Personal injury protection is advisable for most people depending on the everyday driving activities of the person involved. This is not just a frivolous indulgence either, especially if you have the responsibility of paying a mortgage and dependents that rely on your physical wellbeing. Personal injury protection or PIP may be a part of a larger personal insurance plan or a specific plan in and of itself. As with many things in life, it is often those that need something the most that cannot afford it and this type of insurance does not always fit into the average family's monthly expenses. The situation can be made worse when the policy has not been researched carefully and does not insure everything it was intended to.
In America personal injury protection is now a required form of insurance cover in many states although the amount does vary depending where you are in the USA. In Alaska for example a car driver will require ten times the amount of insurance cover that a driver will in Florida. Even if personal injury protection is not obligatory in your state, you may still want to consider purchasing the insurance policy to protect you from any personal injury insurance claim. Personal Injury protection will pay around 80% (depending on the insurance plan) of the costs of the insurance holder and passengers. But because personal injury protection is considered a no fault insurance policy it covers you and your passengers, even if it was your fault, for medical bills, expenses and any lost earnings.
Before you purchase personal injury protection, you would be advised to take a look at your current policies and see whether or not the areas covered by the proposed personal injury protection are not already duplicated with other insurance plans. It could be that the cost of lost wages and medical bills may be recovered through an existing health insurance policy. If you were to discover this it may only be necessary to take out a minimal cover personal injury protection policy and possibly not require one at all.
Your driving record can also be a contributing factor when considering whether or not you actually require personal injury protection. If you carry passengers on a regular basis your health insurance might cover your own medical expenses, it won't however, cover those of your passengers (unless they are members of your family who are on your health plan). If, after checking your current health insurance you find that passengers are not protected by the policy you will be required to ensure they are covered by a personal injury protection plan in the event of an accident. It is not unfair to assume that any person traveling in your vehicle should be the responsibility of the driver and insured individual.
If you live in a state that does not have mandatory personal injury protection you may want to add this into your insurance portfolio. Many drivers find they only require minimal personal injury protection cover as they are middle aged, experienced drivers with a good record and already have an adequate health insurance plan in force. Younger drivers however, do not fair so well if they are inexperienced with little insurance cover in place but they are often in greater need of good health insurance cover to protect themselves and any family they have. Accidents unfortunately happen but before you rush into buying insurance cover, look into the subject as it could save you some money but more importantly will make you feel more secure when you drive with passengers.
Copyright (c) 2007 Keith Mallinson
The amount of a personal injury claim is always calculated on the amount specified on the medical bills submitted. Your initial claim application is usually followed by a string of inquiries by the insurer. The insurer tries to determine the kind of injury suffered and the treatment involved, on the basis of the evidence put together by a team of efficient personnel. Then, the claim is assessed and accordingly you would receive the reimbursement calculated.
You need to be very particular and preserve all the medical bills, as proof of the treatment. They should be credible enough for the insurer to proceed with the claim. Many a times, people tend to overrate their medical expenses. In such cases, the insurer is likely to reject a substantial part of the gross medical expenses that he disqualifies as medical in nature.
The medical claim amounts are usually categorized as diagnostic and treatment expenses. The diagnostic part of the claim includes expenses on the ambulance, medical wards, X-rays, visits to the specialists and other diagnostic procedures that may be advised. The treatment part of the claim includes hospital fees and periodical visits to the clinic, physiotherapy and pharmacy bills. Generally, the expenses incurred on the list included under the diagnostic category would be disqualified as medical bills. This would lead to a major reduction in the basic value of the personal injury claim.
It is necessary to back your claims with sufficient proof. It is essential to establish the connection between the diagnostic claims and the treatment expenses. This will help in your endeavor to prove to the insurer that the expenses incurred are co-related and no treatment would be complete without a thorough diagnosis.
Personal injury claims are generally classified as permanent or temporary. The classification suggests the duration of an injury and not the degree of its severity. An injury is considered to be permanent in nature if the treatment is likely to continue for a lifetime. A temporary personal injury claim covers the expenses borne on account of an injury that would involve a short-term treatment.
It is necessary to choose an insurance company wisely for your personal injury insurance claim. The choice of an insurance company affects the personal injury insurance claim in the following manner:
- It controls the course of your medical treatment. - It is authorized to select the doctors and the kind of treatment you need to avail of. - It has access to your medical history. - It could terminate payment at any point of time and put you through a second medical examination.
You need to be careful while applying for your personal injury insurance claim. The process is not an easy one and involves a lot of patience, before the amount of claim is finally reimbursed. All the bills produced should be authenticated with a stamp and the signature of the issuing authority. The documents required to be filed with the insurer should be photocopied and a set of the same should be maintained with you. The choice of insurer should be settled on only after conducting a thorough research on the reputation and depending on the amount of the claim.
Both Keith Mallinson & Joseph Kenny are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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