Does Your Car Insurance Cover Chiropractic Care After an Accident

What car insurance covers for chiropractic treatment

Whether your car insurance covers chiropractic care depends on the type of coverage you have and the state where you live. Medical payments coverage (sometimes called med pay) and personal injury protection (PIP) are the two policies most likely to pay for chiropractic visits after a car accident. Medical payments coverage is optional in most states and typically covers reasonable and necessary medical treatment, which often includes chiropractic care. Personal injury protection is required in no-fault insurance states and covers medical expenses, lost wages, and sometimes other costs regardless of who caused the accident.

Your liability insurance will not pay for your own chiropractic care — it only covers injuries you cause to other people. If you were at fault in the accident, you would need to use your own medical payments or PIP coverage, or pay out of pocket. If the other driver was at fault, you can file a claim against their liability insurance, but that process is separate from your own policy and typically takes longer.

Key Takeaways

• Medical payments coverage and personal injury protection are the two car insurance policies that typically cover chiropractic care after an accident.
• Medical payments coverage is optional and varies by state, while personal injury protection is required only in no-fault states.
• Your policy will have a dollar limit on medical coverage, and once you reach that limit, you pay for additional chiropractic visits yourself.
• Chiropractic care must be deemed medically necessary and related to injuries from the accident for insurance to cover it.
• If the other driver was at fault, you may be able to recover chiropractic costs through their liability insurance, but this requires a separate claim process.

Medical payments coverage and what it typically includes

Medical payments coverage is an optional add-on to your car insurance policy that pays for medical treatment after an accident, regardless of who was at fault. When you file a claim under this coverage, the insurance company pays your medical providers directly or reimburses you for out-of-pocket costs. The coverage usually has a limit — commonly $1,000, $5,000, or $10,000 — and once you reach that limit, you are responsible for any additional medical bills.

Chiropractic care is often covered under medical payments, but the insurance company will review the treatment to make sure it is reasonable and necessary. This means the chiropractor must document that your injuries came from the accident and that the treatment plan is appropriate for those injuries. If you visit a chiropractor weeks after the accident with no clear connection to the crash, the insurance company may deny the claim. Some policies also require that you see a chiropractor within a certain time frame after the accident — often 30 to 90 days — though this varies by insurer.

Personal injury protection in no-fault states

If you live in a no-fault insurance state, your own car insurance policy includes personal injury protection (PIP), which is mandatory. PIP covers your medical expenses, lost wages, and sometimes other costs after an accident, even if you caused the crash. The coverage applies to you and your passengers. Like medical payments coverage, PIP typically has a dollar limit, and chiropractic care must be medically necessary and related to the accident.

No-fault states include Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Utah. The rules and coverage limits vary by state — for example, Michigan's PIP is more generous than most other states and covers more types of treatment. If you live in one of these states, check your policy documents to see your PIP limit and whether there are any restrictions on chiropractic care.

Coverage limits and what happens when you exceed them

Both medical payments and PIP coverage have a maximum dollar amount the insurance company will pay. Once you reach that limit, the insurance company stops paying, and you are responsible for the remaining bills. If you have ongoing chiropractic treatment, it is important to track how much of your coverage you have used so you do not get surprised by a bill.

If you exceed your medical payments or PIP limit and the other driver was at fault, you may be able to pursue a claim against their liability insurance for the additional costs. This is a separate process and typically requires documentation of your injuries, treatment records, and proof that the other driver caused the accident. Many people hire an attorney to handle this type of claim, especially if the medical bills are substantial.

How to file a chiropractic claim with your car insurance

To file a claim for chiropractic care, start by notifying your insurance company of the accident as soon as possible. Provide the date, time, location, and a description of what happened. Then, schedule your chiropractic appointment and give the chiropractor's office your insurance information. The chiropractor's billing department will typically submit the claim to your insurance company on your behalf.

Your insurance company will review the claim and may request medical records, the accident report, or other documentation. They will determine whether the treatment is medically necessary and related to the accident. If the claim is approved, the insurance company pays the chiropractor directly, and you pay any copay or coinsurance amount required by your policy. If the claim is denied, you can ask the insurance company to explain why and may have the option to appeal the decision.

When the other driver's insurance pays instead

If the other driver was at fault and you want to recover your chiropractic costs through their liability insurance, you will need to file a claim with their insurance company instead of (or in addition to) your own. This process is different: you will need to provide proof that the other driver caused the accident, documentation of your injuries, and receipts or bills from your chiropractor. The other driver's insurance company will investigate the claim and decide whether to pay.

This process typically takes longer than using your own medical payments or PIP coverage because the other insurance company has to determine fault and verify that the treatment is reasonable. During this time, you can use your own medical payments or PIP to cover the chiropractic bills, and then seek reimbursement from the other driver's insurance later. Keep all receipts and medical records so you have proof of what you paid.

What is not covered under car insurance medical benefits

Car insurance medical coverage does not pay for chiropractic care that is not related to the accident. If you were already seeing a chiropractor for a pre-existing condition before the crash, the insurance company will not cover those visits. Similarly, if you develop a new condition unrelated to the accident and seek chiropractic treatment for it, that treatment is not covered under your car insurance.

Some insurance companies also exclude certain types of chiropractic treatment, such as massage therapy, nutritional counseling, or supplements, even if they are recommended by your chiropractor. Check your policy documents or call your insurance company to understand what is and is not covered. If you have questions about whether a specific treatment will be covered, ask your chiropractor to contact the insurance company before you begin treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my car insurance cover chiropractic care if I was at fault for the accident?

Yes, if you have medical payments coverage or personal injury protection. Both of these policies cover your medical treatment regardless of who caused the accident. Your liability insurance will not pay for your own treatment, only for injuries you cause to others.

How much chiropractic care will my insurance cover?

Your insurance will cover chiropractic care up to your policy's medical payments or PIP limit, which is typically between $1,000 and $10,000. The exact amount depends on the limit you chose when you purchased your policy. Once you reach that limit, you pay for additional visits yourself.

Do I have to use my medical payments coverage for chiropractic care, or can I wait and claim it against the other driver's insurance?

You can choose to use your own medical payments or PIP coverage, or you can file a claim against the other driver's liability insurance if they were at fault. Using your own coverage is faster, but you may want to preserve it if you think your medical bills will exceed your limit. Some people use both — they use their own coverage first and then seek additional reimbursement from the other driver's insurance.

What if my insurance company denies my chiropractic claim?

Ask the insurance company in writing why the claim was denied. Common reasons include that the treatment is not medically necessary, it is not related to the accident, or it exceeds your policy limit. You can appeal the decision by providing additional medical records or documentation. If the appeal is denied, you may want to consult an attorney.

Does my health insurance cover chiropractic care from a car accident?

Your health insurance may cover chiropractic care, but car insurance is the primary payer after an accident. This means your car insurance should pay first, and your health insurance covers costs only after your car insurance limit is reached. Check your health insurance policy to see whether chiropractic care is covered and what your copay or deductible is.