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Health insurance isn’t what pays after a major car crash

On Behalf of | May 5, 2023 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Car crashes break bones, cause soft tissue injuries, sever spinal cords and leave people with brain injuries. Many people end up in the hospital and in need of emergency trauma care following a significant motor vehicle collision.

Others may benefit from treatment but might avoid or delay seeing a professional until their condition gets worse. Those without health insurance often feel like they can’t see a doctor after a crash. In fact, many working-class adults think that they can’t seek medical care after a wreck even when they have insurance because the high deductibles or coinsurance on their policy would mean that their treatment costs could devastate their household budget.

The good news for those who have been recently injured in an Indiana car crash is that their health insurance typically will not be what pays for their care costs after the wreck.

Car insurance can cover crash-related expenses

Every driver in Indiana has to register their vehicle, secure a driver’s license, maintain insurance on their vehicle and follow traffic laws. Failure to comply with any of those rules could lead to someone’s arrest or financial responsibility for a crash. After a collision, the police officer that responds to the crash will put together a report establishing who is at fault.

The at-fault driver’s insurance policy will be what covers someone’s medical examination and treatment costs after a collision. If the other driver doesn’t have insurance, a motorist could still potentially seek medical evaluation and treatments by using their uninsured motorist coverage. Many Indiana drivers also buy underinsured motorist coverage, which will pay for medical expenses beyond what one driver’s policy can cover.

Rather than going without medical evaluation and treatment after a crash and risking worsening symptoms and difficulty making a claim for insurance coverage, those involved in collisions often benefit from undergoing a thorough examination after a crash and seeking compensation for their treatment afterward. Understanding what coverage and legal options may be available after a motor vehicle collision can potentially help people to overcome their fear of the costs involved in obtaining necessary medical treatment.