Michigan is a No-Fault auto accident state. This means that after an accident your own insurance company is supposed to pay your medical bills regardless of who is at fault. As long as the medical care is related to your auto accident and the treatment is reasonable and necessary, then your own insurance company must pay it. And they are supposed to pay it for the rest of your life. To most people, this seems counter intuitive. In many other states, the at fault driver’s insurance is supposed to pay for the medical bills. However, Michigan’s comprehensive no-fault system takes care of this problem. In addition to medical care, your own insurance company can also compensate you for medical mileage, wage loss, attendant care, and replacement services.
Why should my own insurance company have to pay?
At first glance, this no-fault arrangement seems like a raw deal. If the other driver is at fault shouldn’t that person’s insurance take care of it? I don’t want my premiums to increase. However, the no-fault system is beneficial in a lot of situations. Take the fact that the minimum amount of insurance for bodily injury liability in Michigan is $20,000. So if your own insurance company did not pay for your treatment, that $20,000 insurance policy from the at fault driver may have to cover all your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In many cases the ER visit itself costs more than $20,000. Not to mention the costs if you need a surgery, physical therapy, or perhaps even treatment for the rest of your life. Without no-fault medical coverage, you could be put into bankruptcy from the medical care alone. You would also receive nothing for your pain and suffering or for your lost wages. In the end, the insurance system would fail you. Insurance would be mandated, but it wouldn’t actually protect anyone. Consequently, the No-Fault system serves a very important function, at least in theory.
How do I get my insurance company to pay my bills?
Getting your insurance company to pay for your medical bills starts like almost any other insurance claim. You must contact your insurance company and let them know that you have been injured in an auto accident. Sometimes this might be done for you by the hospital if you have been seriously injured. However, in most instances you will be filling a claim for no-fault benefits with your own insurance company. It is extremely important to list all of your injuries even if you don’t know how bad they are or will end up being. This way the insurance company will not be able to comeback later and claim that injuries that you received in the accident came from before or after the accident. After the initial application, the insurance company should pay for your related bills that are necessary and reasonable. Your providers should be made aware of your claim so that they can bill your auto insurance instead of your regular health insurance provider. This way your insurance company can get the bills paid faster.
What if my insurance company won’t pay?
As I stated above, the No-fault system works well in theory. In theory, your own insurance company is supposed to pay for all your reasonable and necessary medical care so long as it is related to the auto accident. However, insurance company’s routinely care more for there bottom line than for your health. It is not uncommon that insurance companies take months to pay for simple procedures and treatments while letting your bills get overdue and sent to collections. They may pay late, seldom or even never. What are you to do? Realistically, you will need the services of an experienced attorney. An experienced attorney will know how to deal with the insurance company and their adjusters. Moreover, it is likely necessary that you attorney will have to file a lawsuit to protect you from the short statute of limitations regarding payment of your medical bills and other no-fault benefits.
We can help!
We have been helping client get their medical care paid and their no-fault benefits taken care of for over 30 years. We only get paid if you win. If you have any issue with our insurance or need help getting your bills paid give us a call. We can help!
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