PIP COVERAGE: NO-FAULT INSURANCE THAT YOU SHOULD MAXIMIZE WHEN ABLE

In Texas, all vehicles registered in the State must be insured to lawfully access State roadways. As a part of that requirement, Texas has codified default protections for Texas drivers, which includes “personal injury protection” or “PIP” insurance. PIP insurance, which is also referred to as “no-fault” insurance applies to all passengers in an insured vehicle, regardless of who the at-fault party is. Under Texas law, the minimum coverage that insurers provide is $2,500.00, but very often, insurers will offer higher limits should the insured desire more protection. Finances allowing, one should heavily consider maximizing PIP coverage given its broad coverage and no-fault features. Some carriers offered PIP insurance limits of $10,000.00, or more.

Expenses covered by PIP, regardless of the offending party are:

  1. Reasonable and necessary medical costs related to the underlying accident, including medical imaging, treatment, medical procedures and medical devices;
  2. Other incidental medical costs, including ambulance/emergency services and rehabilitation therapy;
  3. Lost income resulting from the accident, and if severe enough, funeral, and burial services;
  4. The cost of household services, when the covered party can no longer perform household tasks they were once able to. This includes potentially every day, necessary tasks such as housekeeping, house and property maintenance, and like domestic chores.

Though an attorney is not strictly required to file a PIP claim, navigating the insurance process can be circular and frustrating. Many times, insurance companies will opt to waste time, devise procedural hurdles to complicate the claim process, and potentially, valid claims may be denied in bad faith. At Abraham Watkins, we are experienced in demanding the insurance coverage you are owed so that you can receive your benefits when you need them.

If you or someone you know has been injured as a result of a motor vehicle collision or has been a victim of their insurer’s bad faith denial of coverage relating to a motor vehicle collision, please contact the office of Ben Agosto III at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner, by letter at 800 Commerce Street, Houston, Texas 77002, by phone at (713) 222-7211, toll-free at 1-800-594-4884, or by email at [email protected].