The Wisdom of Personal Injury Protection Auto Insurance

On the road, you can never be too sure about what would happen next, there are so many factors that can affect your road safety and lead to accidents. Motor vehicle accidents are unpredictable so insurance is your best security against mishaps.

Under the law in California, private passenger vehicles have the minimum liability requirements:

• $5,000 for damage to property
• $15,000 for injury or death to one person
• $30,000 for injury or death to more than one person

But there are instances when the only victim of a car accident is the driver itself. A personal injury protection (PIP) auto insurance will spare the affected driver financial trouble and headaches following a car accident injury.

Car Accident Injury Protection

Personal injury protection generally covers medical expenses incurred in a car accident but it can also help pay for:

• Ambulatory fees
• Dental expenses
• Lost wages
• Home upkeep expenses
• Funeral expenses, should the personal injury result to death
• In some cases, even if you’re not in your car, if you get run over on the road, it can also cover your medical expenses.

Injury Coverage Regardless of Fault

Aside from the additional protection and financial security in case of car crash injuries, another advantage that personal injury protection insurance has is the fact that it is a "no-fault" coverage.

This means that driver is protected financially and may be paid or compensated for damages without regard to fault, whether or not the driver bears legal liability for the accident. It just basically covers the insured's own injuries, on a first-party basis, without regard to his liability.

Also, in case you get into a car accident with an uninsured driver on the road or a driver with little financial capability to answer your medical expenses, having a PIP can cover your loss and injury.

Injuries Occuring in Another Persons Car

Another situation where a PIP would be beneficial is in case you’re a passenger and you get into a car accident, your medical expenses for your injuries are also covered under it. The passengers in your car can also be covered under the PIP.

Depending on the state and the injury, personal injury protection insurance has a limit which ranges from $1,500.00 to $250,000.00. It should also be noted that PIP is not mandatory in California so oftentimes, a lot of Californian drivers forego purchasing PIP.

But for California drivers, even if personal injury protection auto insurance is not mandatory, they should consider the wisdom of having one. California roads are notoriously accident-prone and it is better to have the peace of mind in knowing that no matter what happens, you will not have to worry about paying for your hospital bills.