Does Insurance Cover Post-Accident Physical Therapy?

Every car accident—even a minor one—can cause shock, fear, and emotional distress. Aside from these mental symptoms, you may also be dealing with physical pain after a collision. In many cases, physical therapy can help reduce your pain and restore your mobility—not to mention your overall quality of life. But who pays for physical therapy, and is it covered by your insurance? Here’s what you need to know about post-accident physical therapy, and whether insurance will cover it. 

Does Insurance Cover Physical Therapy After a Car Accident?

Physical therapy is a routine treatment for a wide range of injuries, especially those caused by the impact of a car collision. While everyone’s recovery journey is different, there’s one thing they have in common: paying for treatment can be challenging. 

Don’t assume that you must pay for physical therapy out of pocket–instead, research all available payment sources, especially insurance policies. Luckily, Florida drivers are protected under the law. Florida car owners are required to purchase $10,000 of Personal Injury Protection, PIP, insurance coverage. Regardless of which party caused the accident, this no-fault insurance pays benefits to the insured party.

Your PIP policy covers you if you’re injured in a crash—whether you’re the driver or a passenger. It pays up to 80% of your medical bills after an accident, including physical therapy, but you must seek medical treatment within 14 days of the incident. If you didn’t sustain an emergency medical condition, in some cases, the insurance company may only be liable to cover $2,500 in your medical bills.

Other Coverage Options

If you exhaust your PIP benefits and need continued care, your health insurance may cover the cost of your physical therapy bills, but payments are subject to your policy terms. That means you’ll need to pay any deductibles or co-pays for therapy. 

If the other driver is at fault for the accident—and they hold valid liability insurance—you may receive reimbursement for physical therapy bills and other damages. If you can prove the other person caused the accident, that the accident caused injuries, and that you required physical therapy as part of your recovery, you should be covered for your economic damages, including medical bills.

What to Do If You Need Physical Therapy After a Car Accident

You should seek prompt medical care after a car accident—even if you don’t have any apparent injuries. Any delay in medical care could make any damage or injuries worse and can lengthen your recovery time. Call the caring medical team at Impact Medical Group of Brandon today at (813) 522-8885 to schedule your free consultation. We’ll work with you and any relevant insurance providers to ensure you get the care you need to support your full recovery.