It is very important to know how to coordinate insurance benefits. In a typical motor vehicle accident in Bloomington there are no less than three potential sources of payment of medical bills:
- The at-fault drivers insurance company
- The injured party’s own automobile insurance company
- The injured party’s health insurance coverage
Many car accident victims make the mistake of assuming that the at-fault drivers insurance company will pay the victims medical bills in a timely fashion. Sometimes that does occur. But often the at-fault drivers insurance company will delay payment of medical bills until the bills are overdue and about to be sent to collection. At that point the victim is under economic duress and has severely reduced his or her bargaining power. A victim can avoid this dilemma by doing the following:
Injured Party Should Immediately Turn Over Medical Bills
Immediately following a car accident the injured party should turn all of his/her medical bills over to his/her health insurance company. Doctors and hospitals will frequently object to this procedure, but an injured party has an absolute right to submit his/her bills to his/her own health insurer.
Invariably, the injured party’s health insurance policy has deductibles and co-pays. After an injured party submits all of his/her medical bills to his/her own health insurer, that injured party should then use the Medical Payments Coverage (or Personal Injury Protection) under his/her own automobile insurance to pay those portions of the medical bills that remain unpaid due to applicable deductibles or co-pays.
Submit Medical Bills to At-Fault Drivers Insurance As Last Resort
In addition to contacting the injured party’s insurance he/she should submit his/her medical bills to the at-fault drivers insurance company only as a last resort.
It is a mistake to rely on insurance company representatives or healthcare providers to coordinate these insurance benefits. Don’t make these mistakes.
Preserve Your Rights: Consult with Our Car Accident Lawyers
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