How Does an Insurance Company Pay Accident Medical Bills?

Ramie Shalabi | February 20, 2025 | Personal Injury

Injuries take time and medical assistance to recover from unless they’re incredibly minor. Broken bones require casts to heal. Severe injuries can warrant the need for immediate emergency surgery. These treatments cost money. An understandable question that’s likely to pop up in your mind is: “How does an insurance company pay accident or accident medical bills?”

If left unpaid, your physical or digital bills incurred from treating your injuries can go into collections, creating additional expenses and risking wage garnishment and time spent in court.

Let our personal injury attorneys in Columbia, SC, walk you through how to pay medical bills after an injury with insurance or while you’re uninsured. You’ll also discover why pursuing legal aid in South Carolina after an injury is helpful.

Expenses Victims Face After Personal Injuries

Depending on your injuries, you may require short or long-term medical treatment. Typical expenses incurred after a personal injury can include:

• Ambulance rides
• Emergency room visits
• Primary physician appointments
• Surgery
• Medication costs
• Visiting a specialist
• Physical therapy

As you can imagine, these expenses can stack up quickly, especially if your injuries require long-term treatment. This burden can even affect those paying medical bills after an injury with insurance.

How Are Medical Bills Paid After Personal Injuries Occur?

Most people pay their post-injury medical bills through their insurance provider. The type of insurance utilized depends on what caused your injuries.

For instance, your automobile insurance provider may be able to help after injuries sustained in a car crash. Your health insurance provider offers coverage for non-automobile-related personal injuries.

• Your Health Insurance Provider: If you have it, your best bet is to pay for your immediate medical expenses (or as much of them as possible) through your health insurance policy. How to pay medical bills after an injury with insurance will vary based on your provider and coverage chosen.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): PIP doesn’t involve itself with who’s at fault. Having this kind of no-fault coverage can help pay for medical bills. It may also cover lost wages and other injury-related expenses.
• MedPay: This is an optional type of automobile insurance coverage. Because of that, it’s only for injuries sustained after car collisions. It will not cover personal injuries. MedPay also won’t usually cover lost wages or non-medically related injury expenses.
• Settlement Liens: In some cases, even insured individuals could face significant out-of-pocket medical expenses. If so, a settlement lien can let you receive the upfront care you need. If your case is resolved, your care provider receives compensation by placing a lien on your settlement. This also means you can receive medical treatment even if you do not have health insurance. You could wait until your case settles and pay your medical bills from your car accident settlement.

How to Pay Medical Bills After an Injury With Insurance

Being insured can provide a lifeline amid the turmoil of seemingly non-stop medical bills and notices. If you have health insurance, follow these steps after a personal injury occurs:

• Notify Your Insurance Provider Right Away: When you’re safe, contact your insurer to let them know you were recently insured. This step is key to how insurance companies pay medical bills after an accident.
• Understand What’s Covered: As you know, different insurance companies offer varying levels of coverage. Most insurance providers won’t cover 100% of your overall medical expenses. Find out your policy’s deductibles, limits, and out-of-pocket payment amounts.
• Submit Expenses to Your Insurance Company: A crucial aspect of covering your expenses is proof of their existence and how much you owe.
• Speak With Multiple Providers (If Applicable): While not always, your health and automobile insurance providers may offer complimentary coverage after coordinating.

How to Pay Medical Bills Without Insurance After an Injury

Insurance often cushions the considerable financial blow of post-injury expenses. However, not everyone has insurance. If you do not have health insurance, don’t fret. Other options exist. Speak with a DSB Law Firm attorney to see how insurance companies pay their accident medical bills.

Uninsured people can seek help with expenses through:

• Settlement Liens: Considering how long some cases take to resolve, some medical providers are unwilling to wait until your case settles to receive payment. However, there are doctors and specialists who understand the process and are willing to wait until the end of your case before receiving payment for medical bills from a car accident. DSB Law Firm can assist you with finding these providers for you so that you can receive the treatment you need. This is a great option for paying medical bills without insurance after an injury.
• Payment Plans: Thankfully, many medical providers understand that not everyone can pay 100% of their medical bills immediately. That’s why they offer payment plans, which allow you to spread out smaller payments over a predetermined period.
• Upfront Cash Payment: While not always an option, some companies may discount your expenses if you can provide a sizable upfront payment. This is usually not recommended by us.
• Financial Assistance Programs: Another option is to receive financial aid, which is often an option for patients meeting income-related guidelines or those without health insurance.

Find Legal Aid in South Carolina After an Injury

Navigating legal and medical complexities is challenging, especially while dealing with the aftermath of injuries. Thankfully, there’s hope. Understanding how insurance companies pay accident medical bills is a vital concern. Knowing that insurance covers some or all of your medical expenses can provide understandable peace of mind.

Another concern is holding those responsible for your injuries legally accountable. Contact DSB, an experienced team of personal injury attorneys in South Carolina. We represent injured people.

We also help clients with:

• Negotiating With Insurance Providers: We understand how insurance companies pay accident-related medical bills. Because of that, we’re well-versed in accurately determining how much compensation those we represent deserve.
• Submitting Case Information: Personal injury claims involve significant paperwork. We’ll ensure you file your documents promptly and correctly.
• Building a Strong Case: We’ll gather evidence, document the extent of your expenses, and handle other matters, doing everything possible to maximize the compensation the at-fault party’s insurance company pays toward your medical bills.

DSB works on contingency. That means you don’t have to worry about paying for legal aid in South Carolina after your injury. Our legal team stands up to and negotiates with insurance companies, working to get you the settlement you deserve. Get your free consultation today.