Updated on: 6/16/2021
Personal injury protection (PIP) is a part of your auto insurance policy that you are probably already paying for. If you are injured in a car accident, your health insurance is not the first resource you turn to. In fact, most people do not know that your PIP is your “primary” coverage after an auto accident.
Most insurance policies include up to $10,000 in PIP coverage. Unlike health insurance, PIP coverage pays 100 percent of the cost of your care. After your PIP coverage is used to its full extent, your PIP carrier should provide your health insurer with an exhaustion letter. This notice confirms that your PIP coverage has been spent in its entirety, and that your health insurance needs to start covering your medical bills.
As easy as it sounds, it is not a seamless transition. The change from PIP to health insurance coverage can be somewhat difficult. Most medical providers should be patient enough to wait while the switch from billing PIP to health insurance is made.
However, insurance companies are notorious for complicating this process. There may be billing issues with your PIP and/or health insurance carrier, in which case some medical bills may ultimately be sent to collections. This can be a frustrating experience for accident victims.
Steps To Follow After an Accident
In order to make it as easy as possible for you to have your PIP and health insurance carriers cover your medical bills, it may be beneficial to:
- Provide your PIP information to your health care providers immediately following your accident.
- Occasionally request a copy of the PIP ledger from your auto insurance carrier. This will give you a breakdown of your coverage and how much is remaining,
- Keep an eye on your limit.
- When you are close to the cut off amount, notify your medical office so they can begin billing your health insurance immediately to prevent any delays
If you have any further questions on how to handle your PIP coverage, contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you with your case. The award-winning team of personal injury attorneys at Davis Law Group, P.S., can help you with your claim. To set up a free consultation, call (206) 727-4000.
