contact
Copyright ©2026 BK Law Group, LLC. All rights reserved.
Free Initial Consultation 24/7
When a collision occurs, you shouldn’t have to worry about navigating insurance before you receive needed treatment. With no-fault (NF) or personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, you can seek immediate treatment and handle the claim while you recover. Read our blog to learn how Minnesota’s no-fault or PIP insurance works after a car accident, and reach out to our legal team today.
No-fault (NF) insurance is also referred to as personal injury protection or PIP insurance. This is your own insurance that covers up to $20,000 in medical expenses incurred as a result of the collision. NF or PIP insurance is available whether you are at fault for the collision or not.
Yes, Minnesota is a No-Fault State, which means your no-fault (NF) or personal injury protection (PIP) auto insurance policy is the first priority to cover your medical expenses and nonmedical expenses when you file a claim after a collision. Minnesota also requires minimum policy limits for PIP coverage. The minimum policy for PIP coverage is $40,000: $20,000 for medical expenses, including mileage reimbursement, and $20,000 for non-medical expenses such as wage loss and replacement services.
PIP insurance protects you against medical costs and medical debt while you seek treatment for the injuries you sustained in the collision. PIP insurance covers up to $20,000 of medical expenses incurred as a result of the collision. PIP insurance is in place, so you can seek treatment immediately after the collision with the reassurance that you have some coverage. Unlike bodily injury insurance, which is used to cover the cost of the other driver’s potential injuries, the NF or PIP insurance is intended to cover you for immediate treatment after the collision. NF or PIP insurance is available even if you were at fault for the collision, hence its name, no-fault or personal injury protection; this insurance is in place to assist you in receiving medical care after a collision.
If Minnesota were not a no-fault state, you would have to wait for reimbursement of all your medical expenses until the settlement of the case, which can take up to a year, if not longer. Minnesota saw how burdensome this was for injured individuals and determined to switch to a no-fault standard, shifting the medical expense burden to the injured party’s auto insurance rather than to the injured party. While this additional protection contributes to your overall premium, the PIP benefit is readily available if you are ever involved in a collision and helps you with the overwhelming cost of medical care. After a collision, you want to seek immediate treatment without worrying about insurance claims. Since Minnesota shifted to a no-fault state, you are able to do just that; you can prioritize your treatments and focus on your recovery before attempting to establish a claim against the at-fault party’s insurance.
No-fault or PIP coverage is not based on who was at fault; it is your own auto insurance covering you for injuries sustained in the collision. Your auto insurance is the first priority, so you can seek immediate treatment after a collision. In order to seek reimbursement from the at-fault party’s insurance, you would need to file a bodily injury claim. The PIP insurance is strictly in place, so you can seek treatment without being burdened by medical costs.
The at-fault party’s insurance should compensate you for the medical costs incurred at the settlement of the case. However, PIP covers you now, so you aren’t burdened with the medical costs while you wait for the settlement of the case. During the settlement, the insurance company will compensate you based on the medical costs incurred, the pain and suffering endured, and the alteration to your daily life. However, the bodily injury settlement check comes at the end of the case, and personal injury cases can take a year or longer to complete. While the at-fault party’s insurance is not paying for your medical costs now, they should pay compensation in the future. The PIP coverage is in place to relieve you of the burden of medical costs as you continue to treat your injuries.
If you are still seeking treatment when your No-Fault Benefits run out, then payment will be sent to your Health Insurance. Your health insurance will then keep a subrogation lien documenting all the payments made in relation to the collision. If a settlement is reached, your health insurance will seek reimbursement for payments made in relation to the collision. It’s important to send the front and back of your health insurance card to your legal team at BK Law Group, as we will ensure to follow up on the health insurance lien as the claim progresses.
If you are worried about payments and that is preventing your further treatment, please reach out to your legal team at BK Law Group, and we will discuss the next steps and how we will navigate your claim moving forward.
Yes, even if your no-fault claim is still open and has not settled, you can open a bodily injury claim. While these two claims are used to receive compensation from the collision, the NF claim is your own insurance paying for your needed treatments, and the bodily injury (BI) claim is the at-fault party’s insurance, which pays for the pain and suffering endured as a result of the collision.
Yes, while these two claims are separate, the no-fault claim does affect the bodily injury claim. If you utilize all your NF benefits, that is proof to the BI insurance that you needed these benefits and have likely incurred additional medical expenses due to your injuries, potentially increasing your overall settlement value. If you do not exhaust your no-fault benefits, then the BI insurance will use that as proof to show you don’t need as much compensation, since you didn’t utilize all your available medical benefits.
At BK Law Group, we understand navigating claims can be difficult while you are trying to focus on your and your family’s health. Understanding how Minnesota’s no-fault or PIP insurance works after a car accident is crucial to protecting your health and your rights. If you would like assistance navigating your claims, contact BK Law Group at 952-314-5101, and our dedicated personal injury team would be more than happy to help.
Copyright ©2026 BK Law Group, LLC. All rights reserved.