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I Received a Letter From My Medical Insurance Company Asking About My Car Accident

Updated: January 4, 2024

I received a letter from my health insurance company asking about the details of the car accident that I was recently in. Why is this?

That’s a question, and it’s one that we’re asked frequently. If you have been in an auto accident, you will likely get one of these letters after you get post-wreck medical care and begin incurring medical expenses. If you have health insurance, you likely filed this medical care on your health insurance.

Suddenly, you may get a letter with a form from your health insurance company wanting to know about the wreck. These letters often request detailed answers about how the wreck occurred, the injuries you sustained, the medical expenses you have incurred, and most importantly, who was at fault.

So why are you getting this letter? The answer is simple. Your health insurance company has a right to reimbursement (often referred to as the right to “subrogation”).

Your health insurance company is trying to determine whether you were injured due to the negligence or fault of someone else. If so, and if your health insurance company must pay for the medical bills that you incur, then your health insurance company may have a right to be reimbursed out of any potential insurance settlement you obtain.

If you are in this situation, though, you may find yourself suddenly caught between two different insurance companies with two competing goals.

The automobile insurance company for the person who injured you wants to pay as little on the claim as they can, so they’re telling you, “Hey, your injuries are not that bad. You don’t need that much medical treatment, and the medical bills you incurred are too high or excessive.”

On the other hand, your health insurance company is saying, “Hey, we’ve paid these medical bills. We want every penny we’ve paid back.”

When this happens to injured people is that by the time they’ve fully reimbursed their health insurance company, they’re left with very little or nothing to compensate them for their lost wages, out-of-pocket expenses, and other damages they’ve sustained.

So, if you get a letter from your health insurance company, what should you do? We recommend the same advice we give to anyone who is injured in a car accident or any type of accident that is caused by the fault of someone else: you should consult with an attorney that is board certified in personal injury trial law.

You are likely aware that you have certain rights under the law as you deal with the automobile insurance companies involved in your claim. You also, though, have certain legal rights with regard to your health insurance company. Often, you have the right to limit how much money they are entitled to be reimbursed out of your settlement. You’ll only know that if you consult with a board-certified attorney.