A problem that many injury victims find themselves facing is how to pay for the medical bills associated with their injury. The medical expenses can pile up while an injured party is working through negotiations with an insurance company, or while the injured party is filing a personal injury lawsuit against the party that is responsible for causing the injuries. And, of course, the medical bills need to be paid.
Using Health Insurance To Cover Your Medical Expenses
Many injury victims who have health insurance can seek the medical care that they need and then have their health insurance pay the bills, once their deductible or co-pay is satisfied. Later, when the injured party is able to enter settlement negotiations with the liable party and their insurance provider, the injured party can seek reimbursement for the medical costs that have been incurred and paid for by the injured party’s health insurance.
Auto Insurance Policies May Cover Medical Expenses
Some auto insurance policies offer policyholders medical expense coverage in the event that the policyholder becomes injured. There are two types of this coverage that an injured party could purchase through their auto insurance provider: personal injury protection insurance coverage, and medical payment coverage.
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Although drivers are not required to purchase this type of coverage in Texas, insurance companies are required to offer it. If an injured party has PIP coverage, then the injured party can file a claim for their medical expenses associated with their injury through their own auto insurance provider. PIP coverage usually includes a limit on medical expenses and a portion of lost wages. The details of what types of medical expenses are covered by a PIP policy, whether there are limits on how much is covered, and whether the policyholder must first pay a deductible before the auto insurance company will start picking up the medical bill expenses all depend on the specifics of the PIP policy coverage.
- Medical Payment Coverage. Medical payment coverage can be purchased as part of auto insurance and is limited to only covering medical expenses. Injured parties cannot obtain lost wages from their auto insurance provider under this type of coverage.
Medical Payment Coverage Policies On Property
In cases of premises liability issues, it may be possible for the injured party to obtain compensation for their medical expenses from the property owner’s insurance provider if the property owner has a medical payment coverage policy, which many businesses do have. This coverage is also sometimes referred to as third party liability coverage.
This coverage is designed to provide injury victims who were injured on the policyholder’s property to obtain medical coverage while liability for the injury claim is determined. Coverage for the injury victim’s medical expenses is not based on fault, but rather simply on the fact that the injury occurred on the property that is covered by the medical payment coverage policy. Payment of the injured party’s medical expenses is not an admission of fault, and liability will need to be determined by the victim’s personal injury action.
Reimbursement For Medical Expenses
Medical expenses are usually something that an injured party seeks to be reimbursed for as part of a settlement or recovery. This recovery often goes to the insurance company that provided coverage for the medical expenses initially, although the injured party is allowed to recover personally for any deductibles and out-of-pocket medical expenses that they have incurred.