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If you were injured in a bicycle accident in Pennsylvania and a car was involved, you might assume the driver’s insurance will automatically pay for your medical bills and damage to your bike. In reality, determining whether (and how) car insurance applies to a bicycle crash is much more complicated. Coverage depends on the type of insurance in place, who was at fault, and how the incident occurred.
For injured cyclists, delaying or denying coverage can have serious consequences. If your injuries involve long-term medical expenses or lost income, you need to know your legal and insurance options. A Pennsylvania bicycle accident lawyer can help you make sense of your insurance rights and help you pursue full compensation under the law.
Let’s take a look at how car insurance policies may apply after a bicycle crash.
When a cyclist is struck by a motor vehicle, the at-fault driver’s auto insurance may offer coverage, but that’s only one possible route to compensation. In many cases, the cyclist’s own auto insurance can also come into effect, but other types of car insurance may also apply.
If the driver of the car was at fault for the crash, their liability coverage typically pays for the cyclist’s excess medical expenses, property damage, and other losses, up to the policy limits. In Pennsylvania, the minimum required bodily injury coverage is $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for physical injuries, with separate coverage available for damage to property. However, these amounts can easily be insufficient in serious injury cases.
Cyclists pursuing liability claims must be prepared to show that the driver was negligent, which is why you should collect and retain any police reports, medical documentation, and eyewitness testimony from the scene.
If the at-fault driver has no insurance or flees the scene, a cyclist may still have options under uninsured motorist coverage, usually included in the cyclist’s own auto policy, even if they weren’t driving at the time of the crash.
In Pennsylvania, uninsured motorist (UM) coverage can be triggered if:
UM claims can be useful in cases involving serious personal injuries or hit-and-run incidents where tracking down the driver is unlikely.
Along the same lines, a bicyclist’s underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage can step in to provide additional coverage if the at-fault driver has coverage, but the limits are not adequate.
Under Pennsylvania’s choice no-fault system, resident drivers are required to carry Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. If applicable, PIP can cover medical bills, rehabilitation costs, and (sometimes) lost wages, regardless of who caused the accident.
Cyclists who own a vehicle and have a motor vehicle policy can typically file a claim under their own policy for PIP benefits. If they don’t have a policy, they might be covered under a household member’s policy, depending on the circumstances.
The amount of PIP benefits is limited to the amount selected when the insurance policy was purchased, with the state’s minimal coverage being $5,000 in Pennsylvania, but it can help cover immediate accident medical expenses while other claims are pending.
While collision coverage is typically used for vehicle damage, it can also apply when a cyclist collides with a car, particularly if the cyclist is deemed at fault and has collision coverage on their own policy. In these rare cases, collision insurance might help cover property damage to the cyclist’s bicycle.
However, this type of claim usually comes with a hefty deductible, and reimbursement is limited to the market value of the bike, minus that deductible. For high-end bikes, cyclists should investigate whether their homeowner’s or renter’s insurance offers better protection, and collision coverage may not even apply to damage to a bicycle, depending on the policy language.
Beyond car insurance, other policies help cover medical costs or property damage after a bike crash.
Your health insurance policy may cover medical treatment, follow-up care, and prescriptions, especially if there is no PIP coverage available. Likewise, once PIP coverage is exhausted, remaining medical expenses would be submitted to one’s health insurance carrier, though health insurance often does not provide full coverage for bills, leaving you with deductibles, copays, or non-covered services. These out-of-pocket expenses can be included with the claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance policy if applicable.
These policies may cover your injuries or property damage if another cyclist or pedestrian was at fault. They can also cover damage to your own bike, if it’s specifically listed on the policy.
If you’ve been injured in a bicycle accident involving a motor vehicle, even if the driver fled the scene, your next actions can directly impact your ability to file an insurance claim or pursue legal compensation. Here’s what to do right away:
If you were injured in a bicycle accident and aren’t sure what your insurance covers, or what the driver’s insurance should pay, a Pennsylvania bicycle accident lawyer can help you sort out these issues while you focus on your recovery. A Pennsylvania bicycle accident lawyer can identify all available insurance policies, negotiate with insurers, and provide experienced legal guidance that will make a meaningful difference in your recovery.
Don’t guess about your rights. Contact Solnick Lawyers to speak with a qualified attorney to discuss your claim and protect your interests. Put Solnick Lawyers on your side!
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