Health Insurance and Car Accidents: How It Works

Accidents happen. In the United States, every three out of five people suffer a car accident once. Due to a rise in car accident cases on the roads, it is essential to have a health insurance plan. In Kansas City, it is mandatory to have health insurance if you are a driver – be it a car, truck, or motorcycle driver and insurers offer various types of health insurance policies that range from fully covering medical expenses to partial or limited coverage. It is advisable to always ask for clarity from your insurer before buying a health insurance policy to avoid any future surprises. 

Does health insurance cover car accident injuries? Find out how health insurance covers auto accidents and what coverage options are available to you with Royce Injury Attorneys.

Understanding Reimbursement Through Subrogation 

Subrogation is an insurance company’s right to get reimbursements for your medical expenses they have paid for injuries you sustained by a third party. In Missouri, health insurance companies add a subrogation clause to your insurance plan. It is important to seek a clear understanding of what it implies and covers. It is crucial to know that your insurance company can only claim reimbursements if you are paid all kinds of damages claimed – both economic and non-economic. This principle is known as the “Made Whole Doctrine“. If your health insurance won’t cover car accident expenses in full, you may have to seek other legal remedies like a personal injury lawsuit.

Exploring Different Health Coverage Options

Different types of health insurance for car accidents are available to the citizens of Kansas City and Missouri — employer-sponsored, individual, and government-funded, etc.

• Employer-sponsored: Companies and employers offer employee insurance benefits that cover healthcare and coverage in the event of an accident.
• Individual Insurance Plans: If you are not an employee, you can buy an individual healthcare insurance plan to cover damages. Kansas City offers different types of individual plans like HMO and PPO.
• Government Funded: The State also offers government-funded medical and healthcare services to the citizens.

Navigating Coverage Limits, Deductibles, and Out-of-Pocket Costs 

When choosing your healthcare insurance plan, keep an eye out for certain factors that have potential implications for how much you will be covered in case of a wreck.

• Coverage Cap: When buying a plan, ask the provider when does health insurance cover car accidents, injuries that are covered, and the coverage cap. Some providers do not pay for costly surgeries. For example, some insurance providers cover minor injuries only.
• Deductibles: Other insurance providers have deductibles in the plan which means you have to initially pay a certain amount for the insurance coverage to kick in. These deductibles are high sometimes and it is important to check the deductible threshold before buying a plan. This is essential to avoid any surprises in the future. 
• Co-pays: Some services like doctor’s visit fees, medicine prescriptions, etc, are co-pays that you have to pay from your own pocket. They are later reimbursed through the coverage when they reach a certain threshold. 

Discuss all these factors with your provider. Get a clear picture about the timeline of when does health insurance pay for car accident injuries.

Coordinating Benefits Among Multiple Insurance Policies 

What’s next? You have to calculate how you can benefit from multiple insurance policies. If you are a Missouri or Kansas City citizen and have more than one insurance policy, who will pay first will be determined by the Primary Payer rule. For instance, you have two insurances — healthcare insurance and vehicle insurance offering Personal Injury Protection coverage. The remaining expenses, like co-pays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs, are covered by the secondary payer. It is essential to remember that your vehicle insurance will be the primary payer and will cover the immediate medical expenses, regardless of who caused the accident. However, in the absence of a PIP, your secondary insurance, i.e. healthcare, will step in to pay the expenses. 

The important thing to keep in mind is that if you have met with a collision, instead of wondering, “Does your health insurance cover you in a car accident?” inform all insurance providers promptly and keep them aware of their collaboration. 

Considering Personal Injury Protection (PIP) as an Additional Safeguard

As discussed above, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) provides an additional safeguard in case of an accident. It takes care of the most immediate medical expenses, so you don’t have to worry about medical bills and out-of-pocket expenses that you may not be in the situation to pay immediately. PIP is mandatory in some states, but it is optional in Kansas City and Missouri. You have the option to add it to your auto insurance as an added layer of financial protection in the event of an accident. There’s also a psychological benefit of PIP – offering peace by lifting the worry of funds needed for immediate medical attention while waiting for your health insurance car accident provider to pay you. 

Accounting for Legal and Regional Factors 

Missouri’s state laws, local insurance regulations, and regional norms can influence your coverage. PIP is not mandatory. Moreover, you have to establish liability for the at-fault party and uninsured motorists. These are some of the main factors that may influence your insurance coverage options in Kansas City. It is recommended to consult insurance professionals or legal counsel in Kansas City for personalized advice on securing the best possible coverage.

Still not sure about what your health insurance covers in a collision? Book a free consultation with car accident lawyers today. Our attorneys will help you understand what the subrogation clause says, how the additional expenses will be covered by your insurance provided, and weigh the benefits of having more than one insurance policy and how you can make them collaborate to get maximum benefits. In Missouri, PIP is optional but it is strongly recommended to have it included in your auto insurance!