What Do the Different Types of Insurance Claims Cover (Home, Car, Health)

At first glance, figuring out what expenses each type of insurance covers may seem intuitive. However, there are often situations in which one or more types of insurance may be combined or applicable in a way you otherwise wouldn’t have considered. Insurance stacking is another legal strategy in which you may be able to make use of multiple insurance policies to help pay for your damages.

However, insurance stacking can be tricky without the help of an experienced injury attorney. The fine print associated with most insurance policies can be confusing, and often results in policyholders missing out on the maximum benefits they are eligible to receive after an accident.

Car insurance in particular offers a lot of options if you have suffered an injury.

Depending on your automotive insurance policy, your initial and potential future medical bills may be covered by Personal Injury Protection (PIP) or Medical Payment (MedPay) coverage. In most states, PIP or MedPay is automatically included with your insurance policy but can be waived. However, injury attorneys strongly advise against waiving this type of coverage, as this is what will provide additional protection if you need to seek medical care after an accident.

Uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist (UIM) is an additional protection policy that car accident attorneys generally recommend for drivers to purchase; this ensures that in case you are involved in an accident with a driver who is uninsured, underinsured, or flees the scene, you will still have a way of paying your medical bills using your car insurance.

Car insurance can be as flexible as you make it; in fact, even if you do not have insurance but someone else in your home does, depending on their policy, you may be covered in the case of a car accident. It’s a good idea to take a look at your current car insurance policy and figure out if there are any holes in your coverage you’d like to fill.

Health insurance generally covers expenses related to physical harm a person suffers.

Health insurance typically covers the cost of medical visits, prescription medicines, and surgeries or treatments at least partially or in full depending on your policy and the treatment in question. In some cases, in addition to physical harm health insurance may also cover mental injuries and the costs or partial costs of therapy. Utilizing your health insurance may feel a little more straightforward than motor vehicle insurance, since most people will use health insurance during their life but not everyone will file an automotive claim. However, it’s important to note that in addition to partially or fully covering treatments and medications that are deemed medically necessary by your doctor, your health insurance may be utilized in combination with vehicle insurance.

For example, if you are injured in a vehicle accident, an attorney may contact the hospital or care facility in which you are seeking treatment and request that they wait to charge you until your settlement has arrived; they may also request that the facility bills the expenses to whichever insurance you would rather pay the claim, be it car insurance or health. However, negotiating over medical bills and insurance payment can be complicated and stressful, so it’s a good idea to let an experienced injury lawyer do so on your behalf.

Homeowners’ insurance covers certain damages to your home and personal liability in case someone is injured on your property.

Homeowners’ insurance is intended to help pay for damages that occur to a private residence; for those who rent their homes, renters insurance is often also referred to as homeowners’ insurance. Homeowners’ insurance may not be as applicable in the event of an injury to yourself, but most policies include personal liability coverage, which means if someone is injured on your property and you are considered liable, your homeowners’ policy may help pay for their damages. This is also true if something on your property damages something on another person’s property, such as a tree falling from your property and damaging your neighbor’s fence or mailbox. Homeowners’ insurance is primarily intended to help pay for damages that occur to your home, such as in the event of fires, storms, and even theft. Additional coverage may be purchased on an individual basis.

To learn more about the different types of insurance or for help maximizing your insurance benefits after an accident or injury, reach out to an experienced personal injury attorney.