Why should I carry Personal Injury Protection coverage when I have an excellent medical plan through my employer in Laurel, MD?

When you buy an auto insurance policy in Laurel Maryland, it will include personal injury protection (PIP). You are not required by Maryland law to purchase personal injury protection, and if you decide to not buy it, you will have to sign a form that says you elected to waive the coverage.

In Maryland, the standard amount of PIP is $2,500, but you can also purchase it in amounts of $5,000 or $10,000. When you have personal injury protection, you are covered for medical bills and lost wages as a result of injuries sustained in an accident. PIP pays out on all documented claims regardless of whether the accident was your fault or the fault of the other driver. Remember, for lost wages claims, you will need to have your employer verify the amount of your wages and have a doctor write a note letting your insurance company how long you can be expected to be out of work.

Even though you may have an excellent medical plan that will pay for your medical bills, it is still wise to also add personal injury protection to your auto insurance policy. In Laurel, Maryland, your PIP not only will pay for injuries you sustain in an accident, but also, for injuries sustained by any passengers in your vehicle. Pedestrians are also covered under your PIP insurance.

Your medical plan will only pay for your medical bills and not for any other people in your car or pedestrians who may also be injured. Another important reason to purchase PIP is that you can collect 85 percent of lost wages that are a direct result of your injuries. Your medical plan will not pay for lost wages.

You should also keep in mind that Maryland personal injury protection is not exactly the same as it is in Washington – the District of Columbia. Remember that PIP does not pay for pain and suffering and that you can only claim the combined loss of medical expenses and lost wages up to the total of your PIP coverage.

You may still have more questions such as whether you can still hire an attorney if the other driver was at fault or if your PIP will pay for medical bills not covered by your medical plan. For these and any other questions, please give us a call. An independent agent will be happy to answer all of your questions.