Who Pays the Medical Bills after a Car Accident?

In Pennsylvania, auto insurance policies must provide a minimum of $5,000 of medical coverage. So regardless of who was at fault, your medical bills will initially be paid by your auto insurance. To get your payments started, just tell your insurer that you need medical coverage, and request a claim number. Be sure to ask the name of the insurance adjuster responsible for paying your medical bills.

Once medical payments from your auto insurance hit your coverage limit, your health insurer is responsible for paying your medical bills. To ensure that your health insurer (such as Independence Blue Cross or Aetna) accepts this responsibility, it’s critically important that you visit your family doctor or specialist as soon as possible after the accident. Otherwise, your insurer may refuse to pay your family doctor, therapist or specialist.

If your lawyer insists on sending you to a doctor he or she recommends, be aware that your health insurer may not pay the bill if  the doctor is not in their network or on their covered list.