Advice

Does Health Insurance Cover Car Accidents?

Find out if your health insurance covers injuries from car accidents, or if you will be paying for the high medical costs out of your own pocket.

FirstQuote Health Staff
Published on
February 3, 2023
Last Updated on
October 6, 2023
Toy cars that have crashed into each other

Knowing whether health insurance covers car accidents can be incredibly important. Every year, there are more than 6 million car accidents in the United States, and tragically, a significant portion of these involve uninsured drivers. Paying out of pocket for injuries or damages after a car accident can be an expensive proposition and insurance coverage can help alleviate this burden. Understanding your own policy and whether it will cover you in the event of an accident is crucial.

Having car insurance coverage for an accident can provide the following advantages:

  • Peace of Mind: You’ll have the assurance that your medical bills and other costs associated with an accident will be covered.
  • Protection From Financial Devastation: Unfortunately, being involved in a major accident can cause extensive and costly damages. Insurance coverage can help protect you from some of those devastating financial losses.
  • Precautionary Measures: Insurance coverage allows you to take extra precautionary measures when driving, such as keeping your distance or engaging in defensive driving strategies since you know that any damage is likely to be covered.

Does Health Insurance Cover Car Accidents

Generally speaking, health insurance policies will cover any medical expenses associated with car accidents, such as hospital visits and emergency care. Depending on the policy, it may also cover some costs related to damage to the vehicle itself. Beyond that, insurance coverage for car accidents is usually handled through a separate auto insurance policy or a rider in a health plan. It’s important to understand your specific plan details so you know exactly what is covered in the event of an accident.

Here is a list of the best health insurance plans that cover car accidents, along with details outlining the car accident coverage:

  • BlueCross BlueShield: Provides coverage for medical expenses up to $1 million as well as additional coverage for repairs and replacements.
  • UnitedHealthcare: Includes coverage for property damage liability, bodily injury liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection, and medical payments.
  • Aetna Health: Offers coverage for collision damage, uninsured motorist property damage, uninsured motorist bodily injury liability, and underinsured motorist property damage.
  • Cigna: Includes optional add-ons such as rental reimbursement, roadside assistance, and other services related to vehicle repair or replacement.
  • Humana: Offers an extensive range of benefits including auto replacement cost coverage, and legal defense services in case of an accident.
  • UnitedHealthOne: Includes comprehensive collision insurance protection with a selection of deductible amounts to choose from.
  • Kaiser Permanente: Covers damages caused by collisions with other vehicles as well as non-collision related damages caused by fires or theft to name a few examples.
  • Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield: Gives members the ability to file claims for both collision and comprehensive auto insurance claims.
  • Centene Corporation: Offers various options to help manage your costs in the event of an accident with supplemental benefits available at an additional cost if desired.

If you have health insurance, your medical expenses related to a car accident will be covered by your health plan. However, if the accident is found to be your fault, you may have to pay some or all of the costs out-of-pocket. If someone else is at fault and they have liability coverage, their insurance company may cover your medical expenses up to the limits of their policy. If they do not have sufficient coverage, you may need to seek compensation from them directly or pursue legal action against them.

If you are injured as a result of someone else’s negligence in a car accident, and that driver has liability coverage, their insurance company may pay for your medical expenses up to the limits of their policy.

What If I’m Injured After an Accident But I Don’t Have Health Insurance?

If you are injured after an accident and do not have health insurance, there are still options available to help you manage your medical expenses. You can consider applying for Medicaid coverage or contact accident injury attorneys for more information about filing a personal injury lawsuit. Additionally, many hospitals offer discounted fees for those without health insurance and some will even provide medical care on a sliding scale depending on your income level.

Auto Insurance vs Health Insurance

Determining if you need auto insurance or health insurance for a car accident depends on the type of damage caused. Auto insurance will typically cover damages to your vehicle, such as repairs and replacements, and liability coverage can help pay for any medical expenses related to injuries sustained in the accident. Health insurance will cover medical expenses not covered by auto insurance, such as doctor visits and prescription medications. Therefore, it is important to check with both your auto insurer and your health plan provider to see what coverage is available to you before making a decision about which type of policy is needed.

When deciding between auto and health insurance for car accidents, there are several important steps you should take:

  • (1) Review your current coverage. Make sure you know the exact limits of your auto insurance policy so that you can accurately determine the type and level of coverage you need.
  • (2)Calculate your risk. Consider factors such as how often you drive, where you drive, and your age when calculating the potential cost of an accident.
  • (3)Compare policies. Get quotes from multiple insurers to compare coverage options and pricing in order to find the best deal possible.
  • (4)Understand deductibles and co-payments. Familiarize yourself with different payment structures and any hidden costs so that you can make an informed decision about which policy is right for you.

Will I Need to Pay Anything Out of Pocket

It is possible that you may have to pay some of your medical expenses out-of-pocket with health insurance, depending on the amount of coverage you have and the amount of damages sustained. Generally speaking, if the other driver does not have enough insurance coverage for your expenses or does not carry liability insurance at all, then it is likely that your health insurance will cover some of the costs associated with your car accident.

If the other party is deemed at-fault for the accident and has sufficient insurance coverage, then their insurance provider should cover any medical costs up to their policy limits. Your health insurer may also cover any excess costs above what can be reimbursed by the other party’s liability carrier.

In short, it is possible that you may still need to pay out-of-pocket costs in order to cover any damages that exceed what can be recovered from the other party’s insurance company or through legal action. It is always important to make sure that you seek adequate compensation for your injuries so that no further financial burden is placed on yourself.

Choose a policy with confidence. After comparing policies and making an informed decision, select the policy that provides the most protection at an affordable rate for your needs.

Bottom Line

For those who have been in a car accident and are unsure if their health insurance will cover the associated medical expenses, it is important to be aware of the possibilities. If the other driver does not have adequate coverage or any liability insurance at all, then you may have to rely on your health insurer to provide coverage. Additionally, even if the other party’s liability coverage is sufficient, there may still be excess costs that cannot be recovered.

FirstQuote Health can help by providing comprehensive coverage for anyone’s medical needs after an auto accident. With FirstQuote Health, people can feel secure knowing that their medical needs are taken care of and they don’t have to worry about exorbitant out-of-pocket costs associated with an auto accident. Get back on track faster after an auto accident and compare health insurance quotes with FirstQuote Health today!

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