No-fault insurance in Massachusetts ensures quick compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs after a car accident, regardless of fault. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) covers the required minimums, providing up to $8,000 for these expenses.
However, PIP has limits, and serious injuries may qualify for additional compensation through a personal injury claim. Understanding your rights under no-fault laws is essential to secure fair coverage.
- What Is the No-Fault Car Insurance in Massachusetts?
- Who Does Massachusetts No-Fault Insurance Protect?
- What Expenses Does Massachusetts No-Fault Insurance Cover?
- Get a Free Case Evaluation
- What Car Insurance Do You Need in Massachusetts?
- Can You File a Lawsuit Despite No-Fault Insurance?
- Contact a Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Legal Consultation!
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What Is the No-Fault Car Insurance in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts is a no fault state, which implies your insurance company pays the bill for your injuries and lost wages after an accident, no matter who caused it.
This all goes through Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage, which every driver in the state must have. The insurance comes into play immediately after an accident and takes care of a set amount for your medical bills and lost income.
Its goal is to become your first line of financial support after a crash so you don’t have to wait to figure out who was at fault or negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company right away.
PIP coverage pays for your medical bills first. After that, it can reimburse the percentage of your lost wages if you had to take time off from work because of your injuries.
How Much Does PIP Coverage Pay?
Personal Injury Protection provides up to $8,000 per person for each accident. But it’s important to understand exactly how this money gets distributed and what it covers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what PIP pays for after a car accident:
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Medical costs
The PIP insurance covers all reasonable medical expenses up to that $8,000 cap. For example, in case a concussion after a car accident takes place, hospital bills, doctor visits, meds, and other expenses will be reimbursed. First things first, these medical bills get paid before anything else.
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Lost wages
After medical bills, PIP covers up to 75% of your lost income if you can’t work due to your injuries. So, if you usually make $1,000 a week and are out of work, PIP would send you up to $750 a week until you hit that insurance coverage limit.
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Household services
PIP will also pay for assistance with everyday tasks you can’t do because of trauma. You can hire a specialist to help with chores, babysitting, yard work, or any other things you’d typically do on your own.
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Funeral expenses
If, sadly, someone passes away in a motor vehicle accident, PIP will help cover reasonable funeral and burial expenses, up to that $8,000 limit.
Who Does Massachusetts No-Fault Insurance Protect?
When you’re driving your vehicle, you’re covered, but the protection extends to more than one person. Massachusetts insurance coverage is here to keep everyone safe if there’s an accident with your auto.
All your passengers in the vehicle are covered by your Personal Injury Protection, whether these are household family members, friends, or coworkers. If they get hurt in an accident, your insurance will help with their medical costs and lost wages.
But what happens if someone else takes your car? If a friend borrows your vehicle and has a crash, your insurance will cover their medical expenses and lost wages, just like it would for you.
Finally, your PIP insurance also covers medical expenses for any pedestrian or cyclist who gets injured by your car. So, if someone’s walking and your car hits them, your no-fault insurance will work in this situation, too.
What Expenses Does Massachusetts No-Fault Insurance Cover?
Massachusetts no-fault insurance, also known as Personal Injury Protection (PIP), provides crucial coverage after an accident, regardless of fault. It helps injured parties address immediate financial burdens stemming from the incident. PIP covers medical expenses, such as hospital bills, physical therapy, and prescription medication, up to the policy limits.
Additionally, it compensates for lost wages and replacement services, like childcare or household assistance, if the injured party is unable to perform these tasks due to injuries.
According to recent car accident statistics, Massachusetts recorded a significant number of crashes in recent years, highlighting the importance of having adequate PIP coverage. With over 100,000 reported car accidents annually, drivers are frequently exposed to risks. In such scenarios, auto insurance with robust PIP provisions can be a lifeline.
However, PIP has limits; the standard coverage in Massachusetts is capped at $8,000, which may not be sufficient for severe injuries. For expenses exceeding this amount, pursuing a personal injury claim may become necessary.
Understanding how PIP works and its limitations is essential for ensuring comprehensive protection. Consulting with an experienced attorney can help you navigate the complexities of Massachusetts no fault auto insurance law and explore additional compensation options when needed.
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What Car Insurance Do You Need in Massachusetts?
Insurance coverage isn’t just helpful in catastrophic circumstances — it’s required by law. And PIP is only one piece of the insurance set in Massachusetts. Every driver must have a minimum amount of collision coverage to drive legally.
So what insurance must you have?
- The mentioned above PIP. At least $8,000 per injured person, per accident.
- Bodily Injury to Others coverage assists you financially if you’re responsible for an accident that injures someone else in Massachusetts. The minimum limits are $20,000 for each person and $40,000 per accident. For instance, if you’re in a crash that injures two people, each could get up to $20,000, but the total payouts wouldn’t go over $40,000.
- Bodily injury caused by an uninsured auto works if you get hit by someone without auto insurance or if there was a collision with a hit and run driver. With the same limits of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident, this coverage helps when there’s no other insurance available to reimburse your losses.
- Damage to someone else’s property gives you at least $5,000 for each accident. This covers damage you cause to someone else’s auto or property, like fences or buildings.
Driving without Insurance in Massachusetts
Driving without insurance in Massachusetts is a serious matter that can result in significant penalties. If you’re caught driving without insurance, you may face fines starting at $500 for your first offense.
Furthermore, if you’re involved in a crash while driving without insurance, you’ll be personally liable for all damages. This means that you’ll have to pay for medical treatment expenses, lost wages, and other related costs, which can easily add up to tens of thousands of dollars.
Can You File a Lawsuit Despite No-Fault Insurance?
The answer is yes. This ability depends on whether your case fulfills the state’s legal criteria to step outside the no-fault framework.
To be eligible to sue, your case must either surpass the $2,000 medical expense threshold or involve certain serious injuries, like bone fractures, substantial damage to vision or hearing, the total loss of any body part, and more.
Additionally, it’s critical to remember that lawsuits can be lengthy processes, and insurance providers are frequently reluctant to pay out a fair amount. While your insurance coverage begins to work right away, you may have to wait months or even years for any compensation within your lawsuit.
This is why many victims opt to consult with knowledgeable car accident attorneys who can assess their case and confirm whether pursuing a lawsuit is worthwhile for their particular situation.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Legal Consultation!
After getting into a car accident in Massachusetts, the first thing you should do is see if your case can step outside the no-fault system. Determining this isn’t always simple, especially when you’re hurt and trying to recover.
Entrust this task to Michael Kelly Injury Lawyers. We’ll evaluate your case, examining your medical records and crash details to check if you can get more compensation beyond your insurance coverage.
If you do qualify, the next step is to negotiate with the insurance company of the driver at fault. Insurance providers are likely to try to minimize the payout, but our legal team knows exactly how to show and prove every loss you’ve faced.
Our car accident attorneys specialize in Massachusetts law and have helped many victims in Boston and nearby areas to assist in determining fault and get the compensation they rightly deserve.
Contact us today for your free consultation, and let us guide you through every step of your claim!