These days, depending on the type of daily driving activity you carry out, it is worth considering starting a personal injury protection plan. When you have other responsibilities, especially of a financial nature then this is no longer an option. Personal injury protection or PIP may be a part of a larger personal insurance plan or a specific plan in itself. These insurance plans are all worthwhile but the average American family cannot always justify the additional strain on their monthly budget.

It is important to remember the protection should cover everything that is required otherwise it is a waste of time and money. Personal injury and property insurance are usually required by law throughout most parts of the USA, though the required amount may differ considerably in each state. In Alaska for example a car driver will require ten times the amount of coverage that a driver in Florida will need. Although there are still some states that have not passed a law on personal injury protection at this time, there is no reason why you should wait until it has before you arrange it.

The cover will pay around 80 percent (depending on the plan) of the costs of the insured and passengers. As a no fault policy though, the plan pays for loss of earnings, medical expenses and various other costs for the policy holder and his passengers even if the insured was responsible for the situation. Before you purchase this type of cover, you would be advised to take a look at your current policies and see whether or not the areas covered by the proposed plan are not already duplicated in other insurance plans. Conditions like medical costs and even lost time form work can be part of your current health insurance plan which will save a considerable sum.

If this is the case, then you may need minimal amount of coverage or even none at all. An additional factor to consider is the driving ability and record of the policy holder because this will not only dictate the need for personal injury protection but can affect the overall cost. Fortunately most drivers will probably find themselves covered by their own health insurance policy which will also protect family members that happen to be passengers. If any of your regular passengers are inadequately covered or not covered at all, you will need personal injury protection in order to keep them covered.

Remember, the safety of a passenger in your car is always going to be your responsibility. Ensuring you have adequate personal injury protection if you are a driver should not just be about the legal requirement for you to have it, even if you are in a state that has not made it mandatory yet. This is one area where age and driving experience can be on the driver's side and insurance policy costs can be lowered. Whatever your circumstances, you need to research it carefully so that you can rest easy knowing that you and your passengers are safely covered.