After a crash, the questions tend to arrive in a certain order. Is everyone okay? Is the car drivable? Then, a few days later, when the first bill shows up: who is supposed to pay for all of this? We hear that last question from patients all the time. In Connecticut, the answer depends on a few pieces of insurance that most people have never had a reason to read closely. Here is how they fit together.
Connecticut is an at-fault state
Some states use a “no-fault” system, where your own auto policy pays your medical bills first no matter who caused the crash. Connecticut used to work that way. The legislature repealed its no-fault law, and it stopped applying at the start of 1994, according to a 2016 report from the Connecticut General Assembly’s Office of Legislative Research. Today, a person injured because of another driver’s negligence can seek compensation from that driver.
In practice, the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability insurance is the coverage meant to pay for your injuries. The Connecticut Insurance Department describes bodily injury liability as coverage that protects a driver against claims from people hurt in an accident that driver caused.
The catch is timing. Fault has to be sorted out before that insurer pays, and that can take weeks or months. The emergency room, the imaging center and your doctor’s office usually send bills long before a claim is settled.
Coverage that can pay while the claim is open
While the at-fault driver’s claim is still being worked out, other coverage often carries the bills. Which of these applies to you depends on the policies you already have.
- Medical payments coverage (MedPay). This is an optional part of a Connecticut auto policy that pays reasonable medical expenses regardless of who was at fault. Under the state’s rules, summarized in Connecticut Insurance Department Bulletin PC-48, it covers expenses incurred within one year of the accident, and on policies effective on or after November 1, 2000, it pays ahead of your other health insurance. Total recovery for medical expenses from all sources cannot exceed what the care actually cost. Many drivers have no idea whether they carry it, so look at your declarations page or ask your agent.
- Your health insurance. Your regular health plan may pay for accident-related care, with its usual deductibles and copays. Ask your plan how it handles bills tied to a car accident, since some plans expect to be repaid out of a later settlement.
- Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Every Connecticut auto policy must include it. The Insurance Department explains that it covers you, relatives who live with you and your passengers when the driver who caused the crash has no insurance, drives off, or carries too little liability insurance.
What every Connecticut driver must carry
State law requires auto insurance to drive legally. According to the Connecticut Insurance Department, the minimums are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, plus uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. Those limits rose from $20,000 and $40,000 on January 1, 2018, under Public Act 17-114 and Bulletin PC-86. The department itself strongly urges drivers to consider higher limits.
Here is why those numbers matter for your medical bills. If the other driver carries only the minimum, $25,000 may be the most their policy pays for any one injured person. When the costs of an injury run higher, your own underinsured motorist coverage may help with the difference. It is worth checking your limits now, before you ever need them.
Deadlines to keep in mind
Connecticut’s general time limit for filing a lawsuit over an injury caused by negligence is two years from the date the injury is first sustained or discovered, under Connecticut General Statutes Section 52-584. MedPay has its own one-year window for expenses. Insurance policies carry notice requirements too, so tell your insurer about the accident promptly, even if you are sure the other driver was at fault.
Practical steps in the first few weeks
- Report the accident to your own insurance company and write down the claim number.
- Get the other driver’s insurance company and policy number from the police report or the exchange at the scene.
- Ask your agent whether you have MedPay and what the limit is.
- Keep every bill, receipt and explanation of benefits in one folder or one email label.
- Bring your auto claim number and health insurance card to every new provider you see.
- Keep a short log of your symptoms and appointments. A simple record helps when the claim is reviewed.
Where we come in
Personal injury care is one of the main areas we focus on at Slovin Chiropractic Center, 99 Main Street, Norwalk, CT 06851, along with complex and chronic cases. We are Dr. Brenda Slovin and Dr. Erik Slovin, and we have spent more than 25 years helping patients make sense of what comes after an accident. We accept most major insurance, our office speaks Spanish, and Saturday visits are available by appointment only. You can read more on our Auto Injuries page. If your back is bothering you after a crash, our post on how long back pain lasts after a car accident covers what is typical and what is not, and our list of 7 things not to do after a car accident is a good read in the first week.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check with your insurer or an attorney about your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
Is Connecticut a no-fault state for car accidents?
No. Connecticut repealed its no-fault law, which stopped applying at the start of 1994. Injured people generally seek payment from the at-fault driver’s liability insurance.
Will my own car insurance pay my medical bills if the crash was not my fault?
It can, if your policy includes medical payments coverage, which pays regardless of fault, or if the other driver was uninsured or underinsured. Otherwise the at-fault driver’s insurer is expected to pay once fault is settled, and your health insurance may pay in the meantime.
What if the driver who hit me has no insurance?
Every Connecticut policy must include uninsured motorist coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. It covers you, relatives living with you and your passengers when the at-fault driver has no insurance or leaves the scene.
Have questions about your bills or the pain you are feeling after an accident? Call us at (203) 840-0000 or book a visit.
