Do All Car Insurance Policies Have Personal Injury Protection?

Posted in Auto Insurance , Auto Insurance Claims , Compare Auto Insurance , Personal Injury Protection

May 12th, 2009

PIP stands for personal injury protection insurance and will cover the medical expenses, lost wages or funeral costs for up to $10,000 for either you or any passenger in your vehicle involved in a collision in a no-fault insurance coverage state. That means your car insurance will be responsible for paying the claims for the injuries regardless of who caused the accident. In the states that legally mandate PIP coverage, their auto policies are already designed to include the personal injury protection feature.

Personal Injury Protection Required States

PIP is a portion of auto insurance required in:

• Colorado
• Delaware
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Dakota
• Oregon
• and Utah

Even if you do not live in a no-fault state, it is quite possible to purchase PIP insurance. However, not all policies automatically have that feature and it may require a conversation with your auto insurance provider to see if they offer personal injury protection in your state of residence.

Types of Car Insurance States

In the auto insurance business there are three types of states that require different approaches to auto insurance coverage. They are:

• No-fault states (which requires each driver’s insurance provider to pay for their expenses regardless of who caused the accident)
• Choice states (grants drivers the flexibility of designing their own auto insurance policy as long as minimum state requirements of coverage are met)
• Tort-liability (insurance companies pay claims based on the degree of fault from each participating party)

Because there are several different ways the insurance is provided varying from state to state, you cannot nor should not automatically assume that all auto policies have PIP included. It is important not only to ask your auto insurance provider if they offer PIP, but you should also investigate your health insurance as well. Many times, there may be an overlap from your PIP policy and your health insurance coverage, thus making the added expense of personal injury protection a waste of money.

Are you looking for the best rates on an auto insurance policy with personal injury protection? If so, fill out our online auto insurance form and within minutes you’ll receive rate quotes from leading auto insurers. The process is fast, easy, secure and absolutely free! It doesn’t hurt to check as auto insurance rates change daily.