If you’ve been in an accident, it can be nerve-racking to ask your insurance company for payment for your expenses related to the accident.
But you shouldn’t let fear or pride get in the way of recovering the money you are owed from your insurance policy.
Here are 9 Times You Should Ask Your Insurance Company for Payment.
9 Times You Should Ask Your Insurance Company for Payment
1) If You’re In an Accident
If you’re in an accident and the other driver doesn’t have insurance, then you’ll want to contact your own insurance company.
They may be able to help pay your medical bills or replace your totaled car.
If you find out that someone’s trying to defraud you by claiming they were injured in an accident, then you should immediately notify your insurance company and law enforcement.
They’ll be able to investigate the claim and determine whether or not it’s false. If it is, then this person could face criminal charges if convicted.
In addition, you will be compensated for any damages incurred as a result of their fraud because your insurer will cover these costs.
2) If you need to file a report with your insurer
To protect yourself against the risk of being sued by another party, you may need to file a report with your insurance company.
An example would be if there was damage done to your property due to another party’s negligence or illegal activity.
Or if someone stole from you and reported it on their insurance policy without telling you first.
3) If You Receive a Diagnosis
If you receive a diagnosis, it’s important to know when you should ask your insurance company for payment.
If you need medical care right away and your coverage starts on the first of the month, then it may be best to ask them to pay the deductible now so that your out-of-pocket expenses are lower.
If your coverage doesn’t start until March 1st and you need surgery in February, then it may be best to wait until after the procedure is complete before asking for payment from your insurance company.
Make sure to read your plan documents carefully so you don’t have any surprises with regards to when and how much they’ll cover.
For example, if you go over your yearly maximum or use up all of your allotted treatment benefits, then chances are they won’t cover anything else.
Remember to take into account whether or not there’s an annual max as well as what your deductible is because this will affect the amount you’ll have to spend upfront versus what you might end up paying at the end of the year if everything is covered fully.
4) If You Have a Procedure Done
If you have a procedure done, and your insurance requires you to do the procedure pre authorization, then you should ask for payment from your insurance company.
If not, there are five other times when you should ask for payment from your insurance company.
5) If There’s a Mistake in Medical Records:
If there is an error in your medical records that causes you to go through with more treatment than necessary, it is important that you contact your insurance company so they can make the correction on their end.
6) If The Treatment Costs More Than Expected:
If treatment costs more than expected because of complications or errors on behalf of the hospital or clinic, they may be able to file an appeal with the insurer and get them cover these costs.
However, if it was just a mistake made by the physician during surgery, this appeal process would not apply.
In some states hospice care coverage starts at 100% once you’re terminally ill and need to start hospice care.
7) If You’re Hospitalized
If you’re hospitalized and need to stay longer than a week, it’s time to ask your insurance company for payment.
They may only cover 7 days of inpatient care, but if the hospitalization exceeds that, you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket.
For example, if you stay in the hospital for 10 days, your insurance will pay only 7 of those days.
That leaves you with 3 days worth of expenses to pay on your own.
8) That can add up quickly! Remember:
the doctors, nurses, specialists and therapists are still being paid during that 3 day period so they won’t provide services pro bono while you wait for reimbursement from your insurer.
If you’ve had a car accident and need treatment for your injuries, then it’s important to understand what type of coverage your auto insurance offers (usually through Personal Injury Protection or PIP).
9) If You Need Medication
If you need medical or dental care, don’t be afraid to ask your insurance company for payment.
If you’re injured and need medication, don’t be afraid to ask your insurance company for payment.
If you find out a test was done improperly and you need another one, don’t be afraid to ask your insurance company for payment.
If the condition you have has gotten worse while waiting on an answer, don’t be afraid to ask your insurance company for payment.
If you’ve been waiting six months for a surgery that could have been done in two months, don’t be afraid to ask your insurance company for payment.
If you’ve had four doctors in three years and still can’t get any relief, don’t be afraid to ask your insurance company for payment.
If you feel like they aren’t doing everything they can do, don’t be afraid to ask your insurance company for payment.
If it’s been eight weeks since you filed your claim and you still haven’t heard anything back, don’t be afraid to ask your insurance company for payment.