PIP Insurance & Chiropractic Care in Utah
Hurt in a crash and worried about what care will cost? In Utah, your own auto insurance pays for your treatment - at least the first $3,000 - no matter who caused the accident. Here's how it works.
What Is PIP Insurance in Utah?
PIP stands for Personal Injury Protection. Utah is a no-fault state, which means every auto insurance policy sold here includes PIP – and after a crash, it is your own policy that pays for your medical care first, even if the other driver was 100% at fault.
Utah law requires at least $3,000 of PIP coverage per person (Utah Code 31A-22-307). That money exists for one purpose: getting you examined and treated quickly, without waiting weeks for insurance companies to argue about who was at fault.
PIP is the foundation of car accident insurance coverage in Utah County and across the state. It covers you as the driver, every passenger in your car, and even pedestrians and cyclists struck by a vehicle. If you were hurt in a crash, this is the coverage that pays for your car accident treatment first – and as a car accident chiropractor serving Utah County, we work with PIP claims every single day.
What Does Utah PIP Cover?
Medical care – at least $3,000
“Reasonable and necessary” treatment for your crash injuries: exams, X-rays, chiropractic care, rehabilitation, ambulance, hospital, and dental services. This is the benefit that pays for your care at our clinic.
Lost wages
If your injuries keep you out of work: up to $250 per week or 85% of your lost income, whichever is less, for up to 52 weeks.
Household help
Up to $20 per day for the things you cannot do while you recover – childcare, cleaning, yard work.
Funeral expenses
Up to $1,500 in the most tragic cases.
Those are the state minimums. Many Utah drivers carry $5,000, $10,000, or even $100,000 in PIP without realizing it. Your declarations page lists your exact number – or just bring your insurance card to your first visit and we will find out for you.
Does PIP Cover Chiropractic in Utah?
Yes. Utah PIP covers chiropractic care for car accident injuries – regardless of who was at fault, and with no deductible on the state-required coverage.
PIP pays for “reasonable and necessary” medical care after a crash, and chiropractic evaluation and treatment fall squarely inside that. In practice, your injury exam, imaging, and treatment for whiplash, neck pain, or back pain are typically $0 out of pocket until your PIP benefits are used up.
A few things crash patients are always relieved to hear:
- You do not wait on the other driver’s insurance. Your own PIP starts paying right away – fault gets sorted out separately, and it does not change this coverage.
- Using PIP is not a lawsuit. It is your own coverage, on your own policy. You do not need an attorney to use it.
- We bill your auto insurer directly. You bring your insurance card and claim number if you have one; we handle the paperwork.
Why Your First Visit Matters - for Your Spine and Your Claim
Crash injuries hide. Whiplash symptoms often ramp up 24 to 72 hours after the collision, and ligament damage can be invisible on a normal static X-ray. That is why “I’ll wait and see if it gets better” is the most expensive sentence in car accident recovery.
Our doctors completed fellowship training in spinal biomechanics and trauma – training most chiropractors never pursue. We use motion X-rays that show how your spine actually moves, plus AI-assisted imaging analysis, to find instability a standard exam misses. That matters twice: your treatment targets the real injury, and your record documents exactly what the crash did to your spine – the kind of objective findings insurers take seriously.
Utah law also limits pain-and-suffering claims unless medical expenses pass $3,000 or the injuries are serious and permanent. We are not attorneys, and none of this is legal advice – but an accurate, thorough medical record from day one protects both your recovery and your options.
How to Use Your PIP Benefits: 4 Simple Steps
- Get examined – even if you “feel fine.” Delayed symptoms are normal after a crash, and early documentation ties your injuries to the accident.
- Open a PIP claim with your own auto insurer. One phone call. Tell them the date of the crash and that you are seeking treatment; they will give you a claim number. Not sure what to say? We will help you make that call.
- Bring your insurance card and claim number to your first visit. We verify your PIP coverage, confirm your benefit amount, and bill your auto insurer directly.
- Focus on recovering. Keep your appointments, tell us what changes, and let us worry about the billing.
Already had an MRI after your crash? Dr. McClean will review your actual imaging – not just the report – at no cost. Learn about the free MRI review.
What Crash Patients Say
“I got expert care here 3 times a week for 6 weeks after my car accident. I’m fully healed and feel great. Super friendly staff. Awesome massages. Treatments work.”
. Heather L., Google review
“Came in for whiplash after an auto accident. Felt much better after just a few treatments. Continued going for several weeks to correct any long term problems. Friendly service, also very helpful and patient in resolving a payment issue from the insurance.”
. Brandon B., Google review
Utah PIP: Questions Patients Actually Ask
How much PIP coverage do I have?
At least $3,000 – that is the legal minimum on every Utah auto policy. Many drivers carry more. Your declarations page lists the exact amount, or we can help you verify it when you open your claim.
Do I pay a deductible or copay?
No. Utah’s required PIP coverage applies with no deductible, which is why most crash patients pay $0 out of pocket for their care until benefits are exhausted.
I was a passenger. Am I covered?
Generally, yes – the PIP on the vehicle you were riding in covers you, even if you do not own a car yourself. We will help you sort out which policy applies.
I was walking or biking when I was hit. What now?
Pedestrians and cyclists are generally covered by the PIP of the vehicle that struck them. Utah’s no-fault system does not leave you out.
The crash wasn’t my fault. Shouldn’t the other driver’s insurance pay?
Eventually it may – but Utah’s no-fault system means your own PIP pays first, so your care starts immediately. Costs beyond your PIP can become part of a claim against the at-fault driver. Using your PIP is not an admission of fault.
What happens when my PIP runs out?
Your health insurance typically takes over, and expenses beyond PIP may be recoverable from the at-fault driver’s insurance. Utah limits pain-and-suffering claims unless medical expenses exceed $3,000 or the injuries are serious and permanent – that part is a question for an attorney, not a chiropractor. What we do: plan your care sensibly and keep your records clean so nothing gets lost either way.
Do I need a lawyer to see a chiropractor after a crash?
No. PIP is your own coverage, and using it requires no attorney. Some patients with serious injuries do hire one – that is a personal decision, and your care here works the same either way.
This page is patient education from a chiropractic clinic, not legal or insurance advice. Laws change and policies differ – for your exact PIP benefits, check your declarations page or ask your insurer, and for legal questions about your crash, talk to a licensed attorney.
Bring Your Insurance Card. We'll Handle the Rest.
You should not need an insurance dictionary to get your neck examined. Call us, come in, and hand us your insurance card – we will verify your PIP coverage, confirm what it pays for, and bill your auto insurer directly. You focus on healing.
McClean Chiropractic – Spine Care Specialists · 385 N 500 W, Provo, UT 84601 · Serving Provo, Orem, Springville, Mapleton, Vineyard, Spanish Fork, and all of Utah County.
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