What is personal injury protection (PIP)?
Personal injury protection, or PIP, is coverage on your own car policy that pays your and your passengers’ medical bills after a crash and also things like lost wages and other nonmedical costs. It pays no matter who caused the crash, so you do not have to wait for a fault decision.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (5)
How does PIP work? An example
Example: you live in Texas and carry $2,500 of PIP. You are hurt in a crash that the police report blames on you. Your ER visit costs $1,400, and you miss a week of work worth $900. Your own insurer can pay both, $2,300 in total, because Texas PIP is paid without regard to who caused the collision. The other $200 stays available for a follow-up visit.
If your bills had been $8,000, PIP would still stop at $2,500. The rest would fall on health insurance, the other driver’s liability coverage if they were at fault, or you.
Why does PIP matter after a crash?
PIP is usually the fastest money you can get. Your own insurer pays it, so you do not need to prove the other driver was careless, and it can cover lost pay, which health insurance never does.
Open the PIP claim early. Some states set short deadlines, and your policy may require prompt notice. Also check your declarations page: PIP appears there with its dollar limit, and many people learn only after a crash that they turned it down.
How does PIP differ by state?
| State | What the official source says |
|---|---|
| Texas | Included in every policy unless refused in writing. The law does not require more than $2,500 per person. |
| Florida | 80 percent of necessary and reasonable medical costs up to $10,000, no matter who caused the crash. |
No-fault states have their own PIP amounts and their own rules on lawsuits. Our guide to which states are no-fault lists them state by state.
PIP vs. MedPay vs. bodily injury liability
PIP and MedPay both come from your own policy. MedPay sticks to medical bills, while PIP adds lost wages and other costs. Bodily injury liability is different: it is the at-fault driver’s coverage, and it pays the people that driver hurt, not the driver.
Questions
Does PIP pay if the crash was my fault?
Yes. In Texas, PIP is paid without regard to fault.
Can I get PIP and still sue the other driver?
It depends on your state’s rules on fault and lawsuits. Check the no-fault insurance entry and your state page before you decide.
How do I know if I have PIP?
Look at the declarations page of your policy for personal injury protection or PIP and its dollar limit, or call your insurer.
Find out if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (5)
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “Personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is similar to medical payments coverage. It pays your and your passengers’ medical bills. But it also pays for things like lost wages and other nonmedical costs.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “All auto policies in Texas include PIP coverage. If you don’t want it, you must tell the company in writing.”
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, checked 2026-11-09. “PIP covers 80 percent of all necessary and reasonable medical expenses up to $10,000 resulting from a covered injury, no matter who caused the crash.”
- Tex. Ins. Code ch. 1952, checked 2026-11-09. “the fault or nonfault of the named insured or recipient in causing or contributing to the collision”
- Tex. Ins. Code ch. 1952, checked 2026-11-09. “This subchapter does not require an insurer to provide personal injury protection coverage in an amount that exceeds $2,500 for all benefits, in the aggregate, for each person.”