After a crash, a lot of people put off getting checked because they are not sure how the bills work. In Utah, the first answer is usually personal injury protection, or PIP, on your auto insurance. This post explains what Utah PIP covers, who it covers, how we bill it, and what happens when it runs out.
What PIP Is
Utah is a no-fault state. Standard auto insurance policies here must include personal injury protection, which helps pay for your medical care and certain other costs after a crash, up to your policy limits, no matter who caused it. You do not have to wait for the other driver’s insurance to accept fault before PIP pays.
What Utah PIP Covers
Utah law sets these required PIP benefits per person. Many policies carry more medical coverage than the minimum, and your policy’s declarations page shows your limits.
- Medical expenses: at least $3,000 for necessary medical care, including medical, surgical, X-ray, dental, rehabilitation, ambulance, hospital, and nursing services
- Lost income: the lesser of $250 a week or 85 percent of lost gross income, for up to 52 weeks
- Household help: up to $20 a day, for up to 365 days, toward the cost of having someone do household work you would have done yourself
- Funeral and death benefits: up to $1,500 for funeral expenses and a $3,000 death benefit to the person’s heirs
The lost income and household benefits generally do not pay for the first three days unless the disability lasts longer than two weeks.
Who Utah PIP Covers
- You and relatives who live in your household, when injured in an accident involving a motor vehicle, unless you were in a vehicle you own that is not insured under the policy
- Anyone riding in your insured vehicle with your permission
- Pedestrians struck by your insured vehicle in Utah
A few situations work differently. Utah PIP does not cover a motorcycle rider’s own injuries while riding, and motorcycle policies are not required to carry it. Some motorcycle policies offer optional medical coverage, so check yours. Rideshare, truck, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents can involve more than one policy. Our team works with you and the insurance carriers so your care is billed appropriately.
How We Bill PIP
At Integrated Pain Specialists, we bill your available PIP benefits directly and work with you and the insurance carriers so your treatment is handled appropriately. There is no out-of-pocket cost to you for care your PIP benefits cover.
When PIP Runs Out, or You Do Not Have It
The $3,000 minimum can be used up during a course of care. If your PIP benefits are exhausted or unavailable, care can often continue through other payment options:
- If you have an attorney, we may be able to provide care under a letter of protection, a medical lien that defers payment until your case settles.
- If you do not have an attorney, we can often bill your health insurance for continued treatment, depending on your coverage and eligibility.
You do not need an attorney to be seen. If you would like one, we can refer you to attorneys we trust.
How Getting Started Works
Your first step is a free consultation. There is no charge for it. It is a chance to talk through your injuries and your treatment options and decide whether our practice is a good fit. If you decide to move forward with an exam and treatment, those services may be billed to your available PIP benefits.
Accident patients can typically be scheduled within a few days of calling, sometimes sooner depending on provider availability. We see people hurt in car, truck, motorcycle, rideshare, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents, and other motor vehicle incidents.
What to Have Ready
- Your auto insurance information, and your claim number if you have one
- Your health insurance card
- The date of the crash and a short description of what happened
- Any ER, urgent care, or imaging records
- Your attorney’s contact information, if you have one
A Note on What This Is
This is general information about Utah’s PIP law, not legal or insurance advice. Policies differ, so check yours, and take legal questions to an attorney.
Hurt in a Crash? Start With a Free Consultation
Book at our Bountiful or South Jordan clinic, or read more about our auto accident injury care.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does PIP cover in Utah?
Utah PIP pays at least $3,000 per person for necessary medical care after a crash, plus lost income up to the lesser of $250 a week or 85 percent of lost gross income for up to 52 weeks, up to $20 a day for household help, and funeral and death benefits. Many policies carry more than the minimum.
Does PIP pay if the accident was not my fault?
Yes. Utah is a no-fault state, so your PIP helps pay for your medical care, up to your policy limits, regardless of who caused the crash.
Do you bill PIP directly?
Yes. We bill your available PIP benefits directly, so there is no out-of-pocket cost to you for care those benefits cover.
What happens when my PIP runs out?
Care can often continue. If you have an attorney, we may be able to treat you under a letter of protection, with payment deferred until your case settles. If you do not, we can often bill your health insurance, depending on your coverage and eligibility.
Is the consultation free for accident patients?
Yes. The consultation is free. If you move forward with an exam and treatment, those services may be billed to your available PIP benefits.
Does Utah PIP cover motorcycle accidents?
Utah PIP does not cover a motorcycle rider’s own injuries while riding, and motorcycle policies are not required to carry it. Some motorcycle policies offer optional medical coverage, so check yours. If PIP does not apply, care can often continue through your health insurance, or we may be able to treat you under a letter of protection if you have an attorney.
