When it comes to recovering from an accident, there is more than just physical healing to consider. One of the most important pieces of the puzzle in accident recovery is personal injury protection (PIP).
In this article we are going to talk about:
- What personal injury protection is
- The benefits of personal injury protection
- What PIP does and does not cover
We will also answer the questions:
- Do I need personal injury protection if I have health insurance?
- What happens if you are involved in an accident and don’t have PIP?
What is Personal Injury Protection?
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance is a type of health insurance policy that can help cover reasonable expenses such as medical care, medical treatment, nursing services, medical providers, ambulance bills, professional care, and other medical services and economic losses associated with auto accident injuries.
PIP is not a perfect solution, but it is one part of the puzzle that can help people as they work to recover from vehicular accidents. It covers the expenses of both the insured injured person and any other person who is injured or suffers losses. It is a necessary part of the conversation when it comes to discussing accident and personal injury recovery.
Benefits of Personal Injury Protection
Auto insurance PIP coverage provides accident-related medical costs as well as wage loss benefits for yourself and any other individuals in your vehicle following a car crash. This type of coverage is person per accident — fault not considered. Generally, it’s obligatory with No-Fault state regulations because it covers any trauma no matter who caused the collision.
Some of the benefits of personal injury protection are:
- Coverage regardless of fault in an accident: PIP will pay no matter who is responsible for the accident.
- Complete coverage of medical expenses: PIP covers medical bills and other accident-related expenses up to the limits of your auto policy.
- Wage loss protection: Your insurance company may cover a portion or all lost wages if you have to take time off from work due to physical injuries sustained in an accident.
- Replacement services protection: PIP can provide compensation for services you are unable to perform due to the accident, such as child care, lawn care, and housekeeping assistance.
- Funeral expenses: If a loved one was killed in an automobile accident, personal injury protection might give coverage for funeral costs incurred as a result of their death.
It’s essential to purchase PIP coverage if:
- the state law mandates it (optional coverage in some states).
- you normally ride with other individuals in your car who may hold you liable for their healthcare expenses if they were wounded in a wreck (This coverage can be perfect for Uber or Lyft drivers.)
- your health insurance might not be as dependable as you need it to be.
Investing in PIP personal injury protection is a worthwhile decision. This type of coverage not only helps safeguard you from potential legal issues that may arise after an automobile crash but also mitigates the amount of time spent on protracted liability claims involving both parties. But even if an injured party has the right PIP that can cover all your accident-related costs, having legal help by your side is needed to make justice and ensure your rights are being protected.
Victim of an accident?
What Does PIP Cover?
- Medical payments coverage, such as hospital bills, medical equipment, healthcare providers, doctor bills, future treatment, and more.
- Loss of wages due to injuries sustained.
- Rehabilitation charges.
- Services to substitute what one is unable to do.
- Funeral expenses along with survivor rewards.
The aim of PIP is to render expeditious remuneration for injuries sustained in an automobile mishap. This is because claims under PIP are compensated even if there isn’t an individual liable in the motor vehicle accident. Thus, there’s no need to wait for a culpability dispute against another person to be decided on.
What does PIP NOT Cover?
- Harm to your vehicle (property damage).
- Robbery of your vehicle.
- Injury to someone else’s possessions.
Do I Need Personal Injury Protection if I Have Health Insurance?
As you weigh up personal injury protection against health insurance, keep in mind that PIP can potentially pay for some customary payments that are not included under health insurance when you endure an accident.
Often, medical expenses are reimbursed after you meet your deductible amount. However, coverage may not include non-medical costs such as lost wages from inability to work or any other initial services or follow-up tasks that can’t be completed solo like cleaning and lawn care.
PIP insurance is additional coverage. Even though you may already have health insurance, personal injury protection is important because it can help fill the gaps in coverage that your health insurance does not provide.
What Happens If You Are Involved In An Accident and Do Not Have PIP?
For individuals involved in an accident without PIP, medical expenses might not be paid at all or only partially covered by their liability insurer if the other driver was deemed at fault. If both drivers lack personal injury protection, then each party may bear the burden of covering their own medical expenses that result from the crash.
Furthermore, if an individual did not obtain PIP coverage and the collision resulted in non-economic damages like physical pain or emotional distress, they will likely be underserved by both auto insurance companies. In spite of this, it is still possible to achieve some form of compensation through litigation.
If you do not have adequate personal injury protection coverage when entering into a collision scenario, then there are still ways to protect yourself financially should you incur any damages or injuries as a result of it. Speak with a personal injury lawyer immediately after your accident so that they can help investigate who might be liable for your losses and whether any third parties may also be held responsible for them. Further protections include seeking out additional forms of insurance such as an umbrella or excess policies that offer expanded coverage beyond just liability amounts.
Let Our Award-Winning Attorneys Fight For You
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident that causes severe injuries and losses, your search for the “best injury lawyer near me” is over!
As experienced and devoted legal professionals, we are well-versed in insurance policies and more! We understand the challenges of dealing with aggressive insurance agents who may try to undermine your right to a fair settlement. That’s why our team is equipped to provide you with the necessary advice and advocacy needed for your case — no matter how complex it may be.
Call us now and get a free, no-obligation consultation. Our goal is to help you get the most compensation for your injury claim, so let us fight for you!
We speak English, Spanish, and Filipino.
