South Carolina Auto Accidents – What is PIP (Personal Injury Protection) or Medical Payments Insurance?
PIP or Personal Injury Protection insurance coverage is not very well known but can play an important role when you or a loved one has been involved in an auto accident in South Carolina. It is by no means mandatory to purchase this additional coverage with your auto insurance but the benefits of having it outweigh the costs.
What exactly is PIP?
When you are involved in an auto accident and you are hurt, PIP coverage pays for all of your medical costs up to a certain amount at a “no-fault” basis. Even if the accident was your own fault, your insurance company has to pay for all of your hospital bills, doctors’ visits, ER bill, ambulance bill, or any other bills related to the injuries incurred from the auto accident.
These bills can add up quickly and without PIP, you are left alone to pay everything if the auto accident was your fault. Keep in mind also that PIP covers you and the other occupants in your car that have your permission to be there.
After an auto accident, depending on your injuries, you may not be able to work for an extended amount of time. The last thing you need to worry about is how you will pay for your medical bills.
Advantage of having PIP When the Auto Accident Was NOT your Fault
Let’s say the auto accident was not your fault and you were injured as the result. The insurance of the person who was at fault will eventually pay for your medical bills if liability is not a question. You may be wondering why I would need my own PIP coverage if I’m not at fault.
The reality is, the insurance company from the other side will drag their feet and not pay for the bills until after you are done treating completely. What if your injuries require treatment for over 6 months or a year? Some medical facilities will not be so kind or patient enough to wait for their payment. Your bills could go into collections in the meantime and harm your credit.
If you have PIP or Med Pay Coverage, your own insurance will cut you a check for any bills submitted so that your medical facilities can get paid quickly. Furthermore, when you receive a personal injury settlement from the at-fault insurance company at the end of your case, you won’t have any bills to repay so essentially all of the settlement monies will be yours to keep.
PIP or Medpay is relatively cheap to purchase. Usually an additional $10-15 per month will get you coverage anywhere from $5,000-$25,000.00 of medical payments per occurrence.
Take the time to look at your auto insurance policy’s declaration page today and make sure you have PIP/Med Pay insurance. If not, you may want to consider adding it to your policy. For more information on South Carolina Auto Accidents – What is PIP (Personal Injury Protection) or Medical Payments Insurance, please contact the Lam Law Firm.
DISCLAIMER: The information contained on this page is for general information, only. It is not intended to be legal advice, nor should you make legal decisions based on this information. Please consult one of our attorneys to see how the law applies to your particular situation.
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