Not only may you have to deal with physical pain and emotional suffering from incurring injuries in an auto accident, but these injuries may also cost you a hefty medical bill(s). Well, the silver lining here is that it is a mandatory requirement for all drivers in the state of Florida, including yourself, to carry personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. Hopefully, in addition to this, you have bought into a substantial health insurance policy to help in situations such as this one. Well, with all this being put into consideration, please continue reading to learn whether you can earn coverage from your PIP and health insurance policies and how an experienced Tampa auto accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help you get the financial relief you require and deserve.
How does PIP coverage work in the state of Florida?
Put in its simplest terms, PIP is a type of automobile insurance coverage that functions under a no-fault system. This means that you may file a claim with your auto insurance provider to recover your incurred damages regardless of whether or not you contributed negligently to your accident event.
Namely, your PIP insurance may cover up to $10,000 worth of your medical expenses and an additional $10,000 for protection against lost wages and other non-medical expenses. That said, it may cover up to 80 and 60 percent of your total medical and non-medical expenses, respectively. For example, if your ambulance transportation, emergency room visit, medical examinations, and prescription medications ran you $6,000, you may receive a $4,800 payout from your insurer.
Can I receive PIP and health insurance coverage at the same time?
Since your PIP insurance may only cover 80 percent of your medical bills, you may still want coverage for the remaining 20 percent. Well, you may rest easier knowing that you can file a claim with your health insurance provider for the rest. However, you must understand that this is largely dependent on the scope of the specific policy you bought into and its imposed caps. So, it is in your best interest to read through your signed policy agreement with your hired lawyer before moving forward with this claims process.
On a similar note, you may recover compensation from your PIP insurance, then your health insurance provider, and then the at-fault party of your auto accident. This may be especially important for non-medical and non-ecomonic damages not covered by either of these insurance plans. For example, you may have had to start paying for childcare and housekeeping services that you can no longer perform yourself due to your incurred injuries. Secondly, you may now suffer from physical pain, emotional suffering, a lost enjoyment of life, and overall a diminished quality of life from the one you once had.
All of this to say, you have options. To ensure you do not go through this critical yet complex process by yourself, please reach out to a skilled Pasco County personal injury lawyer. Our team at Merricks Law Group, P.A. is more than happy to serve you.
