If you have been involved in a car accident in Macon, you are likely dealing with some type of auto insurance claim. When someone else is responsible for the accident, you may end up filing a third-party claim with their insurance company. However, that process can be lengthy, and the other driver’s insurance company is not going to easily hand over the compensation.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance will cover many of your economic damages, regardless of who is at fault for the accident. Filing a claim with your own PIP coverage can result in faster compensation and help you pay medical bills and other expenses related to your injuries. Dive into all the details below to learn more about PIP insurance in Georgia.
What Is Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Insurance?
Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, insurance is coverage that will pay for covered injuries after an accident. This coverage will pay for injury-related expenses regardless of who is at fault for the accident. PIP requirements vary by state, and the requirements often depend on whether the state is an at-fault insurance state or a no-fault insurance state.
In no-fault insurance states, PIP coverage is mandatory. Drivers are responsible for carrying their own injury insurance coverage. After an accident, a driver would file a claim with their own PIP insurance, and there would be no need to determine who was at fault for the accident. This process can result in injury victims getting compensation more quickly, and it also helps keep the civil court system running smoothly by keeping many of these claims out of court.
In at-fault insurance states, PIP coverage is usually not mandatory. However, it can typically be purchased as an optional add-on to most auto insurance policies. In an at-fault state, an injury victim would typically need to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company or sue the at-fault driver for damages.
Most PIP policies have no deductible, although some states allow small deductibles to help reduce monthly premium rates. To learn more about the PIP coverage options in your area, contact your auto insurance company to see what is available.
What Types of Damages Will PIP Pay for?
PIP coverage will pay for many injury-related expenses, although there are some limitations to it. In most cases, PIP will pay for reasonable and necessary medical expenses and lost wages. Additionally, PIP may cover essential services, such as child care or house cleaning services, if you are unable to perform these activities due to your injury.
Personal injury protection does have some limitations. The most notable limitation of PIP coverage is that it does not cover non-economic damages.
Examples of non-economic damages that may be present after a car accident include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Loss of consortium
- Diminished quality of life
- PTSD
- Disfigurement
- Anxiety
- Depression
Pain and suffering damages often represent a large part of the total value of a car accident claim. Accident victims are often entitled to these types of damages after an accident. To get them, you would need to file a claim against the at-fault driver or their insurance company since your own PIP coverage will not cover these damages.
Who Does PIP Cover?
In many cases, PIP coverage may extend beyond just the insured driver.
A single PIP policy may cover:
- An injured driver
- Injured passengers
- Family members living in the same household as the insured
- Any authorized driver of the vehicle
- Cyclists or pedestrians injured by the covered vehicle
The best way to learn exactly who is covered by your PIP insurance is to talk to your insurance company. Your insurance agent can go through the coverage details of your policy so that you know exactly who is covered by your PIP insurance.
PIP Requirements in Georgia
Some states have mandatory minimum amounts of PIP coverage that all drivers must purchase. Georgia is not one of those states. There is no requirement in Georgia that you must carry PIP coverage. However, Georgia law does require all drivers to carry liability insurance.
Minimum liability coverages in Georgia are:
- $25,000 per person for bodily injury
- $50,000 per incident for bodily injury
- $25,000 per incident for property damage
Most no-fault insurance states do require minimum amounts of PIP coverage. Typically, the minimum coverage amount is around $10,000. However, drivers may choose to purchase additional PIP insurance on top of the minimum requirements. Some drivers may be able to purchase as much as $100,000 worth of PIP coverage.
Contact Our Macon Personal Injury Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation
If you have been hurt in an accident, you deserve to get compensation for your injuries. When another driver causes your injuries, you are entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages from that driver.
Contact the experienced team at The King Firm Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers today to let us evaluate your claim and help you maximize your recovery. Call us at (478) 292-7272 today to schedule your free consultation with a Macon personal injury lawyer to get started.