If you get injured in a car accident, having personal injury protection coverage can help you pay the medical and hospital bills, including chiropractic services and other expenses regarding an accident that are not covered by your health insurance.
Personal injury protection (PIP) or no-fault insurance covers all medical expenses from having a car accident, irrespective of who was at fault. Falling under a broader umbrella of auto insurance, PIP also covers your and your passenger's loss of wages in the event of injury from an auto accident.
You can get the benefit of PIP coverage even when you were not riding in your car or were outside the vehicle (i.e., walking or biking) at the time of the accident.
What does PIP insurance cover?
Personal injury protection insurance covers the policyholder, family members of the same household, passengers riding in the policyholder's car, and other people driving the policyholder's vehicle with permission.
You can also benefit from PIP insurance coverage where you are riding someone else's car at the time of the accident or get struck by a vehicle while riding a bike or walking.
PIP insurance can cover:
Medical expenses: The covered medical expenses include hospitalization charges, medical supplies and medications, dental and eye care, nursing and prosthetic services, and chiropractic services.
Lost income: Where you or your passenger loses work because of injuries, PIP can cover some of the wages.
Other services: Where, because of the injuries, you cannot do your household chores, like lawn care, cleaning, etc., PIP can cover some of the expenses.
Funeral expenses: In some cases, PIP will cover the funeral expenses when such an accident causes death.
What PIP insurance does not cover:
Damages to your car or other's property
Injuries to other drivers involved in the accident
PIP coverage after an auto accident in Portland, Oregon:
PIP insurance coverage is mandatory for all auto drivers in Oregon. If you have suffered injuries from a car accident in Portland, Oregon, your PIP insurance will cover up to $ 15,000 in medical and other expenses for each person involved in the accident.
The coverage would include medical expenses like:
Chiropractic visits
Lab and screenings
Surgery referrals
Acupuncture
Massage therapy
Other related medical expenses like x-rays and dental treatments
Medical mileage-transportation cost for trips to doctors and chiropractors
Your PIP coverage would also include:
Loss of income - up to $ 3000 per month
Other expenses related to your injury
Funeral expenses - up to $5000
Household replacement services - up to $30 per day
Childcare during hospitalization - up to $25 per day
PIP coverage after an auto accident in the State of Washington:
In the state of Washington, PIP insurance must be offered to you, and you can choose to buy PIP insurance for yourself. Where you do not want PIP, you must reject it in writing.
The PIP coverage in Washington is as follows:
Medical and hospital expenses: Your PIP insurance would cover up to $ 10,000 for medical and chiropractic expenses for each person involved in a car accident. The coverage is available up to 3 years from the date of the accident.
Loss of income: up to $200 per week up to 1 year from the accident date.
Funeral expenses: $ 2000 per person who died from the accident.
Loss of service: up to $ 200 per week.
PIP insurance requirements by state overview
Your requirement for PIP insurance depends on where you live in the U.S.
No-fault states:
Currently, there are 12 no-fault states in the U.S that require your insurance to cover all expenses arising from an auto collision, irrespective of whose fault it was until a monetary threshold is met.
In these states, you cannot sue other drivers for your car injuries unless they are severe. This requires all drivers in no-fault states to buy PIP insurance coverage as part of their auto insurance.
At-fault states that require PIP insurance coverage:
In states other than no-fault states, there is no restriction on the right to sue the driver at fault.
There are four at-fault states that, however, do require you to get PIP insurance coverage.
For instance, as per the Oregon State PIP Laws, the policyholders covered by PIP can expect up to $15,000 in medical and other related expenses for each person injured in a car accident.
At-fault states where PIP insurance is optional:
In the other at-fault states, like Washington, PIP insurance coverage can be an option.
As per the Washington State PIP laws, policyholders can expect up to $ 10,000 in medical and hospital expenses for each person injured in the auto accident.
Who Pays for a Chiropractor After an Accident?
After recovering from the shock of an auto accident, the one concern that bothers the most for the injured people is who will pay for the expenses?
If you live in a state where PIP insurance is not compulsory, you or your private insurance company will be required to pay for the medical expenses, chiropractic care, hospital stay, and all other related expenses after getting injured in a car accident.
Where the other driver is at fault, they or their insurance company can be liable for reimbursing your medical expenses from an auto injury.
Where you are injured in an auto accident in a state that offers no-fault PIP insurance coverage, you can get covered based on individual state laws.
With cars as the leading mode of transportation, it is no wonder more than two million people in the United States fall victim to car accidents. Though automotive accidents produce a variety of injuries, symptoms may not be present at the time of impact.
Injuries like whiplash, head injuries, or fractures may take days or weeks to produce symptoms. However, a licensed chiropractor can quickly and accurately diagnose the injury with digital x-rays.
How Much Coverage Will I Receive for Chiropractic Care?
The amount of insurance coverage you can receive for getting chiropractic care after injuries from a car accident depends on your insurance provider or the PIP insurance coverage limit set by your state.
In Oregon, those having PIP insurance can expect up to $ 15,000 coverage in medical and other related expenses for each person involved in a car accident.
While in Washington, your PIP insurance will cover up to $10,000 in medical and hospital expenses for each person involved in the auto accident.
To get fully compensated for your car injury-related chiropractic services, you need to maintain complete documentation of your injury symptoms, the chiropractic services availed, and details of the expenses incurred in such procedures.
To get the maximum PIP insurance coverage while experiencing high-quality chiropractic care, make sure to work with a chiropractor service that specializes in accident care, as they can provide specialized service while helping with your PIP insurance paperwork.
Visit Accident Care Chiropractic for PIP Insurance
If you or your loved one have suffered injuries after a car accident, we, the doctors at Accidental Care Chiropractic, can help you with high-quality, affordable chiropractic services that are most suitable for you.
Our service area extends to Portland, OR; Vancouver; Salem; Hillsboro; and beyond. So if you are experiencing shoulder pain and stiffness, reach out to us today to schedule a consultation!
