landlord liability, such as claims from tenants over unsafe conditions at a rental property.

Certain personal liability claims that standard policies often do not cover, such as libel, slander, false arrest, and invasion of privacy. The scope varies by carrier and policy form.

What does umbrella insurance not cover?

Most personal umbrella policies exclude the following, though wording differs by policy:

Your own injuries and your own property damage.

Intentional or criminal acts.

Business activities, including home-based businesses, which need separate commercial coverage.

Professional services, such as malpractice or errors and omissions.

Contractual liability, such as hold-harmless or indemnification agreements.

Punitive damages. Florida public policy generally bars insurers from paying punitive damages for a policyholder's own misconduct, and many umbrella forms say so directly. My article on what punitive damages are in Florida explains when those awards arise.

Recreational vehicles and watercraft that have no separate underlying policy.

Tax debts, child support, alimony, and criminal fines.

Do you need an underlying policy to buy umbrella insurance?

Yes. Carriers require you to carry minimum liability limits on your auto and home policies before they will sell an umbrella. Commonly cited requirements are auto bodily injury liability of $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident, and homeowners liability of $300,000. The exact numbers are set by each insurer, so ask for the requirements before you shop.

That is a practical point for Florida drivers. Florida's basic auto requirements are far lower than what a serious injury produces, and an umbrella only works if the layers beneath it are in place.

How much does umbrella insurance cost in Florida?

Coverage typically starts at $1 million, and premiums commonly run a few hundred dollars a year for the first million. Many households carry between $1 million and $5 million. Price depends on the carrier, the number of drivers and vehicles, the presence of teen drivers, rental property, pools, boats, and claims history.

Compared with the coverage it adds, an umbrella is usually inexpensive. That is the reason lawyers and insurance agents bring it up so often.

Do you need umbrella insurance in Florida?

It is worth considering if you have more to lose than your auto limits would cover. People who commonly benefit include homeowners with equity, people with savings or investments, anyone who drives often or has teen drivers, and owners of rental property, pools, boats, or recreational vehicles.

A serious crash can produce medical bills and a verdict well beyond a $100,000 or $300,000 policy. When damages exceed insurance, the injured person may try to collect the rest from the at-fault person's assets. An umbrella is one way to keep that from reaching your home or income.

Why does umbrella insurance matter if you were injured?

Because the at-fault person's umbrella policy can change what your case is worth. If your damages are larger than the driver's auto limits, an umbrella policy may be the difference between a partial recovery and a full one. Many injured people never learn the policy exists, because nobody tells them.

Florida law helps you find out. Under section 627.4137, an insurer that does or may provide liability coverage for a claim must give the claimant a sworn statement within 30 days of a written request. The statement covers each known policy, including excess or umbrella insurance, and must include the insurer's name, the name of each insured, the liability limits, any coverage defense the insurer reasonably believes applies, and a copy of the policy. The insured or the insured's agent must also, on written request from the claimant or the claimant's attorney, identify each known insurer and forward the request to all of them.

In practice, we send this request early. Knowing there is $1 million or more in available coverage affects how a case is valued, how it is negotiated, and whether to put the insurer on notice of a claim that exceeds the primary limits. My article on what to do after a car accident in Florida covers the early steps.

What about your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage?

It is a different protection, and it is yours. Under section 627.727, auto policies with bodily injury liability coverage in Florida must include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage unless the named insured rejects it in writing. The statute treats a vehicle as uninsured when its liability limits are lower than the total damages, which is the underinsured situation.

UM coverage protects you when the other driver has no insurance or too little. It is "over and above, but not duplicative of" benefits such as PIP and workers' compensation. Umbrella insurance protects other people from claims against you. The two work in opposite directions, and having one does not give you the other.

What should you do if you are injured and the other driver may have an umbrella policy?

Do not assume the first insurer's limits are the whole story. Tell your lawyer about anything suggesting the at-fault person has assets, rental property, a business vehicle, or a high-value home, and keep all letters from insurers.

If you were hurt by someone who owns a business vehicle or was working at the time, there may be commercial and excess policies as well. My articles on what a plaintiff is in Florida and what interrogatories are in Florida explain how coverage questions are asked and answered once a lawsuit is filed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is umbrella insurance in simple terms?

Umbrella insurance is extra liability coverage that pays after your auto, home, or boat policy limits run out. It usually starts at $1 million.

Does umbrella insurance cover injuries?

It covers injuries you cause to other people, such as another driver or a guest on your property. It generally does not cover your own injuries unless the specific policy includes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which not all do.

Does umbrella insurance cover car accidents?

Yes, for liability. If you cause a crash and the injured person's damages exceed your auto policy limits, the umbrella can pay the excess up to its limit, subject to the policy's exclusions.

How much is an umbrella policy in Florida?

Premiums commonly run a few hundred dollars a year for the first $1 million in coverage. The price rises with more drivers, teen drivers, rental property, pools, or boats.

Do I need auto insurance to get an umbrella policy?

You need underlying liability coverage. Carriers commonly require auto bodily injury limits such as $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident, and homeowners liability of $300,000, though each insurer sets its own numbers.

Does umbrella insurance pay punitive damages?

Generally not for your own misconduct. Florida public policy bars insuring punitive damages for a policyholder's own wrongdoing, and many policies exclude them in writing.

Can I find out if the person who hurt me has an umbrella policy?

Yes. Section 627.4137 requires insurers to provide a sworn statement of coverage, including excess or umbrella policies, within 30 days of a written request from the claimant.

Is umbrella insurance the same as uninsured motorist coverage?

No. Umbrella insurance protects others from claims against you. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage protects you when someone else caused the crash and lacks enough insurance.

Call Today. Discuss Your Coverage Questions Directly With Dan

If you were hurt and want to know what insurance is available, or you are weighing how much protection you need, start with a conversation. When you call Daniel B. Reinfeld, PA, you speak directly with Dan, not a call center, and he handles your case personally. Dan has practiced law in Florida for more than 25 years and spent years defending insurance claims before representing injured people, so he knows how coverage is investigated and how carriers respond. Consultations are free, and there is no fee unless we recover for you. Dan meets by phone, Zoom, at the hospital, or at your home, with evening and weekend appointments available.

Call (954) 923-6110 or email dan@reinfeldlaw.com.

Hollywood office: 2450 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 706, Hollywood, FL 33020. Open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with 24/7 live telephone answering. Fort Lauderdale consultations by appointment at 110 SE 6th Street, Suite 1700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.

Related guides: What are punitive damages in Florida, What to do after a car accident in Florida, What is a plaintiff in Florida, What are interrogatories in Florida, What is an IME in Florida, Hollywood car accident lawyer

Sources: Section 627.4137, Florida Statutes (Disclosure of certain information required of insurers); Section 627.727, Florida Statutes (Motor vehicle insurance; uninsured and underinsured vehicle coverage); NerdWallet, How to Find the Best Umbrella Insurance; Leavitt Insurance, What Does an Umbrella Insurance Policy Cover in Florida.

This article provides general information about insurance and Florida law. It is not legal advice or insurance advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Policies differ, so read your own policy and speak with a licensed agent or a lawyer about your situation.

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