If you have been involved in an auto accident, one of the biggest questions on your mind is probably “Who is going to pay my medical bills?” There are of course several other things you need to do (read our recent post about Car Accident Victim Rights), BUT covering your medical bills is perhaps the most stressful. This is why our car accident attorney, Rafael Gonzalez has written this post - to inform you about 5 ways to pay your auto injury medical bills.
1. Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
PIP - also known as “No Fault” insurance - is mandatory for all auto insurance policies, which means that (assuming you had car insurance!) you are covered by PIP. Florida Motor Vehicle No Fault Law (Fla. Stat. 627.730–627.7405) provides medical, work and death benefits to a qualified individual involved in a vehicle accident. In other words, if you own a car in Florida and have the required PIP coverage, your insurance company is responsible for 80% of reasonable, medically necessary and allowable medical expenses up to $10,000 regardless of who is at fault.
2. MedPay
Although not as comprehensive as PIP, MedPay is still a great option when it comes to paying your auto injury medical bills. Not only does it cover all drivers listed on the policy, but also other members of the insured’s household, as well as other passengers in the car. Similar to PIP in terms of the payout (usually a maximum of between $5,000 - $10,000), the funds are quick to access and also works on a ‘no-fault’ basis. Plus, best of all, it has no deductible or co-pay.
3. Bodily Injury Insurance
If it can be proven that the other driver caused the accident, then their Bodily Injury insurance coverage may be used to pay for your (and any other passengers’) medical treatment. Unlike PIP and MedPay, it is important here to first determine liability. In cases such as this, it is advisable to contact your local car accident lawyer in Plantation, as they are experienced in determining liability.
4. Uninsured Motorist / Under-insured Motorist Insurance (UM)
Your 4th option for medical bills is Uninsured Motorist / Under-insured Motorist insurance. If after using all your PIP, med-pay and BI benefits then your UM coverage pays for past and future medicals bills not paid by PIP, Med-Pay or BI insurance. UM is also used when the At Fault party has no bodily insurance coverage for your injuries. This provision in your insurance contract allows you to recover monies from the At Fault party when you would have otherwise file a lawsuit on your own. As with Bodily Injury coverage, it’s important to first determine liability. Once again, we recommend that you consult with your local Plantation car accident lawyer for assistance with this.
5. Regular Health Insurance
If none of the above are able to cover all of your medical bills, then the final option is your regular health insurance policy. What you policy covers, and the cost of co-pays and deductibles, will depend on your specific policy.
About AskMyAttorneys
After being injured in a car accident, the last thing you want is to be struggling to pay for your medical bills or arguing with insurance companies. Our personal injury lawyer in Plantation is experienced at representing people injured in car accidents, which means he can assist you with securing funding for any medical bills associated with your auto injury. For advice or assistance, please click on the link below which best matches what you need:
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