If you’re injured in an accident, PIP could cover medical expenses and lost wages, regardless of fault.
Personal injury protection is car insurance coverage that pays for medical expenses from car-related injuries, no matter who is at fault. While this coverage type is offered in 21 states and Washington, D.C., 13 states require all drivers to carry a minimum amount of personal injury protection, typically referred to as PIP.
What does personal injury protection cover?
PIP is meant to cover any injuries you sustain from a crash, regardless of who is at fault, and includes other benefits as well. Depending on your state, PIP could help pay for:
- Medical bills and expenses that arise from a car crash.
- Lost wages if you are unable to work due to injuries sustained from an accident.
- Services you can no longer perform because of an accident, such as housecleaning or child care.
- Funeral costs if an injury sustained from an accident leads to death.
- A small death benefit as a cash payout.
When you file a PIP claim with your insurance company, you may be required to pay a deductible before you can collect the benefits. PIP generally covers the policyholder and family members in the household, passengers in the vehicle and others who are driving the car with permission. Your PIP can also cover you if you’re injured while riding in someone else’s car, or if you’re injured by a vehicle as a pedestrian or cyclist.
How PIP relates to no-fault insurance
Personal injury protection is sometimes called “no-fault insurance.” The name is a reference to states with “no fault” laws, such as Florida, Michigan and New York. These laws prohibit injured drivers from suing at-fault drivers after an accident unless their injuries are severe or their medical expenses are higher than their state’s minimum requirement to sue. “No-fault” states require minimum amounts of PIP for every driver.
Personal injury protection by state
You can purchase PIP in 21 states, as well as Washington, D.C. Thirteen states require drivers to carry a minimum amount of PIP, while a few others offer it as an optional add-on to your policy. Use the map below to see if your state offers PIP, and if there is a minimum requirement.
Personal injury protection is required in 13 states
Drivers in 13 states are required to purchase a minimum amount of PIP, but this amount varies by state. Use the table below to see which states require personal injury protection, and what the minimum requirement is.
| States that require PIP | Minimum coverage required |
|---|---|
| Delaware | $15,000 |
| Florida | $10,000 |
| Hawaii | $10,000 |
| Kansas | $4,500 |
| Massachusetts | $8,000 |
| Michigan | Requirements vary |
| Minnesota | $40,000 |
| New Jersey | $15,000 |
| New York | $50,000 |
| North Dakota | $30,000 |
| Oregon | $15,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $5,000 |
| Utah | $3,000 |
PIP is optional or can be waived in 8 states, plus Washington, D.C.
Eight states plus Washington, D.C., offer personal injury protection as an optional add-on or allow drivers to waive it in writing. Use the table below to see how these states handle PIP coverage.
| States that offer PIP | PIP details |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | Optional |
| Kentucky | $10,000 required, but can be waived in writing |
| Maryland | $2,500 required, but can be waived in writing |
| New Hampshire | Optional |
| South Dakota | Optional |
| Texas | $2,500 required, but can be waived in writing |
| Virginia | Optional |
| Washington | $10,000 required, but can be waived in writing |
| Washington, D.C. | Optional |
Is personal injury protection the same as medpay?
While medical payments coverage, better known as medpay, does pay for medical expenses from crash-related injuries regardless of fault, it doesn’t offer the additional financial benefits that PIP offers, such as covering lost wages, funeral costs, child care or housecleaning expenses.
Medpay is also an optional coverage. Some states, such as Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts and Michigan, offer both PIP and medpay. And if medpay is available, it may be a good idea to add it to your policy as it can cover your PIP deductible.