What to Do when Medical Bills Exceed Your Auto Insurance Limits

California drivers are required to purchase liability auto insurance that includes coverage for personal injuries. Unfortunately, serious accidents that result in severe injuries can sometimes lead to medical bills that are more than the average policy covers. When this happens, you have several options for obtaining compensation to help with your recovery. This list can help you begin to find ways to cover excess medical payments as you recover from your accident.

Consider the Possibility of Filing a Lawsuit

Dealing with a lawsuit on top of your personal injuries is stressful, but there are cases where a lawyer may be able to hold the other party responsible for covering the costs. Third-party lawsuits may also be an option. For instance, an accident caused by faulty brakes may be linked to a manufacturing defect the parts company is responsible for allowing to happen or didn’t report properly.

Try Negotiating with the Insurance Company

Sometimes, health issues arise that you might not have known about during your original negotiations with the insurance company. If you received a new diagnosis or treatment recommendations, it’s worth reaching out to the insurance company. In some cases, your claim could still be open and allow for some negotiation room.

Find Out if the At-Fault Driver Has an Umbrella Policy

Umbrella insurance is designed specifically for this purpose. The responsible party for your accident may have umbrella coverage in his or her policy that kicks in once the medical payments exceed the basic liability policy’s coverage. 

With the increasing costs of medical care today, it’s also common for people to purchase umbrella coverage to protect their financial standing after an accident. If you don’t currently have umbrella coverage on your policy, you may want to explore adding it to prevent you from being left on the hook for covering someone’s medical bills if you’re at fault for an accident.

Check into Your Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Your car insurance Chula Vista policy may include assistance with handling situations where the other party is uninsured or lacks sufficient coverage for your medical bills. Simply contact your insurance company to let them know about the struggle you’re facing with covering the cost of medical payments. If you currently have uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, your agent can help you submit your claim for processing. Usually, you’ll need to submit the appropriate documentation of your injuries and the coverage that has occurred to that point to find out if you’re eligible for compensation.

Explore Health Insurance Coverage

Having multiple forms of insurance is an asset during times like these. Your health insurance coverage may be able to help with your medical treatments. If so, you may be able to use the auto insurance coverage to address any out-of-pocket costs you face. Combining several types of insurance can help you get the most from all of your policies, and you can ask your insurance agent if you need to explore other types of coverage for future care needs.

Drivers who are searching for reliable, affordable auto insurance should reach out to the experienced professionals at Altra Insurance Services. In addition to auto coverage, we offer a variety of insurance policies, including motorcycle, homeowners, and business insurance. San Diego residents can call one of our friendly agents today for a free quote.