If you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ll walk away from an auto accident without a scratch. If you’re not so fortunate, you could incur injuries that result in significant medical bills and keep you off the job for an extended time. The good news is that, if you live in Missouri, you can purchase optional personal injury protection (PIP) insurance that can cover many of your medical and other accident-related expenses.
PIP coverage is a type of personal injury insurance intended to provide compensation to injured auto accident victims. PIP is also known as no-fault insurance because it applies regardless of which driver causes the accident. This insurance covers you and your passengers, and you can even receive benefits if you’re a passenger in another driver’s vehicle.
While the types of coverages available will vary from state to state, PIP typically includes medical costs such as:
Additionally, PIP can provide coverage for:
If you don’t carry PIP coverage, your personal or group health insurance policy will likely cover most of your medical bills resulting from your accident. However, health insurance plans typically do not provide benefits for lost wages, household services or funeral costs. If the other driver was at fault, you might need to seek payment under his or her liability coverage for these items. You could also consider enlisting the services of a personal injury attorney who specializes in automobile accident cases.
Personal injury protection does not apply to damages to your or the other driver’s vehicle. If you caused the accident, you would need to file a claim under your collision protection to pay for repairing or replacing your car, truck, motorcycle or RV. If the other driver was at fault, his or her liability insurance would likely cover the damage to your auto.
You typically cannot purchase personal injury protection as a separate, stand-alone insurance policy. However, you can have your agent include it when you buy your auto plan, or you can add it at a later date. The cost will vary depending on factors such as the insurance company, level of coverage and if any deductibles apply.
If you live in or near Missouri cities such as Union, Washington, or St. Clair, you can count on the seasoned professionals at David Pope Insurance Services, LLC to help you understand PIP insurance. We can also assist you in determining whether you should add it to your auto policy. We can even help you navigate the complex personal injury claims process if the need arises. Contact us for more information and a no-obligation quote today.