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What You Need to Know about Car Insurance in Las Vegas FAQ & Answers

Like other states, Nevada requires that motorists who register vehicles have adequate insurance on their cars in the event of an accident. All motorists, however, should consider what policies to get because there are many on offer.

At Ladah Law firm, we will meet to discuss any car accident related issue you have. Below, we offer answers to the most pressing questions

Is Nevada a PIP State?

No. Nevada is a “fault” state that requires motorists carry liability insurance. This insurance kicks in if you are at fault for an accident and injure someone else. If you are, then the victims can make a claim on your policy. If you were to blame for a wreck, then you cannot make a claim on your own liability policy.

Personal injury protection benefits, or “PIP” for short, are no-fault benefits offered in some states like Florida. Nevada motorists, however, can purchase medical payments coverage, which is also no-fault insurance. Some people refer to medical payments as PIP.

When Should I Use PIP Insurance?

Looking over PIP insurance
If you get medical payments coverage, then you can tap it if you need medical care to treat bodily injuries after an accident. We encourage clients to use medical payments coverage if they have it. Unlike health insurance, you will not have to reimburse your med pay insurer if you get a settlement for the accident.

What is the Minimum Car Insurance in Nevada?

As of 2020, Nevada requires 25/50/20 coverage. This means:

  • $25,000 per person in bodily injury liability insurance
  • $50,000 per accident bodily injury liability coverage
  • $20,000 in property damage

Of course, these are minimum amounts. Exactly how much insurance you should have is an individualized question. You might want to carry more liability insurance, especially if you have a lot of assets in a bank account which could be seized in a lawsuit.

There are other insurance policies you should consider:

  • Medical payments. This coverage pays for treating injuries to you and passengers regardless of who is to blame for the accident.
  • Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM). The driver at fault for the accident might not have enough insurance to cover your entire losses. The driver might also be completely uninsured. UM/UIM coverage can step in and pay benefits. It is liability coverage, meaning you cannot tap it if you were to blame for the accident. We recommend that motorists carry as much of this insurance as they can realistically afford.
  • Collision coverage. This insurance pays for damage to your car that is caused by a crash, regardless of fault for the accident. It can pay to replace or repair your car.
  • Comprehensive. This insurance covers damage due to theft, storms, flood, vandalism, etc. Basically, any damage caused by something other than a collision.

Does Using PIP Raise Your Insurance?

Nevada Revised Statute § 687B.385 prohibits an insurer from increasing a premium for a claim if the insured was not at fault. If you were not at fault for the accident, an insurer cannot by law increase your premiums.

However, if you were to blame, then your insurer might increase how much you pay. Remember, medical payments are no-fault, so you can receive compensation. However, making a claim might increase how much you pay going forward.

Who Gets the Insurance Check for My Medical Bills?

Medical Bills
If you used health insurance to cover the cost of treatment, then your insurer retains a right of subrogation. This is basically the right to receive out of your settlement any amount they paid for medical treatment for your injuries. Your attorney will need to send your health insurer a check to cover the amount they have a right to.

Remember that there is no right of subrogation in Nevada for medical payments coverage.

What Is the Difference Between PIP and Bodily Injury?

Medical payments, which many people call PIP, is a type of no-fault insurance. This means you could be to blame for the accident and still use the insurance to pay for your medical bills.

By contrast, bodily injury insurance is liability coverage. If you are to blame for the crash, an injured victim could make a claim. However, you cannot make a claim on your own policy. You also can’t make a claim on the other motorist’s bodily injury policy when you are to blame for the accident.

What is PIP on an auto policy?

Some Nevada drivers choose to get medical payments coverage, which is other states is called PIP. It is optional insurance in Nevada, though insurers are required to offer at least $1,000 in coverage. If you want it, you can buy more than this amount.

Medical payments insurance covers medical bills and funeral expenses for someone injured in a motor vehicle accident. The policy typically covers the named insured, his or her family, and any passengers in the vehicle.

Medical payments coverage is no-fault insurance, so it doesn’t matter if you struck another vehicle and are to blame for the accident.

Car Insurance Claim

How Does a PIP Claim Work?

You first need to identify whether you are covered. You will be covered if you were driving or if you were the passenger in another vehicle. It also covers accidents if you were struck by a vehicle while walking.

Medical payments will cover reasonable and necessary medical expenses to treat an injury sustained in a car accident, such as:

  • Hospital stays
  • Surgery
  • Diagnostic tests and x-rays
  • Doctor bills
  • Physical therapy bills
  • Ambulance costs
  • Prescription drugs
  • Prosthetics

Med pay does not cover the cost of repairing your car or any care for a pre-existing condition, unless that condition was made worse in the accident.

To make a claim, contact your insurer. Because this is no-fault insurance, they do not need to try and assign blame for the accident, which happens with liability claims. Nevertheless, they still need to be sure you were injured in a covered accident and that your medical treatment is covered.
Medical payments coverage typically has no deductibles or copays. There are also no limitations on the doctor you can receive treatment from.

Contact Our Las Vegas Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation

After an accident, you might not really know what steps to take. Dealing with insurance adjusters is a time-consuming hassle, when most victims should be focused on getting well.
Please contact Ladah Law Firm today. We will be happy to assist you get the compensation you need in this difficult time. Call 702-252-0055 to schedule your meeting.

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