Will Auto Insurance Pay Rehab Costs After an Accident?

Last Updated on March 20, 2022

Major car accidents can result in severe injuries and have a negative effect on your life in the long term. The injuries that result from car accidents can often require long-term rehabilitation in order to heal. Unfortunately, the cost of long-term rehabilitation can be very expensive.

Car insurance typically will cover these long-term rehab costs, but insurance claims are complex and can take time to process. Here’s everything you need to know about car insurance coverage and rehabilitation.

Does everyone need rehab after a car accident?

First, you’ll need to determine whether or not you actually need rehabilitation for your injuries. Injuries from minor car accidents may heal from their injury with initial treatment and won’t necessarily require ongoing physical therapy or rehabilitation. However, injuries that cause long-term damage to the musculoskeletal system or neurological system often require ongoing care.

Additionally, some car accidents can cause post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health conditions. These conditions might require ongoing psychiatric care or talk therapy to manage effectively. This type of therapy is just as important as physical therapy to recover from a car accident.

Does car insurance pay for rehab costs?

In most cases, car insurance will pay for your rehabilitation costs. However, the payout will ultimately depend on your unique circumstances.

If you are in an accident where the other driver is at fault, their insurance will usually be responsible for paying for damages related to the accident. However, there are situations in which the at-fault driver either doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover your rehabilitation costs.

In these situations, you would need to have your own insurance coverage for this situation. While standard liability policies would not cover these expenses, a comprehensive/collision plan or a plan with uninsured motorist coverage most likely would. These plans would also cover your rehab costs if you were the one who was found at fault in the accident.

New York is unique in that it is a no-fault state for car insurance. This means that drivers are required to have their own personal injury protection insurance. If you are not at fault in an accident, your PIP insurance policy will cover your medical bills and rehabilitation costs. However, the at-fault driver’s insurance will still be responsible for covering any property damage costs.

Having a plan with medical payments coverage is the best way to ensure your rehabilitation costs will be covered after an accident, regardless of the situation. While this type of coverage is more expensive upfront, it provides better financial coverage in the event that you do have to file a claim.

How does filing a car insurance claim work?

Since New York is a no-fault state, you will need to file a claim with your insurance company if you get injured in a car accident. You will also need to file a claim with the other party’s insurance company to cover any property damage. This is why it’s so important to get the other party’s contact information and insurance information after a car accident.

You should let your insurance company know that you were involved in an accident and plan on filing a claim as soon as possible. Your insurance company’s staff should be able to help you through the process of filing a claim and handle most of the process for you. Insurance adjusters will get in touch with you to collect more evidence and testimony about the accident.

If you’ve been involved in a particularly serious or complex accident, you may also want to retain a lawyer through the process of filing your insurance claim. While hiring a lawyer isn’t necessary, they can help you get a larger payout in the end. Make sure to select a lawyer who has previous experience working with car accident cases and can provide the appropriate level of support.

After you file your car insurance claim, you may have to wait a while before your payout is approved. In cases where the claim is very cut and dry, your insurance company may release your funds right away, even before the claim has been fully processed. However, more complex claims can take a very long time to get approved.

To speed up this process, you’ll want to make sure you’re keeping as much documentation as possible about your accident. In particular, you’ll want to keep all of your medical bills as well as diagnostic documents from your doctor. Providing your insurance company with as much information as possible about your medical condition will increase your chances of getting an accurate payout.

What should I do while my insurance claim is pending?

If your insurance claim ends up pending for a long time, you may be left without any of the compensation you need for an extended period of time. In this case, you will also want to submit claims to your health insurance provider. If you have health insurance, they will likely cover the bulk of your up-front costs. Any remaining rehabilitation costs will likely be reimbursed by your car insurance provider later on.

In many cases, rehabilitation is an essential part of recovery after a car accident. You shouldn’t have to pay these rehabilitation costs on your own, so make sure you get in touch with your car insurance company as soon as possible after an accident to file a claim.