If you’re ever involved in a car accident, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), provided by your auto insurance company, is absolutely critical to you and your timely recovery from injuries caused by the car accident. Why? Because following an automobile accident, PIP provides compensation for all medical bills (up to your limit), lost wages, and household help, even if you’re at fault. (For more details on PIP benefits, see blog entitled, “9 Reasons Why PIP Car Insurance Coverage is Your Best Friend” or call Urquia Law at 360-390-4104 for a free review of your car insurance policy.) The PIP minimum insurance coverage is $10,000.00, automatically included in your auto insurance policy. However, you can opt out of PIP, giving you no coverage for medical treatment for any minor injuries or severe permanent injuries, or lost wages.  A terrible, preventable quagmire that could haunt you the rest of your life. Take a look at your auto insurance policy.

• • Question: Do you have PIP? If not, don’t even think about it — get it today!
  • Question: What is your PIP limit? $10,000?
  • Question: Is a $10,000 limit enough PIP coverage to take care of your medical bills, lost wages, and household help after an auto accident?Answer: If you’ve never been in a car accident nor collected PIP, $10,000 may seem to be plenty of coverage. Car crash victims are rudely awakened.

The first emergency room visit alone, along with the ambulance ride, frequently uses half or more of the accident victim’s PIP. Yes, $5,000 gone in just a few hours! That means that just one day after the car collision you’re left with $5,000 (and often less) — not enough coverage for anything but a “minor” injury . . . if you’re lucky. This is the right time and circumstances to find yourself an excellent personal injury attorney. If you’ve been to a regular doctor lately, not counting surgery, specialists, chiropractors, therapists, and special procedures, you know that five grand will disappear in a blink of an eye, leaving you stuck with mounting medical bills (if you don’t have adequate health care insurance), a lingering injury, and continual stress.

• Question: How much PIP coverage do in-the-know personal injury attorneys recommend?Answer: At least $25,000, sometimes more depending on your circumstances.

If you have any questions at all about your auto insurance policy, including your PIP coverage, call an excellent, trial-tested, caring personal injury attorney who is willing to sit down with you and go over every detail of your insurance policy. The fee? Just your time! One hour or so is such a small price to pay for the huge benefits you’ll receive for the rest of your driving life.