MedPay and PIP in North Carolina car accident claims

North Carolina insurance companies do not offer personal injury protection (PIP) coverage to motorists. Instead, drivers may be able to cover their medical expenses through MedPay if they purchase this coverage with their auto policy. MedPay is supplemental insurance coverage that can help cover reasonable and necessary accident-related medical expenses following a North Carolina car collision.

How does MedPay work, and are North Carolina drivers required to carry MedPay coverage? At The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A., our legal team wants to help you understand how MedPay coverage works and what you can expect when you file a claim.

What Is the Difference Between MedPay and PIP Coverage?

Personal injury protection coverage, or PIP, is typically required by states that follow a no-fault insurance system. In about a dozen states – but not North Carolina – when drivers are involved in a collision, they turn to their insurance provider for compensation for their financial losses, regardless of who is to blame for causing the collision. PIP coverage typically pays a percentage of a person’s reasonable and necessary medical expenses, a percentage of their lost wages, and death benefits.

Most states, including North Carolina, follow a more traditional fault-based insurance system. In a fault-based system, when you are involved in a car accident, you file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company for compensation. In North Carolina, when you are injured in a car accident someone else caused, you seek compensation for your accident-related losses from the at-fault driver’s insurance company, not your insurance provider.

Medical payments, or MedPay, is supplemental coverage available in many states that follow at-fault car insurance rules. MedPay is an optional coverage you add to your car insurance policy that pays your reasonable and necessary accident-related medical expenses up to your policy limits. Like PIP coverage, MedPay pays for your medical expenses, regardless of who is responsible for causing the crash. However, unlike PIP coverage, MedPay does not pay for additional losses like lost wages.

Does North Carolina Require Drivers to Have MedPay Coverage?

No. MedPay coverage is optional coverage you can add to your car insurance policy. North Carolina only requires registered vehicle owners to carry continuous liability coverage to pay for other parties’ personal injuries and property damage if the policyholder causes a crash.

Minimum North Carolina auto liability coverage requirements include:

• Bodily injury coverage of $30,000 for one person
• Bodily injury coverage of $60,000 for two or more people
• Property damage coverage of $25,000

You can add MedPay coverage to your car insurance policy for an additional premium.

Do You Have to Prove Fault to Receive Compensation from MedPay?

You do not need to prove fault to receive compensation from MedPay for your medical expenses. MedPay coverage pays for reasonable accident-related medical expenses regardless of who was at fault for causing the crash. The coverage typically has no deductible or co-payments attached. It covers you whether you are involved in a car or pedestrian accident or were riding public transportation when the accident occurred.

Your MedPay coverage may also cover individuals who are passengers in the insured vehicle, your spouse, and any family members living in your immediate household.

How Do You File a MedPay Claim in North Carolina?

To file a MedPay claim in North Carolina, you must contact your auto insurance provider and file the necessary claim paperwork. Your insurance provider may require documentation of your injuries and medical bills. Typically, reimbursement for your expenses takes two to four weeks, depending on if and when your claim is approved.

What Is Subrogation?

Subrogation is a concept under which an insurance company that pays for expenses related to an accident can attempt to recoup its losses from another party. In some states, when an insurance company pays a MedPay claim, it can attempt to recover the money it spent from the injured party or from the at-fault driver’s insurer.

However, North Carolina is different. North Carolina has adopted an anti-subrogation law, which prohibits providers from seeking reimbursement for any insurance payments they make for their insured through MedPay insurance coverage.

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help with My MedPay Claim?

You may believe that because you pay for MedPay coverage, your insurance company has your best interests at heart. Unfortunately, no insurance company is happy to spend its profits paying out on expensive insurance claims.

How can a North Carolina car accident lawyer help you with your MedPay claim? An experienced car accident attorney can fight to get you the money you deserve.

At The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A., our legal team works hard to build a solid claim backed by evidence and medical documentation showing how you deserve maximum compensation for your medical expenses. It can be hard to muster the strength and motivation to jump through insurance company hoops and documentation requirements when significantly injured. Let our skilled North Carolina personal injury lawyers do the hard work for you so you can focus on recovering from the car accident and moving forward with your life.

Contact a Jacksonville, NC, Car Accident Lawyer

Has a careless North Carolina driver injured you in an accident? Fight for the money you deserve and get the team at The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A., on your side. We are ready to review your specific insurance policy and help you apply for the MedPay benefits you need to cover your medical expenses. We can pursue additional compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company to cover the rest of your injuries and losses.

Accident-related medical bills can cause significant financial instability and stress. Breathe a sigh of relief and let the legal team at The Law Offices of John Drew Warlick, P.A., help you pursue the money you deserve. You won’t have to worry about upfront costs to hire us. We work on contingency. That means you won’t owe us anything unless and until we get compensation for you. If you don’t get paid, neither do we.

Contact our North Carolina office today to set up a free case evaluation and learn more about your legal rights.

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