New York No-Fault Insurance
New York is one of just a handful of states that have adopted no-fault insurance, and the no-fault concept is still unfamiliar to many people. Everyone who is driving a vehicle registered in New York is required to have liability insurance. The no-fault aspect of New York’s liability insurance means that your vehicle insurance company automatically pays for your damages when you’ve been in an accident, regardless of who was at fault.
This is the fundamental difference between no-fault insurance and traditional auto insurance; in the traditional insurance plan, the insurance companies of the two (or more) vehicles involved in an accident have to hash it out and argue about whose fault the accident was, and how much damages each insurance company has to pay. No-fault insurance is designed to avoid such hassles.
New York No-Fault Limits
With New York’s no-fault insurance program, your insurance company pays for your damages, even if the accident was your fault. The damages paid are only up to a specified limit. However, this no-fault policy means that your damages will definitely be covered, and that you are protected from being sued by the other driver(s) if you’re at fault.
No-Fault Benefits
Anyone who is injured in a vehicle accident, except for motorcycle riders, is eligible for no-fault insurance benefits. These benefits include:
• lost earnings
• medical expenses
• other reasonable and necessary expenses such as -
prescriptions
travel expenses
household help
Deadline for Applying for Benefits
Persons who are injured in a motor vehicle accident need to file an application for no-fault benefits within 30 days of the date of the accident. There is a significant amount of paperwork involved; for example, forms for medical bills and other expenses.
Get Help for Your Losses and Costs
The New York no-fault insurance program is not always easily navigated. If you have questions or you’d like help dealing with the system after your accident, contact the New York personal injury lawyers of Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman, P.C. today for advice and representation.