For most people who are injured or in pain after a car accident, their first priority is getting the medical care they need. However, if you have a high-deductible health plan, or worse, no insurance at all, this can seem like a major challenge. Fortunately, the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Law (MVFRL) is specifically designed so that car accident victims in Collegeville and Pottstown have access to medical care, regardless of their personal financial and insurance situations.
First Party Medical Benefits under the MVFRL
Every policy of motor vehicle insurance issued in Pennsylvania includes at least $5,000 of coverage for medical bills. This applies regardless of who was at fault:
- If you own an insured vehicle in Pennsylvania, your own insurance company provides this coverage even if your vehicle was not involved in the crash.
- If you do not own a vehicle but live in the same household as someone who does, that person’s policy may provide medical coverage, again, even if the insured vehicle or person was not involved in the accident.
- If neither you nor any member of your household owns a vehicle, you may be able to receive medical coverage under the policy covering the car in which you were a passenger. This is regardless of your relationship to the owner of the insured car.
- If you are a pedestrian who does not own a car and does not live with anyone who owns an insured car, you can still receive medical benefits from the policy covering the car that struck you, even if it is unclear that that car was at fault.
Making a claim for medical expenses will not increase your premiums or the premiums of the policyholder. In the rare situation where none of the above scenarios apply, auto accident victims may still be able to have their medical bills paid through the Pennsylvania Assigned Claims Plan, a fund established by the MVFRL, administered by the state, and funded by Pennsylvania auto insurers.
The takeaway is that there is no reason to live in pain if you have been injured in a car accident. Even if you don’t have health insurance and can’t afford to pay out of pocket, the odds are good there is coverage available. If you are unsure of how to get your medical bills paid, a Collegeville auto accident lawyer may be able to steer you in the right direction.
Contact a Montgomery County Personal Injury Attorney Today
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Collegeville, Pottstown, or anywhere in Montgomery or Chester County, make sure to give your doctors your auto accident claim number, and contact Mayerson Law, P.C. by phone at (610) 492-7155 or through our website for a free consolation.