Does Health Insurance from Employers Cover Motorcycle Injuries?
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, you will want to know the best way to cover your injuries. You might first look at your health insurance provided by your employer to cover your damages.
However, most health insurance policies that employers get for their employees now exclude coverage for losses caused by a motorcycle accident. This means that your health insurance will likely not be available to help. In fact, some policies provide no coverage for any injury caused by a high-risk activity. Fortunately, Jerry can help you understand the scope of your health insurance coverage and discuss other insurance options that can provide the coverage your need.
Call New Jersey motorcycle accident attorney Jerry Friedman today at 1-800-529-4464 for a free case review.
Will My Job’s Health Insurance Cover Injuries I Sustained in a Motorcycle Accident?
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, it is important to know whether your health insurance will cover your injuries. While motorcycle riders used to be able to rely on their employer-provided health insurance to cover their injuries in the past, this is no longer the case. Now, employers can obtain health insurance that excludes coverage for motorcycle injuries in an effort to save money on their bottom line. Most employers are still required to provide health insurance under the Affordable Care Act but need not maintain coverage for injuries caused by a motorcycle accident.
Language Excluding Coverage for Motorcycle Injuries
Whether or not your motorcycle injuries are covered by your health insurance will depend on the language contained in your health insurance policy. However, insurance companies can be sneaky in how they word their policies, purposefully confusing the policyholder. Fortunately, Jerry can review your health insurance policy to determine the full extent of your coverage. Be sure to check if your policy has an exclusions section where this language might be found.
Keep in mind that the language might not specifically mention exclusions for motorcycle injuries but refer to “high-risk activities” as being excluded. This will usually have the same effect since an insurance company will most likely argue that riding a motorcycle is a high-risk activity.
Limitations of Using Health Insurance to Cover Your Motorcycle Injuries
Even if your health insurance does cover your motorcycle accident injuries, you will want to take a few considerations into account before deciding how you will cover your damages. For starters, you will almost certainly need to pay a deductible or co-pay before you can receive the care you need. It is not uncommon for co-pays and deductibles to cost victims thousands of dollars before they have even received care.
In most cases, your health insurance will only cover certain medical costs. While health insurance will usually cover medical exams, hospital stays, diagnostic testing like X-rays, and medications, it likely will not cover other medical expenses related to treatments such as physical or occupational therapy. Health insurance is also unlikely to cover any lost wages you suffered from missing work on account of your injuries.
If you incurred expenses for things like transportation and repairs to your bike, these out-of-pocket expenses will likely not be covered by an employer’s health insurance plan. Of course, injured motorcyclists might have damages that are not physical but emotionally damaging. Unfortunately, non-economic “pain and suffering” damages are almost never covered by health insurance companies.
What Insurance Can I Get to Cover My Motorcycle Accident Injuries?
The good news is that you can obtain other types of insurance to cover you in the event you are injured in a motorcycle accident. While this might not be an expense you planned on adding on top of your health insurance, it could save you an incredible amount of money and stress in the future. Depending on your financial situation, you could purchase several forms of motorcycle insurance to cover you in almost any situation. The following are common types of motorcycle insurance that might be more useful to have than health insurance coverage:
Motorcycle Liability Insurance
As a motorcyclist, it is important to have liability insurance that covers you while riding your motorcycle. In fact, most states, including New Jersey, require you to carry motorcycle liability insurance. Similar to traditional auto insurance, motorcycle liability insurance offers coverage for your injuries. However, it can be a bit pricier due to the additional risks involved in riding a motorcycle. By having the proper motorcycle insurance, you can be well-prepared for any challenges that may arise while on the road. How much compensation you receive in an accident will depend on the bodily injury limits contained in your policy.
If you do not have liability insurance for your motorcycle, you can easily obtain it from large insurance providers like GEICO, All-State, or Progressive. Alternatively, you can also check with motorcycle companies like Harley-Davidson to see if they offer more affordable coverage. However, you should be sure to compare prices and coverage options from different sources to get the best deal possible. That being said, be aware that smaller insurance companies might not have the resources to cover your injuries like a bigger provider could.
Collision Coverage
Collision coverage is a type of insurance that covers the cost of repairing or replacing your car after a collision, regardless of who was at fault. It is almost guaranteed that health insurance will not cover the costs of repairs, nor will liability insurance. Without collision coverage, you will likely have to repair your bike out of your own pocket.
Comprehensive Coverage
Comprehensive coverage is a type of insurance that provides protection against damages caused by non-collision events like theft, vandalism, floods, and storms. Essentially, comprehensive coverage will protect you in most events outside of a motorcycle accident.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Suppose you happen to be involved in an accident where the at-fault driver is either uninsured or underinsured and unable to cover your losses. In that case, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage can help protect you financially. This type of coverage is especially helpful if you are the victim of a hit-and-run accident.
MedPay
MedPay is a form of optional insurance that supplements your motorcycle and health insurance. It is typically not subject to health insurance subrogation, meaning that it does not need to be reimbursed. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, MedPay insurance policies can provide between $5000 to $10,000 to cover some of the costs associated with your injuries.
Call Jerry to Get Help with Your Motorcycle Accident Case Today
For a free evaluation of your case with an expert Camden motorcycle accident attorney, call Jerry Friedman today at 1-800-529-4464.
