Should You Use Your Car Insurance to Pay for Medical Bills After an Arizona Accident?

When you have been hit and injured in an Arizona car accident the feelings you have are that of shock, anxiety, fear, and concern. Seeking medical attention for your injuries is necessary and depending on the severity of your injuries you may need to see multiple specialists and potentially have to schedule surgery and physical therapy. The costs for your treatment won’t be cheap, but you need the care to recover. As the bills pile up, who is going to pay for them? It is a valid question and especially important if your injuries are keeping you from work the incoming bills become even harder to manage.

Regardless of who caused the accident, when you are injured it is your responsibility to pay for your medical bills. If the accident isn’t your fault and you are pursuing a suit against the at-fault driver,  it is important to pay your bills while you are working through the personal injury claim process. Waiting until you obtain your settlement to pay your bills is not a good choice. The length of time it takes to come to a settlement is different for every case, and you don’t want to run the risk of having your medical provider use a collection agency to obtain payment. You risk your credit being negatively affected if a collection agency is involved in the process.

Why Doesn’t The At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Pay For Medical Bills?

When another party is responsible for an accident and you pursue a successful Arizona car accident injury claim they will indirectly pay for your medical expenses. The insurance companies do not have to pay your medical providers upfront but rather after the suit has come to an end. The money you obtain in your settlement will go either to pay your medical bills or will be used to reimburse you for your out-of-pocket medical costs. 

Therefore you could wait until your suit is closed to have your bills paid but that is a big risk to take. Anything can happen during the claims process which could hold up your case and prolong it. The longer you don’t pay your providers, the more likely they will resort to a collection agency to obtain their money. 

The other reason why you should pay your bills as you go is to maximize the amount you obtain in your Arizona personal injury settlement. Hospitals can use your car insurance to secure payment for their costs. They prefer to use your car insurance over your health insurance because they can profit more from car insurance. While they boost their revenue doing this, you will have your settlement reduced as a result. 

So, for this reason, do not provide your car insurance information to the hospital because you don’t have to. They may try to pressure you for the information, but you are under no requirement to provide them with it. The only insurance information you need to provide the hospital is your health insurance. Under ARS 2-107, if your health insurance doesn’t pay for all of your medical costs in your claim you are not responsible to pay what is leftover and neither is your car insurance.

Find Qualified Arizona Automobile Accident Injury Attorneys

The Arizona automobile accident injury attorneys at ELG will provide you with the legal representation you need to win your Arizona personal injury claim with the most amount of compensation possible.  Our Phoenix serious injury attorneys will discuss your case with you during a free consultation. Call our bilingual Spanish-speaking Phoenix personal injury attorneys at ELG today at (623) 877-3600.