Everyone wants to avoid getting into a car accident. From your safety to the financial side of it, it’s a lot to handle. If you need medical attention afterwards, it’s natural to wonder, does health insurance cover accidents? Andy Mohr Collision Center examines that for you to help drivers in Plainfield, Indianapolis, Fishers, and Bloomington know what to expect after an accident.
Can You Use Health Insurance for a Car Accident?
In most cases, yes, you can use your health insurance to cover your medical bills after you’ve been in an auto accident. Like all things insurance-related, though, it’s a good idea to check your policy. Both your coverage and whether you should use your health or auto insurance can depend on your policy.
Should I Use Health or Auto Insurance After an Accident?
Once you’ve checked your health insurance policy to see if you’re covered, it’s time to think about which insurance you should use. Most car insurance policies feature personal injury protection (PIP) to help you cover medical payments after an accident.
So, is it better to use your PIP or contact your health insurance provider? If your car insurance features PIP, it’s a good idea to use that first. After all, it often has no deductible and it’s designed specifically to cover any injuries or medical bills that result from an accident.
What’s unique about this is that unlike sorting out insurance for the vehicle, it doesn’t matter whose fault the accident was. Usually, there’s no deductible for PIP either. However, not every state requires drivers to have PIP. With some states and providers, it’s not even available.
If PIP is not available where you live or your policy doesn’t carry it, you’ll go straight to using your health insurance. Depending on the severity of the accident, you may end up using your health insurance, even if you do have PIP.
Paying with Health Insurance
Health insurance policies that cover injuries from a car accident usually still have a deductible. This means you’ll most likely have to pay some out-of-pocket expenses for your bills before your health insurance coverage kicks in.
This can also vary depending on where you live. If you live in a tort state and weren’t at fault in the accident, you can file an insurance claim against the other driver. Then, their auto insurance will cover your medial expenses.
Does Medicare Cover Injuries from a Car Accident?
Think of Medicare as a second source of coverage after a car accident. It can’t be used as your primary health care source, but it’s a great resource to use if your medical bills end up being more than your PIP or health insurance will cover.
Get Covered
For more information on how health insurance covers accidents, talk to your insurance provider. At Andy Mohr Collision Center, we want to make sure every driver in Plainfield, Indianapolis, Fishers, and Bloomington is safe and protected before, during, and after an accident.