Personal injury protection (PIP) is insurance that covers medical and other expenses. It typically covers up to $3,000 after an accident, regardless of who caused the accident. PIP is one of the four types of coverage required by Utah law and is also known as No-Fault Insurance.
Example Sentence
After another driver hit her car, Mrs. Whitaker used all of her PIP insurance for her medical expenses.
Case Study
After a seemingly minor accident with another car, Kirk went to a chiropractor. His chiropractor discover a major injury that came from the accident. So, Kirk needed even more medical attention and his total medical bill soon cost more than $3,000. His personal injury protection insurance covered the first $3,000. After that, he had to wait and hope that he could get the at-fault driver’s insurance company to pay the rest of his bills. In the end, Kirk hired a personal injury attorney. The other driver’s insurance company soon settled with Kirk and paid for all of these medical expenses.
Other Important Information
Utah’s medical law includes a list of different expenses covered by personal injury protection:
- medical expenses,
- household work expenses,
- loss of income,
- funeral, and
- wrongful death compensation
PIP insurance enables a person injured in a car accident to seek medical treatment immediately. It also allows this person to recover for a reasonable amount of time without immediately having to deal with the financial problems of an injury. If someone passes away as a result of a car accident, PIP insurance helps out those who suffer emotionally and financially as a result of their demise. You cannot insure against human error, but you can (and legally must) take precautions against utter ruin in the wake of an accident. If you are not responsible for the accident, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will reimburse your insurance company for any PIP expenses they pay. This means you will not face increased insurance premiums. Personal injury protection coverage helps close the distance between what you need and your current financial resources. It is your first line of defense against large medical bills. Uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance can only give you a little extra protection in case the other person’s liability insurance can’t meet your needs.
Image “fragile” copyright by Peter Shanks.
View our PIP Insurance Billing Guide for more information on what you can do when involved in an accident.