Does Health Insurance Cover Car Accidents?
If you have been injured in an accident one of the first questions you may ask yourself is, “Does health insurance cover car accidents?”
Yes, typically your health insurance can replace your car insurance but there are specific instances for when it cannot.
Here are some details on how to use various insurance options to pay for your medical expenses related to a car accident.
Personal Injury Insurance and MedPay
PIP (personal injury insurance) is a form of car insurance that is meant to cover injuries, lost wages, and rehabilitation fees associated with a car accident. PIP is mandatory in a dozen states and optional elsewhere. MedPay is another form of car insurance that is required in a few states. If you reside in mandatory PIP/MedPay states, you are expected to use those limits before your health insurance.
The benefits of PIP/MedPay is that individuals do not need to prove that the other driver was at-fault, and reimbursements for bills are straightforward and released in a timely manner. Additionally, because PIP and MedPay do not come with out-of-pocket deductibles that most health plans usually require, you can avoid the payment. Once individuals have used all of their PIP and/or MedPay funds, they can then turn to their health insurance for coverage in most states.
Drivers who do not have PIP or MedPay may use their health insurance to pay for medical bills that were due to a car accident. This is generally the best way to proceed, although individuals may also consider filing a claim against the other driver’s insurance. Even so, the bills will need to be paid and claims can take months to process. It may be wise to send the medical bills to your health insurance as they arrive, as you don’t need to add extra stress to your life by building up debt. And just as you may want to file a claim against the other driver, your health insurance company may decide to recoup the cost of your treatment from the other driver’s insurance company.
If you do not have PIP or MedPay, consider opting in. PIP and MedPay both cover the injuries of other passengers in your vehicle. If you find yourself in the car with friends or colleagues at the time of your accident, this is a huge benefit because your health insurance will not cover injuries to anyone other than yourself.
And as unpleasant as it is to think about, PIP and MedPay will also cover funeral expenses. The loss of a loved one is a terrible tragedy, but the additional worry of paying thousands of dollars for funeral costs creates more stress to the situation.
PIP also covers lost wages due to injury up to a certain limit. Standard health insurance coverage does not include this provision, and you would otherwise need to buy Disability Insurance to recoup lost earnings.
Having multiple options when it comes to medical coverage provides a measure of reassurance and acts as a backup in case your health insurance provider denies your claim.
Arrange a free consultation with a personal injury attorney if you need legal assistance after a car accident. A lawyer can also help answer any questions you have in regards to the laws in your state when it comes to filing a claim.
