PIP (personal injury protection) insurance is mandatory for all registered car drivers to carry in many states. In the event of an accident, PIP compensates you for injuries and damages suffered in an accident, regardless of who was at fault.

How Can You Get The PIP Coverage?

An injured vehicle accident victim must make their own PIP claim with their insurance company. Every state has set threshold limits for the amount of PIP coverage. The insurer has to compensate their insured person’s damages up to this limit. However, if the damages exceed the set limit, the injured person is entitled to receive further compensation from the opposite at-fault party. What is PIP insurance? To give you further insights, let’s learn more below.

What does PIP cover, and how does it work?

In most states, PIP insurance covers medical expenses, lost income and wrongful death benefits.

Medical expenses

Each state has its own policies concerning PIP coverage. For example, Florida allows you to choose whether you want the PIP to cover only you or other family members. PIP will cover most of the medical expenditure, with exceptions such as acupuncture. The following is covered under the PIP medical benefits:

• Medication and medical services
• Surgeries and Hospitalization bills
• Rehabilitation costs
• Scans and diagnostics
• Ambulance

Economic Damages

Many accidents might leave an injured person with long-term disability and in no position to work afterward. In many states like Florida, PIP Insurance also covers the disability benefits after a vehicle accident, including the injured, lost wages and other related expenses.

PIP insurance coverage will reimburse up to 60% of lost income and expenses for essential domestic assistance required by the injured for long-term care. The disability benefit amount is released twice a week.

Wrongful Death

Many accidents can wrongfully take the lives of our loved ones, and the experience can be overwhelming. Many expenses are involved afterward for the family members, including the funeral and burial fees.

In Florida, if the policyholder was killed, the PIP insurance death benefits of up to $5,000 for each fatality are passed on to an executor of the deceased’s estate. They are also available to the deceased’s parents, spouse, and children.

How much does PIP cost?

The maximum amount of PIP available in Florida is $10,000. However, there are several ways by which you can lower the costs of your premiums. For example, you can increase the deductible, or the insurance company might give you discounts if you hold another policy from them. Additionally, after receiving the quote, you can specify if your family members can also have the PIP insurance benefits or not. It is advised to compare quotations and review the policies from several local insurance companies before finalizing them.

List of factors that affect PIP coverage

A “no-fault” jurisdiction does not guarantee that the premium rates of the insurance policy will not increase. Several factors are taken into account while calculating the final insurance premium:

• Your state requirements for PIP
• Your driving history and insurance claim records
• Your gender and age
• Your marital status
• Your place of residence

When and how to File a Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Claim?

In many states, strict rules are applicable while filing a claim. The most critical requirement is that any injuries should be treated within 14 days of the car accident to be eligible for PIP payment. After this set limit, your claim will be rejected. Additionally, many states have set certain deadlines to review the claim to deal with insurance fraud. For example, in Florida, your insurer has up to two months to check your claim for any dishonesty. However, the insurance company has to pay the insurance benefits within 30 days, even if they are still examining the case for dishonesty.

The benefits of PIP

Your health insurance only works for you. The insurance company will only cover your expenses if you are injured in an accident. However, PIP covers other passengers in the vehicle too. Additionally, PIP policy coverage also pays the bills for medical expenses.

If your case is complicated, you should not avoid consulting an attorney. Their expertise and knowledge can help you get access to all the benefits of PIP coverage.