An insurance lawyer’s advice on who pays your PIP benefits under different car accident scenarios
This is the last blog in my recent No-Fault priority series for people who are injured in auto accidents under different but very common scenarios and need to make a claim for PIP benefits.
Michigan has rules contained in our No-Fault Act that create an “order of priority” for auto accident victims. These rules determine which of the more than 100 auto insurance companies in Michigan has the legal responsibility to pay their No-Fault benefits.
Sometimes, it’s not as clear as we’d like it to be, and even insurance lawyers can get tripped up from time to time. But, the penalty for getting it wrong is severe: if you file a claim with the wrong No-Fault insurance company and over a year passes from the date of your auto accident, you are “time-barred” and lose your right to recover Michigan PIP benefits forever.
Our insurance lawyers also get countless calls about this subject from people who get hurt in all sorts of different auto accidents scenarios (and quite a few phone calls from other Michigan lawyers as well).
Hopefully this blog series helps bring some needed clarification to the complicated issue of No-fault priority:
Who pays No-Fault PIP benefits for drivers and passengers
Who pays Michigan No-Fault benefits for pedestrians and bicyclists
Who pays PIP benefits if you’re injured while in a limo, ambulance or shuttle bus
Who pays No-Fault benefits in a car accident with a taxicab, public bus or school bus
These “priority” rules seem straightforward. But often getting an insurance company to agree is frequently far from straightforward. It’s very common for No-Fault auto insurance companies fight with each other to try to avoid being pegged the “highest priority” payer.
So should you have any questions about using the No-Fault Law’s “priority” rules to determine what auto insurance company must pay your benefits after an auto accident, please don’t hesitate to call one of our experienced insurance attorneys at (248) 353-7575.
We give free advice, and we can make sure you receive all of the No-Fault PIP benefits you’re entitled.
– Steve Gursten is one of the nation’s top insurance lawyers handling auto accident lawsuits. He is head of Michigan Auto Law and president of the Motor Vehicle Trial Lawyers Association. Steve frequently writes and speaks about Michigan No-Fault law and auto insurance, and is available for comment.
– Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by kenteegardin
Related information to protect yourselves:
Your Michigan No-Fault benefits
The most unfair, dangerous loophole in Michigan No-Fault law
Michigan Auto Law is the largest law firm exclusively handling car accident, truck accident and motorcycle accident cases throughout the entire state. We have offices in Farmington Hills, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Sterling Heights. Call (248) 353-7575 to speak with one of our Michigan insurance lawyers.
