Personal Injury Protection
Auto insurance coverage that pays medical expenses and lost wages for you and your passengers regardless of fault.
Personal injury protection (PIP) is a no-fault auto coverage that pays for medical expenses, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and sometimes funeral expenses for you and your passengers following a car accident, regardless of who caused it. PIP is required in no-fault states (about 12 states plus D.C.) and optional in tort states. Minimum required PIP limits vary by state; $10,000 is common, but higher limits are available.
Because PIP pays regardless of fault, it provides immediate access to funds for medical treatment without waiting for fault determination or litigation. It also covers passengers who may not have their own health insurance. In states without PIP requirements, Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage provides a narrower version of this protection.
PIP benefits are typically primary over health insurance for accident-related medical bills, meaning PIP pays first. Coordination-of-benefits rules differ by state and policy. If your health insurance is comprehensive and you live in a no-fault state, you may be able to carry minimum PIP and rely on your health plan for excess medical costs—but consult an insurance agent to confirm.
Real-World Example
After a rear-end collision, PIP coverage paid $8,000 for the driver's emergency room visit and three weeks of physical therapy without waiting to determine fault.