Following a car accident, you likely have many questions, including how you will pay for your medical treatment, including chiropractic care. The good news is that you do not have to worry about shouldering chiropractic costs after a car accident, as medical expenses are covered by Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance.
What Is NJ PIP?
New Jersey PIP will cover your costs if you are in a car accident and need chiropractic treatment. Conveniently, this coverage comes regardless of who is responsible for the car accident, which is why some people refer to it as “no-fault coverage.”What Does PIP Cover?
PIP features two parts. The first part covers the cost of the chiropractor after the car accident. It also covers the treatment you get from other medical providers, such as doctors and hospitals, as well as the cost of medical equipment used in your treatment. The second part of PIP is also incredibly helpful, as it reimburses you for other expenses due to your injury. Examples include wages from when you could not work due to the injury or the cost of hiring someone to care for your family, home, or yourself.How Does PIP Coverage Work?
- If you own your car and have your own car insurance, then, by law, your auto insurance will cover the medical expenses. These expenses are covered even if you (the patient) are not at fault, if you are a pedestrian or a passenger in another vehicle (that does not belong to you)
- Now, suppose that you do not own a motor vehicle and you do not have a car insurance but a direct family member who lives in the same household does have auto insurance. In that case, by law, that relative’s auto insurance will cover the patient’s medical expenses. The good news is that the monthly premiums for that car insurance will not go up for the family member.
- Another option is if you do not own a vehicle and do not have a car insurance under your name, AND you do not have a direct family member living in the same household who owns a vehicle and has car insurance, then the NJ PIP (or NJ PLIGA) will cover the medical expenses.
- Finally, if you own a vehicle with a car insurance with the minimum coverage of $1 a day, then to treat you will need either health insurance (if we are in-network) or a letter of protection (LOP) from the law firm (if the patient has a legal matter).
How to Get Coverage for Your Chiropractic Care
Because insurance companies want to make money, they will deny your claim unless you can provide proof. Luckily, offices for accident chiropractic in Newark, NJ, that commonly work with those injured in car accidents are familiar with the requirements and documentation. This familiarity can help ensure that they properly document everything for your chiropractic car accident claim from the start. To be fully compensated for your car accident injury chiropractor services, you will want to have documentation of your initial symptoms, chiropractic treatments, and all of the expenses related to those treatments. It can be intimidating to file a chiropractor car accident claim, especially when you want to focus on healing and getting better. The best way to avoid being overwhelmed or making mistakes with the documents is to work with a car accident injury chiropractor. The chiropractor’s primary focus is to help you get better. Plus, the chiropractor’s familiarity with the system will help the paperwork go smoothly.What paperwork do I need to bring for my first appointment after the accident?
If you have auto insurance or a family member has an insured motor vehicle, then you must bring to the first appointment the following documentation:- A claim number from your own car insurance or the family member’s insurance.
- Your car insurance declaration page (this will explain the PIP limits and explain if the health insurance or car insurance is primary).
- Health insurance (if any): even when the car insurance is primary, the health insurance absorbs any copay/deductible and other costs that the car insurance doesn’t. Providing this to the doctor’s office will prevent out of pocket expenses to the patient.
- A copy of your car insurance card.
- Police report.
- Driver’s license.
- Proof of residency (if you, the patient, are going to be covered by a family member’s car insurance, then that insurance will need a utility bill with your name and address of the dated 60-90 days BEFORE the day of the accident).
- Health insurance (if any): even when the car insurance is primary, the health insurance absorbs any copay/deductible and other costs that the car insurance doesn’t.
- Police report.
- Driver’s license.
- Proof of residency (utility bill with the name and address of the patient dated 60-90 days BEFORE the day of the accident).
