Can You Use Your Individual Health Insurance if You Get Injured in a Car Accident?

There are several instances where you can generally use your health insurance after a St. Louis car accident.

Generally, after sustaining injuries in a St. Louis car accident, you are responsible for paying your treatment and medical care costs as you incur them.

When looking for sources to pay your medical bill, you may find yourself wondering: Can you use your health insurance to cover your medical bills after a car accident?

Can You Use Your Individual Health Insurance?

The answer is generally yes.

When Exactly Should You Use Your Individual Health Insurance?

There are several instances where you can generally use your health insurance after an accident. This includes:

To Cover Medical Expenses Before Your Settlement: In most cases, insurance companies wait until the injured victim has recovered and completed all their medical treatments before initiating a car accident settlement. Unfortunately, this often means that your settlement can take months, or even years, depending on how long your treatment takes.

You can generally use your health insurance to cover your medical bills to avoid being reported to collections during this period.

If Medical Expenses Exceed the Insurance Payout: Sometimes, the other driver’s liability insurance may not be enough to cover all your medical expenses. You can typically use your health insurance to cover any remaining medical costs in such circumstances.

Can Your Individual Health Insurer Refuse to Pay Your Medical Bills?

Yes, they can. The good news is that, just like any other insurance claim, you can appeal the denial.

However, before you contact the insurer asking them to reconsider their decision, make sure you find out the reasons for the denial. For example, maybe you provided inaccurate information when documenting your claim. Or perhaps you took too long to inform the insurance company about your accident and injuries. Whatever the reasons for denial, make sure you hire an experienced attorney before you speak to the insurance company. A skilled car accident attorney will help you determine why your claim was rejected and begin to put together the evidence necessary to prove that the insurance company is legally obligated to cover your medical expenses.

Your attorney can also help you file an injury claim against the at-fault driver and collect all the evidence you need to convince the insurance company or judge the defendant is responsible for your injuries. Your attorney can also negotiate with the insurer on your behalf and fight for reimbursement for your medical expenses and other injury-related damages.