If you’ve been in a car accident in Florida, chances are you’ve been bombarded with unfamiliar terms and acronyms.
But PIP may be the one that helps you or hurts you the most.
The PIP 14-day rule can make or break you, in more ways than you may realize. Failing to comply with the 14-day statute can cost you your insurance claim, untold amounts in lost income, as well as your health and well-being.
Keep reading to find out more about why you can’t ignore the 14-day rule in Florida.
What is the PIP 14 Day Rule?
PIP stands for Personal Injury Protection Insurance. It’s designed to take care of you if you should need medical care, either immediately or ongoing after an accident.
The 14 Day rule refers to the rule in the PIP law that states WHEN you must receive care. Insurance companies do love to drag their feet, but they aren’t fans of when their clients do it.
The rule states that you must receive medical care in the first 14 days following your crash, or your insurance company may deny your claim.
And this makes sense. They don’t want someone breaking their leg climbing a tree and then submitting the claim to PIP, claiming it was broken in the car accident they were in six months ago. Insurance companies exist to make money.
But it goes beyond that. The 14 Day rule is just good advice in general.
But I Don’t Think I Was Injured!
You likely were.
Ok, if you were in an accident with a shopping cart going less than five miles per hour, you’re probably fine. But a collision with another vehicle? Even as low as 15 mph?
You were injured. Consider the physics.
In this accident, let’s say you are rear-ended by a car going 25 mph.
Not so fast, right? But wait.
The average mid-size sedan weighs almost 5,000 lbs. Even at a relatively low speed, even with no damage to your car, your soft tissues are not meant to absorb the impact of a 5,000 lb. object shoving you forward at 25mph.
You may not feel injured, but over time, may begin to feel neck, shoulder, or back pain. Car accident injuries can take days or weeks to show up, and by that time, they are harder to treat.
So even if you don’t think you were injured, it’s important to abide by the 14-day Rule anyway. Early detection of injuries can make them easier to treat, and staying in line with the law will ensure your injuries are covered.