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Many states require drivers to carry personal injury protection insurance as a part of their auto insurance coverage. If you are like many drivers, you may not be familiar with this type of coverage or how it works. Read on to learn the facts. What Is Personal Injury Protection? Simply put, personal injury protection, or PIP, provides compensation for you and your passengers if you are injured in an auto accident. This type of coverage is also known as “no-fault” coverage, because benefits are paid regardless of who is at fault for the collision. If you are in an accident, your insurance company (or the company insuring the vehicle, if you were a passenger) is responsible for paying out the first benefits associated with your claim under the PIP portion of your coverage. What Are the Benefits? Depending upon your policy, PIP insurance will pay out at least the first $3,000 in medical expenses resulting from the accident. You and your passengers will be covered for surgical, dental and rehabilitation costs as well as ambulance, hospital and nursing services. If a physician declares you disabled, your PIP coverage entitles you to payment for lost wages for up to one year from the date of your accident. Personal injury insurance will also pay funeral, burial or cremation benefits and survivor benefits in the event of a death in an auto collision, but only up to the coverage limits. If your coverage is limited to the state-mandated minimum, those benefits may be insufficient to cover your expenses. How Do I Obtain My PIP benefits? If you are involved in a car accident, you must fill out a PIP application for benefits form and submit it to your insurance carrier. Once your application is on file and your insurance claim has been opened, you will be eligible to receive the benefits offered under your personal injury coverage. For medical expenses, you must send all bills to your insurance company’s PIP adjuster. If you have a wage loss claim, you will need a statement from your employer so that the adjuster can calculate the amount of your benefit. You may also need to provide a statement from your physician indicating the time period for your wage loss or disability, if you should have one. Most state laws allow the insurance adjuster 30 days from the date of receiving all relevant documents to make payment. PIP benefit payments are often made on a monthly basis. As an insured driver, you have the law on your side and you are entitled to receive PIP benefits when you are injured in an auto accident. Unfortunately, not all states require this coverage, and even if you are covered in this manner, you may need additional assistance to ensure your full recovery and to receive compensation for damages. Whenever you are injured in an auto accident, legal experts recommend that you seek advice from an experienced personal injury or auto accident attorney who is familiar with your state’s laws. This is the only way to ensure that you receive the benefits to which you are entitled, as well as any liability or negligence settlement that may be applicable. Contact a lawyer in your area today to learn more about personal injury protection.
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