Personal injury protection: Coverage against accidents

by renditioner » Thu Aug 14, 2008 06:30 am

Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance is a measure you can take to cover for the medical bills you would have to pay in case you suffer any injury in an accident regardless of who is at fault. Accidents can be very taxing, painful in the body as well as to the pocket. If you have personal injury protection, you can stop worrying about any medical bills.

What does PIP cover?

Personal injury protection insurance covers the charge accrued in case of an emergency situation and simultaneous health care treatment when an accident occurs. This coverage protects the driver and the passengers of the driver's car. PIP insurance covers the policyholder, his family member and relations that he has named, the passengers in his car, permitted drivers and in some cases and specific states, any insured individual who gets injured while riding in the car. A pedestrian who gets hit by the vehicle is also covered under this policy.

PIP also provides coverage for lost wages and damages caused due to pain and suffering. You can receive payouts up to the maximum limits of the plan.

With PIP you can cover the cost of:
  • Medical costs
  • Transportation in case of medical emergency
  • Lost wage
  • Death by accident
  • Funeral and burial expenses
  • Benefits to survivor
  • Costs of childcare while you or a passenger in your is being treated in the hospital
  • Loss of companionship (conditions apply)

How much does personal injury protection pay?

PIP can give you a payout of up to its maximum limit. However, usually there is a cap to the amount paid out under PIP and this level varies from one state to another. While on some states the coverage is considerably lower than what it costs for repair and the medical bills, the policyholders or motorists are asked to purchase additional insurance. These additional insurance includes bodily injury protection, uninsured and underinsure motorist coverage. Many mistake PIP and bodily injury to be the same. However, there are differences between PIP and Bodily Injury coverage.

Why would you purchase personal injury protection?

Having personal injury protection means that you can do away with the need to file a lawsuit since it functions regardless of who is at fault. In no-fault states requiring PIP, the drivers are not allowed to sue anyone for damages. They have to make a claim with their own insurance company. They can only pursue damages from another driver at fault if the damages incurred reach a set limit. In case of a death or very serious injuries, the injured party can sue the other driver and can receive payouts beyond the PIP payout cap.

Which are the states where PIP is mandatory?

  1. Delaware
  2. Florida
  3. Hawaii
  4. Kansas
  5. Kentucky
  6. Massachusetts
  7. Michigan
  8. Minnesota
  9. New Jersey
  10. New York
  11. North Dakota
  12. Oregon
  13. Pennsylvania
  14. Utah
  15. Texas

PIP is mandatory in few states and in others it is offered as a choice. It depends on your state's auto insurance laws whether you are required to purchase PIP coverage.

Related Discussions:

Hello people ,I am in a predicament now.Imagine I have a Personal Injury protection and I had an accident while travelling in a car with 4 other people. That's why I need to ask- what does pip cover ?? Will it cover the medical expenses for all the people,who were in the vehicle at the time of the accident? or is it just me?Do the other people also need to have a policy similar to the one I have or any other policy to cover their medical bills ?

Total Comments: 59

Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2009 09:30 pm Post Subject:

Now i really get lol.. thank you so much for taking the time to explain it in detail. The way they word things sometimes are like reading a different language.. alaina

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:15 pm Post Subject: same insurance company

the person i was involved in a car accident with has the same insurance company as i do. he was at fault my vechile has been taken to shop and i'm in a rental.now my question is this: if i claim pip threw my policy for medical bills and they pay me up to 2500 using those same medical bills will the liabilty threw his policy pay for those medical bills again???

Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:45 am Post Subject:

It depends on the state but very doubtful. The main purpose of PIP is to reduce small injury claims. You must eclipse the PIP threshold or have certain (severe) injuries to qualify to receive a BI claim from the at fault party.

Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:57 am Post Subject: PIP

I was in an auto accident and I was not at fault but I have PIP on my pocily does my insurance company pay me anything.

Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 01:46 pm Post Subject:

PIP addresses your medical bills. That is, it pays the medial bills only.

Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:45 pm Post Subject:

In some states PIP will also pay loss of wage.

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 05:20 pm Post Subject: Deemer Statutes

Would you have, or know who may have a table of "drive through" states, where the insurance follows the driver or the vehicle?

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:17 pm Post Subject:

Insurance ALWAYS follows the vehicle, and all policys must conform to the state they are driven into if different.

Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:11 pm Post Subject: death

My sister in law had 2 children that her mother was guardian of. She provided no monitary benefits to them. she borrowed her mother's car with permission and died by crossing the median and hitting a truck head on. It was her fault. She lived in Kentucky. Are her sons eligible for any compensation under PIP? Her mother received $1000 toward funeral expenses and no other amount. She believes the truck driver received money for his damages and injuries.

Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:23 am Post Subject:

no...since she was the negligent one, her mom's policy would've paid the 'innocent' truck driver (thus protecting her mom from a law suit)...

The children should be eligible for SS benefits I would think.

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