While we can’t always prevent accidents from happening, we can always take steps to protect ourselves and be prepared in advance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year there is an average of six (6) million car accidents in the United States. So how do we protect ourselves? Here are a few key things to know about personal injury protection and why everyone should be considering it.
What is Personal Injury Protection?
Personal Injury Protection or “PIP” is an extension of car insurance that can be used to cover medical treatment, lost wages and rehabilitative costs after an accident. In no-fault states, personal injury protection is usually mandatory as it will cover your injuries regardless of who is responsible for the accident. Here is a list of no-fault states:
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Utah
Coverage
Similar to services provided by companies like AAA Roadside Assistance, PIP covers you, not your vehicle, which means you are protected even if you aren’t the driver. Also covered by PIP are any immediate family members. They are covered while occupying the vehicle or when hit by another vehicle as well as any other person occupying your insured car. While there are a lot of scenarios covered by PIP, there are also a few that are not. Here are a few scenarios that would not be covered:
- Intentional accident
- The driver was providing a private passenger service such as Uber, Lyft or Taxis.
- Injured person was occupying a car you or an immediate family member owns, but did not insure.
- Injury was caused by perilous human activity.
- Property damage.
If you have health insurance and get into an accident, you would file a PIP claim first and once you have reached the limits of your PIP, your health insurance would pick up the rest. If your injuries are especially severe and you have PIP, you can still file a claim through the other party’s liability coverage and would receive additional reimbursement for any medical or rehabilitative costs after the accident. If you don’t have health insurance, PIP will be an asset to incase of an accident to help cover medical bills.
Protect Yourself First
Accidents can happen to anyone at any time. If you are involved in an accident and don’t have the proper coverage, you may be liable for damages and injuries. Taking a few precautionary steps can save you a lot of time, stress and money in the long-run. Protect yourself and your loved ones by getting the coverage you need, before you need it. For more information on Personal Injury Protection or if you’ve been in an accident, contact Kennedy Law Offices today.