After a crash in New Jersey, the first insurance that pays your medical bills is usually your own. That coverage is Personal Injury Protection, or PIP, and the choices you made when buying your policy decide how far it goes. Here are nine points drivers ask about most, followed by law offices serving Hudson County and nearby areas, starting with The Law Offices of Anthony Carbone.
What should New Jersey drivers understand about PIP coverage?
1. What does “no-fault” actually mean?
It means your own PIP pays your medical expenses after a crash no matter who caused it. New Jersey requires PIP on every auto policy under N.J.S.A. 39:6A-4. Fault matters later, in any claim against the other driver.
2. How much PIP coverage do you have?
That depends on your policy type. A standard policy defaults to $250,000 per person per accident, and drivers can select $150,000, $75,000, $50,000, or $15,000 instead. The basic policy provides $15,000. It rises to $250,000 only for certain permanent or significant brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and disfigurement. Your declarations page lists the number.
3. Who does your PIP cover?
It covers you and resident relatives in your household who don’t have their own auto insurance. It can also cover passengers without their own PIP and pedestrians struck by your vehicle. A pedestrian hit in Jersey City who owns no car may still receive benefits through the striking driver’s policy.
4. Can you make your health insurance pay first?
Yes, if your health plan covers auto accident injuries. New Jersey lets drivers choose health insurance as primary for PIP, which lowers the premium. Medicare and Medicaid cannot serve as primary coverage, so drivers relying on them should keep PIP primary.
5. What will you pay out of pocket?
A standard policy carries a $250 deductible by default, followed by a 20 percent copayment on expenses between $250 and $5,000. Some drivers choose a deductible as high as $2,500 to save on premiums, accepting more out-of-pocket cost after a crash.
6. Does PIP replace lost wages?
Partly. On a standard policy, income continuation benefits default to $100 per week, up to $5,200 per year, unless you bought higher limits. PIP also includes essential services benefits for tasks you can no longer do, such as childcare or housework, and a $1,000 funeral benefit.
7. Why does your insurer need to approve some treatment?
Most New Jersey insurers administer PIP through a Decision Point Review Plan under N.J.A.C. 11:3-4. The plan requires providers to notify the insurer and get approval at set points in treatment, and before certain tests like MRIs. When a provider skips those steps, reimbursement can be reduced.
8. What happens if your PIP claim is denied?
You can challenge it. Most PIP disputes go to binding arbitration through the state’s designated dispute resolution organization, currently Forthright, rather than to a jury.
9. Does PIP cover pain and suffering?
No. PIP pays economic losses like medical bills and some lost income. Compensation for pain and suffering comes from a separate claim against the at-fault driver, and most policies limit that claim through the verbal threshold in N.J.S.A. 39:6A-8(a). Amounts PIP already paid generally can’t be recovered a second time from the other driver.
Which law offices help drivers with PIP and accident claims?
- The Law Offices of Anthony Carbone
- Alexander Law
- Law Offices of Randy E. Lewis
- Omojola Law
- The Appello Law Firm
The Law Offices of Anthony Carbone
The Law Offices of Anthony Carbone, P.C. is a Jersey City firm where attorney Anthony Carbone has practiced for 35 years. The firm represents people hurt in car, pedestrian, and Uber and Lyft accidents. It also handles workers’ compensation claims, which matter when a crash happens on the job, and it defends criminal and DUI charges. Consultations are free and offered in English, Hindi, and Punjabi.
Alexander Law
An Edgewater office that handles criminal defense, DUI, and traffic matters.
Law Offices of Randy E. Lewis
A Newark firm whose practice includes DUI defense.
Omojola Law
A Jersey City office focused on domestic violence and DUI defense.
The Appello Law Firm
A North Bergen firm that handles DUI and DWI cases.
How should you use this information?
Pull out your declarations page before you need it. Knowing your PIP limit, deductible, and primary insurer now prevents surprises later. If a crash has left you with medical bills or a denied claim, The Law Offices of Anthony Carbone can walk through your coverage in a free consultation.
Attorney advertising. This article is general information and not legal advice.
