PIP: What Is It?

A good automobile insurance policy includes several elements: personal property liability, uninsured motorist coverage, collision coverage, bodily injury liability, comprehensive coverage and personal injury protection (PIP). Some of these elements are mandated by the state and others are optional. Collision coverage pays for damages to a vehicle when it collides with another vehicle or object, even if the policyholder is at fault. Comprehensive coverage protects the policyholder in the event that his or her vehicle is stolen, vandalized, harmed by an act of nature or otherwise damaged. Both of these plans are always optional and very expensive.

The bodily injury and personal property liabilities are required by all U.S. states in one form or another; where the states differ greatly is in the minimum guaranteed payout that is set for each. For example, in Alaska, a driver is required to carry coverage that has a guaranteed minimum bodily injury payout of $100,000. In Florida, a driver is only required to carry coverage worth $10,000.

Elements of an auto insurance policy that may or may not be optional are: uninsured motorist coverage and PIP. Uninsured motorist coverage protects the policyholder in case he or she is involved in an accident with someone who is uninsured "" it provides the coverage that would have been supplied by the other driver. PIP, in the event of an accident, pays for the medical expenses and other miscellaneous damages incurred by the policyholder and his or her passengers (or if the policyholder is an injured pedestrian). Carrying PIP is mandatory in: Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon and Utah.

Who Needs PIP?

Even if PIP is optional in your state, you may still want to consider purchasing the coverage. In the event of an accident, PIP will pay approximately 80% (depending on coverage limits) of the costs of the policyholder and passengers. These costs include medical bills, lost wages and other miscellaneous expenses. PIP is a no-fault policy, so it will cover you and your passengers, even if the accident was your fault.

PIP, sometimes referred to as Medical Payment Insurance or Medpay, is a no-fault coverage for two reasons. First, the fact that fault does not have to be ascertained saves time and therefore allows medical payments to reach the injured parties as quickly as possible. Second, it saves everyone from the cost of lawsuits being filed in order to prove who is responsible for an accident and therefore responsible for the bills. The only time a PIP policy might allow for a lawsuit is in case of very serious injury or death.

Before you purchase PIP, go through your current policies and determine whether or not the coverage offered by PIP is duplicated anywhere else. For example, the cost of medical bills and lost wages may be recovered through an existing health insurance policy. If this is the case, then you may need minimal PIP or none at all. Your driving behavior will also help determine whether or not you need PIP. Do you carry passengers on a regular basis? While your health insurance might cover your own medical expenses, it won't cover those of your passengers (unless they are family members who are on your health plan). Ask your regular passengers about their own health coverage and its limitations. If they are uninsured or underinsured, you need PIP in order to cover them. That may not seem like such a fair deal (especially if you're the one driving an office car pool), but the safety of any passenger riding in your car is ultimately your responsibility.

How Much PIP Coverage Do You Need?

If you live in a state that requires PIP, then the minimum amount you must carry has already been decided for you. If you live in a state where PIP is not required, however, you might decide that you need the extra coverage anyway. How much coverage do you need? Well, to a large extent, that depends on where you are in life. If you are middle-aged or older, have good health insurance and liability policies, and then you will need minimal PIP coverage. If, on the other hand, you are young, just starting out and still don't have much in the way of health and liability insurance, you will want to protect yourself and your future by carrying as much insurance as you can afford. This is especially true if you have young children or if you consistently carry others in your vehicle.