Personal Injury Protection When You Need It Most

Personal injury insurance (PIP), sometimes referred to as no-fault insurance, protects its carriers from financial losses regardless of who was at fault in an auto accident. In its truest form, PIP insurance operates at the state level. This means that state laws control both the payment of no-fault first-party benefits while also inhibiting the right to sue, known as the limited-tort option.

The question is: how will PIP insurance help you?

P to the I to the P—PIP!

Imagine this: you’re driving through your residential neighborhood on a quiet, Sunday afternoon. You’re making your way to the local dog park to play Frisbee with your stout black Labrador. Though 10 years old and gray in the face, Molly still catches that flying disk with the utmost enthusiasm. You’ve parked, and as you’re getting all of your things together (the Frisbee, leash and discreetly colored doggie bag) you’re hit from behind with such force that things go flying. Your driver’s seat snaps forward and the leash buckle whips you in the eye.

You’re pretty beaten up and need to go to the hospital. Somehow Molly seems okay, but you plan to take her to the vet just to be safe. But first you must go to the hospital. Once there, your attending physician tells you that your sight in your left eye is going to be impaired for the next three months. You work at a job that demands you stare at a screen all day, but your doctor says you must limit your screen time. The physician says you need to take at least four weeks to recuperate.

Fortunately for you, you have personal injury insurance protection. Missing that month of work is going to be okay. PIP insurance helps to cover your lost income along with any medical overhead that your health insurance doesn’t cover.

According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) 2.35 million people are injured or disabled in traffic collisions ever year. That’s a significant number of people whose lives are forever changed. PIP insurance brings the suffering masses back to some sort of semblance, protecting them in their hour of need.

What’s Your Ideal Limit?

Not every state in the U.S. requires motorists carry personal injury insurance. Here is a quick run-down of the states that do:

• Delaware
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Dakota
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Texas
• Utah
  

Though each of the above 14 states require their drivers to carry PIP, each state sets its own minimum amount of coverage. This means some states may require you carry more or less when it comes to bodily injury coverage. Coverage limits include:

• Medical costs: Pays for the basic expenses incurred by medical, hospital, surgical and prescription expenses.
• Salary loss: Pays for the loss of income sustained by the injured party.
• Essential services: Pays for services such as household maintenance or primary care.
• Funerary costs: Pays for funeral and burial or cremation costs.
• Survivors’ loss: Pays for the loss of income and any necessary services required by the surviving dependents of the victim.
  

If your area has a high crash statistic rate, paying for a well-endowed PIP plan is the way to go. At CoverHound, we can help you find a personal injury insurance plan that fits your needs. Try our online auto insurance shopping and comparison tool today!