No one wants to be in a car accident. The physical pain and property damage caused by an accident means you’ll be forced to deal with insurance companies. In Nevada, all drivers must carry liability insurance to pay for car repairs and medical expenses when found at fault. However, there are limits. Often, we are asked, does health insurance cover car accident injuries?
If you’re in a serious car accident, it is unlikely auto liability insurance will cover all your medical bills. To pay for your medical expenses, you have options: (1) if the other party is at fault, their liability insurance should cover your expenses; or (2) you may be able to use your health insurance to cover the medical bills.
Always Seek Medical Attention Immediately After an Accident
Typically, health insurance covers medical treatment related to all injuries, regardless of how they were caused. Therefore, it always makes sense to immediately seek medical attention after a collision, even if you feel fine.
It is often the case that the harmful physical effects of a car crash aren’t immediately apparent. A hospital has the tools to detect injuries you may not immediately feel due to adrenaline or shock.
An automobile insurance company may suggest you wait for their referral to see a doctor, but this could potentially damage your claim. The more time that has passed between your accident and the time of medical care, the easier it will be for that insurance company to argue that your pain and suffering was not caused by the accident.
Health insurance carriers can recover the cost of your medical expenses through a process called subrogation. If your provider successfully recovers these expenses, they will have to divide the amount received proportionally. In this case, any funds you paid towards a deductible will be reimbursed.
Know What Your Insurance Plan Covers
To know whether your insurance policies will cover your medical bills, it is essential to carefully review both your auto and your health insurance policies. This can help provide background information about the question, “Does health insurance cover car accident injuries?” Certain health insurance carriers classify auto accident injuries as secondary coverage. These policies will not cover your medical expenses until the auto insurance limit has been met.
In Nevada, the current minimum auto liability insurance is 25/50/20 coverage. This means Nevada requires that automobile liability insurance policies carry minimum coverage of $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in any one accident; $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more persons on any one accident; and $20,000 for injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.
For example, suppose you suffer a traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury; $25,000 will not cover the cost of rehabilitation for one month, let alone a lifetime. Therefore, in Nevada, it’s often a smart idea to have medical payments insurance (“MedPay”), which helps with hospital bills resulting from a car accident. This can help offset potential costs associated with a wreck.
What is MedPay?
MedPay is an add-on to an auto insurance policy that covers expenses related to motor vehicle accidents. It protects you and any passengers in your vehicle, any pedestrians you may injure, and you—if you are riding as a passenger in another car or are injured by a car as a pedestrian, bike rider, or public transportation rider.
MedPay applies to a variety of expenses relating to injuries stemming from an automobile accident. It covers medical payments, such as health insurance deductibles and co-pays, visits to a doctor or hospital, X-rays and surgery, ambulance and emergency medical technician fees, rehabilitation and nursing care, and some medical equipment. The coverage takes effect regardless of which driver is considered at fault for the accident.
Even with MedPay and health coverage in place, it is still possible for a person to have to pay for medical expenses if they get into a car accident. In such cases, filing a lawsuit may be the best avenue for ensuring that the victim is fully compensated for their losses caused by the accident.
Will I Still Have to Pay Even if I Have Health Insurance?
In most instances, what is covered or not will depend on the actual terms of the health insurance policy itself. Depending on the situation, injured car accident victims may still have to pay:
Deductible amounts under their health insurance policy
Any required co-payments under the health insurance policy
Charges and expenses not typically covered by the policy
Car accident victims can often recover these out-of-pocket expenses by filing a lawsuit with the at-fault driver and their insurance carrier.
Your Next Steps
When it comes to ensuring your ability to physically and financially recover after an auto accident, the best advice is for you to be prepared and know what to do after an accident. Consider what you stand to lose if you are seriously injured in an auto accident or if you injure someone else.
Saving a few dollars per month on your insurance might not save you anything in the long run when weighed against the worst-case scenario of a severe automobile accident. Research the kind of coverage that will properly protect you. If you are still wondering, “Does health insurance cover car accident injuries?” consult an attorney for advice on your best options.
You should also contact an attorney if:
You have a dispute with an insurance agent or company
You suspect that insurance fraud may be occurring
You believe you were treated unfairly or unethically by an insurance agent
Remember, insurance adjusters often care more about their company’s profits than your recovery. Sometimes the only way to get through their red tape is by having an experienced attorney fight on your behalf. If you were injured in an auto accident, a personal injury attorney will make all the difference in your ability to get the compensation you deserve.
Cohan PLLC has extensive experience winning against insurance companies, and we are here to help you get the maximum recovery amount for your case. To ensure your rights are protected and that you receive the maximum recovery, we recommend you speak with us for a free consultation.
Call the Las Vegas car accident lawyers at Cohan PLLC when you are ready to learn about what we can do for you. We're waiting to help. 24/7. Our toll-free number is (702) 623-3579.
Chasen Cohan, Esq. is the founder of Cohan PLLC. Mr. Cohan is a licensed attorney who also possesses FINRA Series 7 (Registered Representative) and Series 63 (Uniform State Representative) licenses, state insurance licenses, and State Securities Registrations in Nevada, Missouri, and North Carolina. Mr. Cohan is admitted to practice law before the Nevada Bar, all Nevada State and Federal Courts, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Mr. Cohan’s representative clients have included: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Sam’s West, Inc., MGM Grand Resorts International, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Mandalay Corp., The Treasure Island Hotel and Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, The Mirage Casino-Hotel, South Point Hotel & Casino, American Express, Barclays, US Bank, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and various life insurance companies and service providers.
Mr. Cohan is a Las Vegas native who graduated with honors from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Mr. Cohan received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law. During law school, Mr. Cohan served as a clerk for the Office of the Texas Attorney General and a Judicial Extern for United States District Court Judge James R. Nowlin.
Clients from global brands and middle-market companies to innovative startups and individuals trust Cohan PLLC to resolve their trickiest legal disputes. Whether that’s litigation in state or federal trial and appellate courts in Nevada; investigations and enforcement actions before government agencies; or mediation, arbitration, and regulatory agency proceedings. Cohan PLLC has litigated hundreds of millions in dollars of claims on behalf of corporate litigants. As a result of this experience, Cohan PLLC has been afforded the opportunity to selectively act as Plaintiff’s counsel on complex, personal injury matters.