Will Car Insurance Pay for Physical Therapy After an Accident?

Last Updated on May 9, 2020

Who pays for physical therapy after a car accident? One or more people may require physical therapy after an accident.

Will car insurance pay for physical therapy expenses after a car accident? Or will you need to pay physical therapy costs out of pocket?

Yes, car insurance will pay for physical therapy after an accident. If you require physical therapy to heal the damage caused by a car accident, then insurance is required to cover that treatment.

Typically, the car insurance of the at-fault driver will pay for physical therapy after an accident. If another driver caused the accident, then the other driver’s car insurance should cover any physical therapy costs after an accident. If you caused the accident, then your insurance should cover your physical therapy costs up to a certain limit.

However, insurance claims involving physical therapy treatment can be messy. Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about whether car insurance pays for physical therapy after an accident.

Will Car Insurance Pay for Physical Therapy After an Accident?

Who Pays Physical Therapy Costs in a Car Accident?

If you are injured in a car accident, there’s a decent chance you require physical therapy to speed up your recovery.

If the accident is considered your fault, then your insurance company will pay for physical therapy up to a certain amount. Your policy has a certain bodily injury liability coverage limit, and your insurer should cover physical therapy up to that limit.

If the other driver is found at fault, then the other driver’s insurance will cover your physical therapy expenses. The other driver’s policy will also have a medical expense limit. If your expenses exceed this limit, however, then the at-fault driver still needs to pay – the other driver will just need to pay you out-of-pocket instead of having insurance pay.

If your physical therapy expenses do exceed insurance limits, then the other driver’s insurance should offer some type of settlement. You should talk to a lawyer before accepting a settlement. A lawyer can determine if the settlement is reasonable. Some drivers accept a settlement for $20,000, only to realize they still have $40,000 of physical therapy expenses to pay.

What Happens If the Other Driver Has No Car Insurance?

Approximately 1 in 7 drivers in America do not have car insurance. If the other party does not have car insurance and you are not at fault, then your insurance may still provide medical coverage to a certain limit.

Beyond that amount, however, you can sue the at-fault driver to cover your physical therapy expenses and other medical bills.

Unfortunately, drivers without insurance may not have significant assets to seize, which could force you to pay physical therapy costs out of pocket after an accident with an uninsured driver.

These same rules apply if the other driver was unknown – say, during a hit and run.

How to Recover Physical Therapy Expenses After an Accident

The at-fault party’s insurance is required to pay certain physical therapy expenses after an accident.

Typically, your physical therapist will bill the insurance company directly. The insurer will verify the treatment, then cover the bills.

If the physical therapist will not bill the insurer directly, then you may need to document all treatments and submit the receipts to your insurer. Keep all bills from your physical therapist. Request any additional required documentation. Insurance claims can be messy, and insurance companies do not want to cover any unnecessary physical therapy.

How Much Physical Therapy is Covered by Insurance?

The insurance company of the at-fault driver is required to cover any physical therapy expenses that are needed to make you whole again after an accident.

If you require two months of physical therapy to get back to where you were before the accident, for example, then the insurer is required to cover two months of physical therapy. If you require five years of physical therapy, then the insurer is required to cover that amount.

As mentioned above, many insurers will offer a settlement for serious injuries requiring long-term care. Insurers do not want to be stuck paying your medical bills for years. They would rather give you a cash settlement today and close the issue.

All insurance companies will only provide treatment up to the limits of the insurance policy. If your insurance policy has a $30,000 limit, then your insurer will offer you a maximum of $30,000, for example.

Beyond the limits of your policy, you are required to pay for further physical therapy expenses out of pocket (or, the other driver is required to pay for your physical therapy expenses out of pocket).

Consider Contacting an Attorney

Car accident insurance claims can be messy, especially if drivers require physical therapy. If you are frustrated by the process, or if you are disappointed by the settlement offered by the insurance company, then consider contacting an attorney.

It can be difficult to know how much physical therapy you need after an accident. Some people need just a few sessions, while others require years of treatment.

In the days following the accident, most drivers don’t know how much physical therapy they need. Insurance companies may use this period to dazzle you with a large cash settlement. Many drivers are tempted to take this settlement – only to realize the settlement will not cover their full physical therapy costs and medical bills.

An attorney can help you receive the settlement you deserve after an accident. Most personal injury lawyers and car accident attorneys offer free consultations.

So Will Your Insurance Cover Physical Therapy?

Yes, car insurance will pay for physical therapy after an accident. The insurance company of the at-fault driver is required to pay for any physical therapy costs needed to make people whole again after an accident. Car insurance will pay up to the limits of the policy, after which any remaining physical therapy costs need to be paid out of pocket – either by you or the at-fault driver.

James Shaffer
James Shaffer James Shaffer is a writer for InsurancePanda.com and a well-seasoned auto insurance industry veteran. He has a deep knowledge of insurance rules and regulations and is passionate about helping drivers save money on auto insurance. He is responsible for researching and writing about anything auto insurance-related. He holds a bachelor's degree from Bentley University and his work has been quoted by NBC News, CNN, and The Washington Post.
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