AUTO INSURANCE
Basics, FAQ's & Common Myths
BASICS
In MN, No Fault Insurance covers almost always 100% of health care services related to injuries from a motor vehicle collision. Every auto insurance policy in MN is required to have $20,000 minimum coverage of medical and chiropractic expenses. This is available to everyone even if they don't know it is there. It also covers wage loss, mileage reimbursement and replacement services. You have the right to choose any doctor.
MN state law allows someone without insurance (such as passengers and pedestrians) to have medical and chiropractic coverage if they have injuries from a motor vehicle collision.
FAQs
Who pays for my medical care if I am injured? MN is a no-fault auto insurance state. It doesn't matter who caused the accident, YOUR insurance covers YOU. If your injuries resulted from a motor vehicle collision, your auto insurer pays the bills. No fault pays for many expenses such as:
- Medical care
- Chiropractic care
- Wage loss
- Work loss & replacement services
- Mileage
Is No-Fault coverage mandatory in MN? Yes. All auto insurance plans in MN are required to provide no-fault coverage, even if it is just a liability insurance plan.
Of the all cars involved, who pays my medical/chiropractic bills? Your own no-fault coverage does.
I was hit by a driver who then ran off. So who pays my medical/chiropractic bills? Luckily for you, you are still covered. Your own no-fault coverage pays your bills.
What kind of health care can I receive? Under no-fault auto insurance you are entitled to go to any medical or chiropractic doctor of your choice.
What if I didn't have auto insurance or didn't own a vehicle? According to the MN No-Fault Act, you may be covered under the policy of another household member, the vehicle you were in or through the Assigned Claims Plan. This can become complex. For help finding out where your coverage will come from, call us at 651-925-5530 for assistance.
COMMON MYTHS
- Low speed collisions do not cause injuries. FALSE. There is no known threshold for injury. For example, collisions as low as 2.5 - 5 mph during testing have injured human volunteer test subjects.
- You can tell how badly someone is injured by how badly the vehicle is damaged... and no vehicle damage means no injury. FALSE & FALSE. There is no relationship between property damage and occupant injury. Collision impact forces that are not strong enough to damage a stiff car can still damage the occupants.
- Pain will go away on its own. FALSE. A significant percentage of those injured suffer chronically. Pain that is left untreated, over time, can change the nervous system and a chronic pain syndrome can develop.
Next, pain from a motor vehicle collision is the result of tissue damage. Tissue damage when left untreated may lead to arthritic changes, loss of range of motion and other tissue changes. Torn muscles, for example, don't get replaced with muscle. Regretably, the body replaces torn muscle with scar tissue. Scar tissue does not have the ability to move like muscle tissue moves. It is stiffer, weaker and less elastic to future trauma. The scarring process (if not managed correctly) can create excessive intra-muscular scarring. This scarring is another frequent source of chronic pain and would have been preventable, had the injury been managed properly from the beginning.
- Just taking over the counter medication from the drug store for awhile is all one needs to do. FALSE. Injury is injury. Pain medication covers up the signal. Pain is a signal that your body needs help. Covering up the pain is like covering up a warning light on your cars dashboard. The problem is still there even if the signal is covered up.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a motor vehicle collision, get examined right away! We are here to help you. Call 651-925-5530 to make an appointment today.
