Your health insurance can help pay for car accident injury medical bills, depending on what it and your auto insurance policy allow. It is often easier to use auto insurance or supplemental accident insurance for faster claims processing and lower upfront costs. Learn more about coverage options and restrictions below.
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A health insurance plan can help ensure adequate medical care coverage in the unfortunate event of a car accident.
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If you're injured in a car accident but have no health or auto insurance, you may still be able to receive care at a medical facility. The healthcare provider may be willing to arrange a payment option that's affordable for you.
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When someone is hurt in an auto collision, claims can create a great deal of uncertainty with health insurance coverage. It might be good to review your policy often so you’ll know how to handle car accident injury medical bills, should they occur.
Does health insurance cover car accidents?
Your health insurance provider may help you pay for medical
and non-medical bills from a car accident injury. If you have a high-deductible
plan, you must meet your deductible before your carrier starts
paying your bills. For example, if your policy has a $5,000 deductible, you would
be responsible for paying the first $5,000 of medical expenses upfront,
regardless of who was at fault for the collision.
Major carriers like the ones listed below offer separate accident or fixed indemnity insurance plans designed to help protect enrollees against unexpected financial blows from vehicle collisions. These supplemental health plans disburse cash benefits immediately and directly to the insured individual for covering car accident injury medical bills, deductibles, copayments, or daily living expenses. In addition, unlike most health insurance policies, accident insurance does not require using certain doctors or networks.
- Aetna;
- Blue Cross Blue Shield;
- Cigna;
- UnitedHealthcare.
Do you need to have accident insurance to get covered for injuries?
If you do not have accident insurance or medical health insurance, your healthcare provider may expect you to pay your car accident injury medical bills upfront and out-of-pocket. Supplemental accident coverage can serve as a helpful backup resource to ease your unexpected financial load.
What is PIP, and what does it cover?
Personal injury protection (PIP) coverage pays for car accident injury medical bills regardless of who is at fault. Unfortunately, this provision usually takes precedence when paying out claims. Therefore, PIP, also called no-fault insurance, is mandatory in some states but optional or unavailable in others.
Depending on your state and policy, PIP may offer non-medical benefits and protection for passengers and household members not on your policy. For example, in states with no PIP, medical payments (MedPay) coverage can help with healthcare expenses related to an automobile accident.
Should I use my health insurance to pay for car accident injuries?
Your health insurance company can help pay your car accident injury medical bills, but your insurer will expect you to use your PIP or MedPay coverage first. These options usually pay out much faster since they don’t require medical exams or staying within a care provider network. Furthermore, some health plans clearly specify that they are secondary to your or the other driver’s car insurance policies in an accident.
Is the insurance beneficiary subject to any other medical expenses?
You will likely have to pay a deductible or copay if you use your health insurance to pay for car accident-related medical services. Other costs include services from non-covered providers such as out-of-network or alternative medicine practitioners.
If you incur medical expenses that your policy excludes, those costs would be your responsibility.
Can I get treatment for car accident injuries without insurance?
Depending on the laws in your state, you can still get treatment for automobile accident injuries with no insurance. However, healthcare providers may offer a payment plan or a discounted rate for services. Additionally, sometimes, doctors or hospitals might agree to be paid out of a potential settlement from your accident.
Please seek medical care as soon as possible after an accident, even if you don’t have health insurance.
Does Medicare cover car accident injuries?
If you have Medicare, your plan will cover car accident injury medical bills that exceed what your no-fault or PIP insurance pays for. You’ll still pay your deductible, copay, or coinsurance in addition to costs for services not covered by Medicare. If your car insurance does not pay your claim promptly, Medicare might make a conditional payment and recover payments later.
Can my health insurance provider refuse to pay for car accident injuries?
Your health insurance provider may deny your claim for car accident injury coverage for a variety of reasons. Also, your health plan may not be intended to cover the full cost of accident-related care. The policy lists limitations and exclusions of services and items that the company will not pay for, such as:
- Acts of war
- Elective surgeries
- Participating in competitive or extreme activities
- Involvement in criminal activity
7 resources
- National Highway of Traffic Safety Administration. Overview of Motor Vehicle Crashes in 2020.
- Progressive.com. What is personal injury protection?
- NOLO. Using Health Insurance for Car Accident Injuries.
- Medicare.gov. How Medicare works with other insurance.
- Yale.edu. Aetna Accident Plan.
- AARP. Medical Payments Coverage – Auto Insurance.
- United Health Care. How Does A Fixed Indemnity Plan Work?
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