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Is Personal Injury Protection Required in Georgia?

By Butler Prather LLP on August 17, 2020

Every state sets minimum vehicle insurance requirements for drivers. Regardless of where you live, failing to carry adequate auto insurance can result in significant fines and other penalties. However, the amount and type of insurance required varies significantly from state to state. One type of insurance coverage that many states require is called personal injury protection (PIP). However, drivers in Georgia are not required to buy PIP coverage. Regardless, personal injury protection coverage may still be a good type of coverage for Georgia drivers to have. Here, we want to discuss what this coverage is and what it can do to help you in the event an accident occurs.

personal injury protection

What is personal injury protection insurance coverage?

Personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is a form of insurance that pays for your injuries and any injuries to your passengers regardless of who was at fault for the collision. PIP coverage is typically associated with “no-fault” insurance states where each driver turns to their personal insurance carrier for coverage regardless of which party was at fault for the incident.

While Georgia is not a “no-fault” state, PIP coverage can still prove to be incredibly valuable. Often, victims of crashes experience significant emergency and follow-up medical bills that are not immediately paid by the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier. With PIP coverage, you can be sure that these expenses will almost always be covered.

PIP coverage can also be incredibly valuable if you are partially or completely at fault for a car accident. Instead of worrying about how your medical bills will be paid, you will be able to use your PIP coverage. Georgia operates under a modified comparative negligence system, which means that a person can still recover compensation for a crash even if they are partially at fault, so long as they are not 50% or more responsible for the incident. However, their total compensation will be reduced based on their percentage of fault. This reduced compensation may not cover all of the medical expenses a person incurs, but PIP insurance could bridge the difference.

Finally, PIP insurance can prove to be valuable in the event you are struck by a hit and run driver or a driver with no insurance coverage at all.

PIP insurance does not cover any damage to your vehicle, and it will not pay for damage to another person’s property or any medical expenses that exceed your PIP coverage limits.

What is the required minimum insurance for Georgia drivers?

To remain legal on the roadways in Georgia, drivers are required to carry the following types of automobile insurance:

  • Bodily injury liability insurance: $25,00 per person and $50,000 per accident
  • Property damage liability insurance: $25,000 per accident

Though it is strongly recommended, drivers in Georgia are not required to carry uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. This type of coverage often proves to be invaluable in the event a person is struck by a driver without insurance coverage or if they are struck by a driver who only carries the minimum amount of insurance. As mentioned above, PIP insurance coverage could also be used in these situations, though it will typically not provide as much coverage as actual uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance. Call us today to speak with our Atlanta personal injury attorneys.

Posted in: Personal Injury


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