Whether you should use your health insurance for medical bills related to an Uber car accident will vary based on where you’re at in the claims process and whether the insurance company is agreeing to cover your medical bills.
The short answer is that you should use your medical insurance to cover your bills instead of incurring the expenses while Uber is sorting through the details of your claim. However, you should still provide your doctor’s office or medical clinic with the insurance company name and claim number. That way, they can directly bill the services to Uber’s insurance once your claim is approved.
Using Health Insurance to Cover Personal Injury Medical Bills
When you’ve suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence – whether that be an Uber accident, pedestrian accident, faulty product, etc. – you just want to get better quickly and make a full recovery.
But that can be hard when you don’t know where the money will come from and you’re worried about bill collectors calling you or facing a lien on your property while the doctor or medical provider awaits payment.
You have options when facing bills related to an Uber accident. Here are some ways you can pay for your medical bills while awaiting Uber’s insurance policy to pay out on your claim.
- File a claim with your auto insurance provider. If you have insurance, you may be able to use it to pay for your expenses. The insurer will then use a process called subrogation to get Uber’s insurance company to reimburse it for the expenses.
- Use your medical insurance. Your medical insurance might also use subrogation to pursue repayment for all bills it pays out for your care.
- Seek compensation through your Medpay coverage. Not all insurance policies have this as it is an optional add-on in Virginia. But if you have Medpay coverage, this is the perfect time to use it. This provides medical payments (MedPay) in case of an accident regardless of fault. That means that even if you are at fault for the accident, the MedPay coverage will apply.
Will I Have to Repay My Medical Insurance Company Once I Reach a Settlement with Uber?
It depends. The insurance company might seek out this money directly from Uber as explained above. That means that when you settle, Uber might pay part of that settlement directly to your medical insurance provider since they took legal action against Uber.
Or, your medical insurance company might ask you for repayment once you settle. Refusing to pay that money back could mean that your medical insurance provider sues you for those damages, which you want to avoid.
Additionally, your medical insurance provider might put a lien against your property or your Uber settlement.
You should also have your attorney work directly with your medical insurance provider. That’s because, much like any insurance company, they are not your friend. They will use legal terms to get payment from you whether you’re legally required to make that payment or not.
Virginia’s Anti-Subrogation Law
In Virginia, insurance companies may not pursue subrogation (recompense for paid insurance from another party) unless the health insurance type has been specifically identified by Virginia law. This is rare, but you may see it when insurers like Medicaid, Medicare, and general federal plans are involved.
Take Your Uber Accident Seriously With Geoff McDonald & Associates
Your attorney knows who owes what money once you reach a settlement. Be sure to take the attorney’s advice seriously and always have them present during conversations with the insurance companies.
Geoff McDonald & Associates will guide you in finding strategic ways to pay your medical bills after an Uber accident and ensure you go through the right legal processes to protect yourself and ensure a strong physical and financial recovery from the accident. Schedule your free consultation with our team today.
