What YOU should know about Kansas Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage
Kansas is one of several no-fault auto insurance states. According to Kansas law, every person who is a titled owner of a vehicle is required to carry auto insurance. What you may not know, is that every auto insurance policy includes personal injury protection (PIP) coverage.
People injured in car crashes are often faced with stress, medical needs and lost time to deal with problems related to the crash. While recovering from an injury takes time, Kansas law requires every auto insurance policy to provide at least $4,500 to cover medical costs. That means that people injured from a car crash in Kansas have immediate financial relief to obtain needed treatment through funds known as “PIP benefits.”
Here are 3 helpful things to remember about PIP benefits in Kansas.
- Every single auto insurance policy must provide at least $4,500 for reasonable medical expenses related to a car crash. That means that, under K.S.A. § 41-3103(r), no one driving a vehicle with an insurance policy has to wait to win an injury case before there are funds available for medical treatment. Injuries often require immediate attention and Kansas law ensures immediate funds are available to assist with medical expenses.
- PIP benefits are available regardless of who is at fault for a car crash. In other words, a person’s insurance company cannot deny PIP benefits to a person who is partially or completely at fault for the crash. If an insurer delays payment to a medical provider or fails to pay within 30 days of being notified, an injured person has a right to sue the insurance company directly and even recover attorney fees for having to bring the lawsuit.
- PIP covers a wide variety of losses from a car accident. In fact, on January 21, 2010, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled in Williams v. GEICO that PIP benefits are available to cover the cost of services provided by a spouse or family member to help rehabilitate a person injured in a car crash. There is a limit of $25 per day for a maximum of 365 days for these “substitution benefits,” but the benefits are available to anyone injured in a car wreck in Kansas. It is important to have a written record of the dates and time required for these rehabilitation services, but as long as there is proof of the time required, PIP coverage is available under Kansas law.
As an auto insurance policy holder in Kansas, you have PIP coverage. If you or someone you know has been injured in an auto accident, you may need more than your PIP benefits to recover your losses. We can help make the process easier and remove that burden of stress. Call us anytime, we are here to help. 620.227.8126