Tip #60: In New Jersey, your own PIP pays your medical bills first after a crash
New Jersey uses a no-fault system, so after a crash your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays your medical expenses first, regardless of who caused it. Damage to the car, including the tow, is handled separately.
Tip #60 in one line
New Jersey uses a no-fault system, so after a crash your own Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage pays your medical expenses first, regardless of who caused it. Damage to the car, including the tow, is handled separately.
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Call nowWhat no-fault means here
New Jersey is a no-fault auto insurance state. In plain terms, if you are hurt in a crash, your own policy's Personal Injury Protection, usually called PIP, pays for your medical treatment first, whoever was at fault. The idea is to get people treated without waiting for the fault question to be settled.
PIP is required on New Jersey auto policies, but the amount of coverage and the options attached to it differ from policy to policy. Your declarations page shows what you chose. If you are not sure, your agent or insurer can explain it. This is general information, not legal or insurance advice.
One practical point: report the crash to your insurer even if you feel fine and the damage looks small. A delay in reporting can complicate both the injury side and the vehicle side of a claim. Your insurer will tell you what it needs next.
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Call nowWhat PIP does not cover
PIP is about injuries. Damage to the car, including the cost of towing it from the scene, falls under a different part of insurance: your collision coverage, or the other driver's liability coverage if they were at fault. That is why the tow receipt goes into the vehicle damage claim, not the injury claim.
Fault still matters for the car. If the other driver caused the crash, their insurer may end up paying for your repairs and the tow. If you caused it, or fault is unclear, your collision coverage typically handles it, subject to your deductible.
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Call nowAt the scene
Call 911 if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked. Get the police report number, the other driver's insurance details and photos. Report the crash to your own insurer promptly; PIP claims start there. If you feel any pain, get checked; some injuries show up hours later.
For the car, call your own tow so it goes to the body shop you choose and not a yard that charges by the day. Our accident towing runs from Linden at any hour, quoted as a flat hook fee plus mileage. Call (908) 444-0129, and read the accident towing guide for the full checklist.
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Call nowMore on accidents & insurance
Keep reading, or go back to every post on the blog.
- What to do after a car accident in New Jersey
- Tip #36: At a multi-car crash, get people safe before you think about the cars
- Tip #37: Take timestamped photos before the car moves an inch
- Tip #59: Check whether your policy covers roadside help, and keep the receipt either way
- Tip #61: Your insurer will ask for a claim number, photos and the police report number
- Tip #66: You can usually choose your tow, but the police decide when safety requires it
- Tip #67: A roadside club and a local tow operator each have a place, so know when to use which
- Tip #69: Getting a tow reimbursed is four steps, and the first happens at the car
- All posts
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