Frequently Asked Questions About Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Benefits for Oregon Car Accidents
If you own and drive a car in the Portland, Oregon, area, then you know state law requires you to carry a minimum amount of auto insurance. This includes not only minimum liability coverage in the event you cause an accident but also personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, which can pay benefits to you even if you were partly responsible for what happened. Because many Oregon drivers are not quite clear about how PIP benefits work or how it can affect a personal injury claim, here are a few answers to common questions we get about the law in this area.
Do I Have to Purchase PIP Coverage?
Yes. Oregon law requires any auto insurance policy you buy to come with at least $15,000 per person in PIP benefits. You are free to purchase a higher amount of coverage, but it is not mandatory.
Who Is Covered by My PIP Benefits?
In addition to yourself, your Oregon auto insurance policy’s PIP coverage will provide benefits to:
- other members of your family who live in your household;
- any children who are you raising as your own and live with you but are not actually related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption;
- any passengers riding in your insured vehicle; and
- any pedestrians struck by your insured vehicle.
Will PIP Coverage Pay for My Medical Bills Following a Car Accident?
Yes. Your PIP carrier must pay “[a]l reasonable and necessary expenses of medical, hospital, dental, surgical, ambulance and prosthetic services” arising from a covered accident, up to the limits of the policy. Such expenses are only covered, however, if they are incurred within 2 years of your auto accident.
Does PIP Coverage Provide Loss of Income Benefits?
Yes. If any person covered by your policy was employed at the time of the car accident and is unable to return to work for at least 14 days afterwards, your PIP coverage will pay for 70 percent of their lost income, up to a maximum of $3,000 per month for a total of 52 weeks. A person’s “income” in this context can include not just their regular salary and wages, but also any tips, commissions, professional fees, or farm or business income that they regularly earned prior to the accident.
Does PIP Coverage Provide Any Death Benefits?
Yes. If a covered person is killed in an auto accident, your PIP coverage will pay for all “reasonable and necessary funeral expenses” incurred within one year of the accident, up to a maximum of $5,000.
What Happens If My Insurance Company Denies My Claim for Oregon PIP Benefits?
Even when you dutifully pay your auto insurance premiums each month and comply with your policy’s requirements, there is still a chance your insurance company will deny you PIP benefits following a covered accident. If that occurs, you should immediately contact an experienced Portland PIP denials lawyer who can represent you in dealing with your insurance company. Call Rosenbaum Law Group, PC, today at 503-288-8000 to schedule a free consultation.
