Florida, like the rest of the nation, is struggling under the weight of these extraordinary economic times. The strain is felt even more keenly as families are putting together their budgets in the New Year, forgoing a much-needed family vacation or putting off a non-essential purchase.

As families look to cut unnecessary costs out of their budgets, there is one item that should receive close attention. When you look at your auto-insurance bill, there is an embedded cost for Personal Insurance Protection (PIP). It is a $10,000 coverage plan that all Florida motorists must carry according to the law. The original concept behind PIP was sound: injured drivers could receive prompt payment of medical bills for the treatment of auto-accident injuries which eliminated the need for consumers to litigate their claims in court.

What started out as a consumer protection has sadly created a cottage industry and feeding frenzy among unscrupulous medical clinics, criminal-fraud rings and some trial lawyers. If you need any proof, look no further than your highway commute littered with auto-accident solicitation billboards or catch one of the multiple TV commercials offering a lawyer or medical referral if you've been in an automobile accident. What these folks really want is to tap into your PIP coverage using the many loopholes in the law to enrich themselves.