A car accident can be the cause of exorbitant medical bills. Your auto insurance should cover some of the expense, but you may be curious as to how that works. Florida is a no-fault insurance state and every auto owner is required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. What happens in the case of a vehicle accident and you have medical bills to pay?
Who Pays the Medical Bills?
There are generally at least four players involved when it comes to paying medical bills after an accident: your auto insurance, the other driver’s insurance, your health insurance, and your out-of-pocket financial responsibility (if there is any.) Some Florida drivers have MedPay, which is an optional coverage available at the time they get car insurance. If you have MedPay, this can help pay your medical co-payments and help with your deductible costs. MedPay only helps with medical payments.
Your PIP and MedPay are “no-fault” claims. Benefits are paid regardless of responsibility for the accident. PIP pays 80% of your medical bills up to the $10,000 limit, however, you will still be responsible for the remaining 20%. If you have MedPay, this amount is covered. Your health insurance may cover additional expenses over and above those not covered by PIP.
Though your health insurance may cover additional medical expenses, they may also seek reimbursement from the other driver. If you have it, they may also look for reimbursement through your Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists coverage. If you chose to sue the other driver for damages and win the case or settle out of court, your health insurance company may seek reimbursement from those funds.
Don’t Wait for Medical Care
Some accidents may seem minor and individuals may feel that they have not sustained any injuries. That can be misleading because there are injuries a person can have that will not show symptoms for hours, days, weeks and sometimes months. If you are in an accident, it is best to be seen by a doctor right away. Another reason to avoid delaying medical care is that you must receive medical care within two weeks of the accident in order for PIP to cover the expenses.
If you are involved in an accident that is not your fault and you sustain injuries, you may be entitled to compensation from the other driver. An attorney with expertise in the area of personal injury law will work on your behalf to ensure that you receive fair and adequate compensation for all your losses.
The attorneys at Frohlich, Gordon & Beason, P.A., specializing in personal injury law. We provide potential clients with a free initial consultation when they contact us for more information. We have offices located in Port Charlotte, North Port, and Englewood to serve southwest Florida communities.