After being in an auto accident, you may wonder how you will pay all of your bills when you have to miss work due to the injuries and the doctor’s visits. Fortunately, you live in Florida, a no-fault state. Here’s why you are so lucky. In Florida, and eleven other no fault states, up to 80% of your medical bills and up to 60% of lost wages are automatically covered by your own insurance under the PIP (Personal Injury Protection). The PIP will give you money up front so you can pay your most pressing bills, medical and otherwise. If the accident was serious and you were taken by ambulance to the emergency room, call your PIP adjuster and ask that they set aside a certain amount of PIP money to pay for your lost wages (assuming you know you’ll be missing work). Remember, the total PIP insurance only covers $10,000 of medical AND lost wages. Once you are over that amount (and medical bills are often extremely high), you’re on your own until the final settlement goes through, which could take months or years.
Even with the PIP, you have to pay 20% of your medical bills. Eventually, you will probably be reimbursed out of the at-fault party’s insurance. However, until then, the burden of repayment falls on you. If you haven’t already, contact an attorney immediately to represent your case. Then ask the hospital, ambulance company, emergency room, or whoever is sending you bills, if it would be possible to work out a low payment plan. Tell them you have an attorney and eventually you’ll be able to pay the amount in full. Until then, they may accept a small amount paid every month.
