Do I have to pay anything at the first visit?

The accident consultation is free. If PIP applies, care is billed to it. If it does not, Dr. Frank explains the options before any treatment is billed.

Will my rates go up if I use my PIP?

Florida law prohibits insurers from raising your rates or cancelling your policy for a PIP claim on a crash that was not your fault.

Can I be seen if I was a passenger?

Yes. The policy on the car you were in, or your own policy if you have one, covers you as a passenger.

I was in a car accident in Florida and have no health insurance. Can I still get treated?

Health insurance is the wrong question

Florida is a no-fault state. Every registered vehicle carries Personal Injury Protection, and PIP is the first payer for injuries from a crash, ahead of any health plan. It pays 80 percent of reasonable medical bills up to $10,000, whether or not the crash was your fault, as long as you get your first care within 14 days.

So the first question is not "do I have health insurance." It is "was there an auto policy on the car I was in, or on a car I own." If yes, you are covered for care.

Whose PIP pays

In order of priority under Florida law:

Your own auto policy, if you own a car, even if you were a passenger in someone else's.
A resident relative's policy, if you do not own a car but live with someone who does.
The policy on the car you were riding in, if neither of the above applies.
If none of those exist, the at-fault driver's policy may cover you through a bodily injury claim.

If there is no PIP anywhere

This happens: an uninsured driver, a borrowed car with lapsed coverage, a pedestrian with no car in the household. Care is still possible. Under a Letter of Protection, an attorney handling your claim guarantees payment for treatment out of the eventual settlement, and the office treats you now with nothing out of pocket. Spine Way works under Letters of Protection regularly and never requires you to hire a lawyer to be seen.

If you would rather not involve an attorney, ask about a cash plan. The accident consultation itself is free, and Dr. Frank will tell you plainly what care would cost and whether you need it.

The 14-day deadline is the part that costs people

Whatever the payer, the clock is the same. Fourteen days from the crash to your first exam with a qualifying provider, or PIP is gone. People without health insurance are the most likely to wait, because they assume they cannot afford to be seen. That assumption is what makes the injury expensive.

What to bring

To the first visit:

Your driver's license and any auto insurance card, yours or the car owner's.
The crash report number, if you have it.
The at-fault driver's insurance information from the exchange at the scene.
A list of what has hurt since the crash and when it started.