These days, depending on the type of daily driving activity you carry out, it is worth considering starting a personal injury protection plan. When you have other responsibilities, especially of a financial nature then this is no longer an option. Personal injury protection or PIP may be a part of a larger personal insurance plan or a specific plan in itself. These insurance plans are all worthwhile but the average American family cannot always justify the additional strain on their monthly budget.
It is important to remember the protection should cover everything that is required otherwise it is a waste of time and money. Personal injury and property insurance are usually required by law throughout most parts of the USA, though the required amount may differ considerably in each state. In Alaska for example a car driver will require ten times the amount of coverage that a driver in Florida will need. Although there are still some states that have not passed a law on personal injury protection at this time, there is no reason why you should wait until it has before you arrange it.
The cover will pay around 80 percent (depending on the plan) of the costs of the insured and passengers. As a no fault policy though, the plan pays for loss of earnings, medical expenses and various other costs for the policy holder and his passengers even if the insured was responsible for the situation. Before you purchase this type of cover, you would be advised to take a look at your current policies and see whether or not the areas covered by the proposed plan are not already duplicated in other insurance plans. Conditions like medical costs and even lost time form work can be part of your current health insurance plan which will save a considerable sum.
If this is the case, then you may need minimal amount of coverage or even none at all. An additional factor to consider is the driving ability and record of the policy holder because this will not only dictate the need for personal injury protection but can affect the overall cost. Fortunately most drivers will probably find themselves covered by their own health insurance policy which will also protect family members that happen to be passengers. If any of your regular passengers are inadequately covered or not covered at all, you will need personal injury protection in order to keep them covered.
Remember, the safety of a passenger in your car is always going to be your responsibility. Ensuring you have adequate personal injury protection if you are a driver should not just be about the legal requirement for you to have it, even if you are in a state that has not made it mandatory yet. This is one area where age and driving experience can be on the driver’s side and insurance policy costs can be lowered. Whatever your circumstances, you need to research it carefully so that you can rest easy knowing that you and your passengers are safely covered.
Injury, Personal, Plan, Protection
Copyright (c) 2007 Keith Mallinson
Personal injury protection is advisable for most people depending on the everyday driving activities of the person involved. This is not just a frivolous indulgence either, especially if you have the responsibility of paying a mortgage and dependents that rely on your physical wellbeing. Personal injury protection or PIP may be a part of a larger personal insurance plan or a specific plan in and of itself. As with many things in life, it is often those that need something the most that cannot afford it and this type of insurance does not always fit into the average family’s monthly expenses. The situation can be made worse when the policy has not been researched carefully and does not insure everything it was intended to.
In America personal injury protection is now a required form of insurance cover in many states although the amount does vary depending where you are in the USA. In Alaska for example a car driver will require ten times the amount of insurance cover that a driver will in Florida. Even if personal injury protection is not obligatory in your state, you may still want to consider purchasing the insurance policy to protect you from any personal injury insurance claim. Personal Injury protection will pay around 80% (depending on the insurance plan) of the costs of the insurance holder and passengers. But because personal injury protection is considered a no fault insurance policy it covers you and your passengers, even if it was your fault, for medical bills, expenses and any lost earnings.
Before you purchase personal injury protection, you would be advised to take a look at your current policies and see whether or not the areas covered by the proposed personal injury protection are not already duplicated with other insurance plans. It could be that the cost of lost wages and medical bills may be recovered through an existing health insurance policy. If you were to discover this it may only be necessary to take out a minimal cover personal injury protection policy and possibly not require one at all.
Your driving record can also be a contributing factor when considering whether or not you actually require personal injury protection. If you carry passengers on a regular basis your health insurance might cover your own medical expenses, it won’t however, cover those of your passengers (unless they are members of your family who are on your health plan). If, after checking your current health insurance you find that passengers are not protected by the policy you will be required to ensure they are covered by a personal injury protection plan in the event of an accident. It is not unfair to assume that any person traveling in your vehicle should be the responsibility of the driver and insured individual.
If you live in a state that does not have mandatory personal injury protection you may want to add this into your insurance portfolio. Many drivers find they only require minimal personal injury protection cover as they are middle aged, experienced drivers with a good record and already have an adequate health insurance plan in force. Younger drivers however, do not fair so well if they are inexperienced with little insurance cover in place but they are often in greater need of good health insurance cover to protect themselves and any family they have. Accidents unfortunately happen but before you rush into buying insurance cover, look into the subject as it could save you some money but more importantly will make you feel more secure when you drive with passengers.
Claim, Injury, Insurance, Personal