Losing control of your car was once hard for you to imagine. But, the throbbing headache and back pain along with the damage to your vehicle are reminders of your sudden reality. And now, after taking a short inventory of the damages to your car and the vehicle you collided with, you are wondering who is responsible for the accident and any of the injuries.
Take a breath. Then, understand this: vehicle insurance is supposed to be your safety net, but in Florida, you may need an experienced personal injury attorney to help you navigate through the complexities of your automobile coverage plan.
If you are like most motorists involved in an automobile accident, the last call you want to make is to an insurance adjuster. The good news is that you have Personal Injury and Protection coverage. In Florida, PIP auto insurance is required of all motorists.
Personal Injury Insurance (PIP) pays injured drivers like you up to $10,000 in immediate medical coverage without having to establish fault. Your insurer will take care of your injuries. Allow the insurance company representing the other driver involved in your accident to take care of that motorist.
Some drivers carry additional coverage. You may also have what is called MedPay. Medical payments – or medical expense – coverage helps to pay for medical as well as funeral expenses related to your automobile accident. Under MedPay, you, the policyholder and your passengers at the time of the accident are covered, regardless of who is at fault.
So, what’s the difference between MedPay and PIP Insurance?
Both MedPay and PIP insurance pay for medical services following a car accident.
Medpay: When you are involved in an automobile accident, MedPay may cover expenses for you or any passengers in your vehicle for medical, surgical, dental and chiropractic treatments.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP): covers your medical expenses as well and, unlike MedPay, any other documented losses as a result of the accident, such as lost wages, but only up to $10,000.
In Florida, motorists are not required to purchase bodily injury or property damage coverage. That means, when you are at fault in an accident, you may not be protected in the event another driver or passenger suffers bodily injuries. In other words, you can’t count on PIP for everything.
In Florida, MedPay is optional. The additional coverage is often applied to fill in gaps where the $10,000 PIP limits are exceeded. Some of these costs may include deductibles or co-pays. Motorists who frequently drive passengers other than family members find MedPay to be an added safeguard. Broken down, MedPay covers automobile accident expenses for:
- Treatment of injuries for you and your passengers including medical, dental, surgical and chiropractic care;
- Treatment of injuries for you and your family members while riding in another vehicle;
- Ambulance fees;
- X-rays, prosthesis and nursing expenses;
- Funeral costs;
- Health insurance deductibles or co-pays.
MedPay does not cover:
- Wage reimbursement for time spent away from work due to injuries sustained in your automobile accident;
- Child care costs incurred due to your injuries in an automobile accident;
- Treatment for injuries to other drivers;
- Treatment of injuries unrelated to your automobile accident.
Regardless of what coverage you may or not have, insurance companies will not surrender to your claims so easily. In the aftermath of your accident, you may have learned already that many insurers will attempt to deny reimbursement for medical bills and lost wages related to time from work even when fault has been clearly defined. The MedPay coverage you thought would be a valuable bonus, seems to be worth be worth very little.
For your free consultation, call 561-777-7700, 24/7.
Depending on the severity of your injuries and the extent at which insurance companies continue to deny you the financial coverage that you were promised, the time may have come for you to reach out to Shiner Law Group.
Our top-rated personal injury lawyers at Shiner Law Group have a long history of litigating automobile accident disputes in Broward, Palm Beach, Martin and Port St. Lucie counties.
Shiner Law Group understands insurance law and the complexities involved in personal injury and protection reimbursement. The accessible attorneys will listen to your unique claims and circumstances, make a distinction about what you are due from either PIP, MedPay or both, and decide whether or not a lawsuit or aggressive negotiation is a route you should pursue.
For a Free No Obligation Consultation, call us and speak with an attorney today at 561-777-7700. Let us be your lawyers!
