Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance is a type of auto insurance coverage that is designed to give people financial protection in the event of a car accident. While PIP insurance is not mandatory in all states, it is a valuable and often overlooked form of coverage. Keep reading to learn more about personal injury protection insurance, the differences with other types of insurance, whether is it mandatory for you, and more.
What Is Personal Injury Protection Insurance?
Personal Injury Protection insurance is a form of no-fault auto insurance that covers medical expenses, lost wages, and other related costs resulting from a car accident. It is similar to other medical insurance, but PIP insurance covers you regardless of who is at fault. PIP insurance goes beyond traditional insurance, which only covers injuries and damages to the other party involved in an accident if you are found liable. Instead, PIP provides coverage for you and your passengers, no matter who caused the accident.
If you need help applying for PIP insurance or filing a claim, Morris & Dewett personal injury lawyers are the best option.
What Does PIP Insurance Cover?
Medical expenses: This includes hospital bills, doctor’s visits, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, and even funeral expenses in the unfortunate event of a fatal accident.
Lost wages: If you are unable to work due to injuries sustained in a car accident, PIP insurance can compensate you for lost wages.
Essential services: Sometimes PIP insurance also covers the cost of hiring someone to perform essential household tasks that you can no longer do due to your injuries. For example, house cleaning, lawn maintenance, or childcare.
Funeral expenses: Funeral costs are also typically covered for the driver as well as passengers deceased from the accident.
Passenger coverage: As mentioned in the previous point, passenger injuries are covered by PIP insurance, which is rare in other types of insurance.
What PIP Insurance Does Not Cover
PIP insurance covers a great deal of damages, but it doesn’t cover certain things. These things include property damage as well as the other drivers’ injuries. Plus, even though you’re eligible for coverage no matter if the accident was your fault, there is a situation where you won’t be eligible. That’s when a person gets into an accident as a result of committing a crime. For example, if a person is trying to escape after a robbery and crashes, the insurance company will ignore or deny a claim if it has evidence of this.
States Requiring PIP Insurance
Although it’s a good resource to have, PIP insurance is not mandatory in all states. Below are the states in which PIP insurance is mandatory:
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Utah
Other states like Arkansas, Delaware, Maryland, and Oregon operate on an at-fault basis but still require PIP. In other states like Texas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Virginia, and Washington, PIP is optional.
Minimum coverage will vary depending on the state, but it’s typically around $10,000.
Get Guidance From an Experienced Lawyer
Personal injury protection insurance is a great insurance option since you get coverage for injuries no matter if you’re at fault for an accident. This way you don’t have to worry about getting your claim denied and you can focus on getting medical attention without breaking the bank. But going through the process of getting PIP insurance, filing a claim, and getting a fair settlement can be confusing for some people and an error could unfortunately leave you coverless. So hiring a law firm experienced in insurance is a great idea. Contact Morris & Dewett now for the legal guidance you need and get a consultation.
