What Is No-Fault Insurance in New York State?

No Fault Insurance in New York State

In New York State, many people who are injured in auto accidents are entitled to make an insurance claim. The state requires mandatory no-fault coverage. If you are injured, then you would file a no-fault application to the insurance carrier of the vehicle that struck you.

This type of coverage is often called “Personal Injury Protection.” It is sometimes shortened to PIP.

This type of coverage is available to drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and pedestrians who become injured when they are struck by another vehicle. The no-fault insurance then pays for necessary medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs that are directly related to your post-accident care.

Important Facts to Know About No-Fault Insurance in NY

A standard no-fault insurance policy will pay qualifying individuals up to $50,000 for their necessary medical treatments post-accident. This amount covers all qualifying expenses, such as lost wages. Some drivers or vehicle owners may have optional no-fault insurance coverage with a higher maximum amount on the policy.

Here are 4 more important facts that you’ll want to know about no-fault insurance in New York State.

• Property damage is not covered. You cannot file a no-fault application to cover the costs of property damage, including vehicle damage.
• It is a separate claim that must be filed. If you are filing a personal injury claim because of an auto accident, the no-fault application is not part of that procedure. You must file the application separately.
• It must be filed within a specific time period. You must file a no-fault application to the appropriate insurance carrier within 30 days of the accident. You may be permitted to file after the 30-day deadline under clear and specific circumstances that made it impossible to meet this requirement.
• It does not cover pain and suffering. If you file a no-fault application, you have the right to pursue economic damages from the at-fault driver. No-fault coverage does not include any compensation for pain and suffering.

PIP coverage covers virtually any medical need you may have that is accident-related. Once approved, it will pay for medical treatments that include diagnostic testing, hospital stays, physical rehabilitation, and other miscellaneous healthcare costs. Statutory limits often apply to no-fault coverage.

What Happens If I Cannot Work After an Auto Accident?

If you have been diagnosed with a temporary or permanent disability because of an automobile accident, then you may not be medically cleared to return to your job. In this circumstance, the no-fault coverage would reimburse you for lost wages.

Compensation for lost wages follows a specific format.

1. For those entitled to short-term disability, this type of coverage from an employer will pay after the first week of lost work at a rate of 50% of your total salary. This coverage provides a maximum of $175 per week, for up to 26 weeks.
2. No-fault insurance covers up to 80% of your salary, up to $500 per week, with a set-off for any short-term disability payments.

If you cannot work because of an auto accident injury, then you’re also entitled to a maximum of $25 per day, for up to 12 months, for transportation expenses that are to and from your medical provider.

If you cannot perform your regular household duties because of an injury, then the no-fault insurance coverage includes an option to hire help. The maximum benefit in this area is also $25 per day, for a period of 12 months.

Surviving Post-Accident with No-Fault Health Insurance

At No-Fault Doctor Queens, we understand the multiple difficulties involved with a serious injury that is caused by an automobile accident. Even when your health expenses are covered, the compensation from lost wages may be a fraction of what you’re used to earning.

It can become very difficult to make ends meet.

Although we cannot provide you with legal advice about what you can or should do, our team of doctors is ready to ensure you can get back on your feet as soon as possible. The goal we have at our clinic is to work with you to create a treatment plan which minimizes the health impact of your injury.

In doing so, we hope to reduce the impacts that an injury may cause in other aspects of your life.

Whether you caused the accident or someone else was at-fault, no-fault insurance doesn’t care. Its goal is to make sure you can access the healthcare you require. If you’ve experienced a recent injury, then contact our clinic at (718) 260-6590 to schedule your appointment right away.