By Matthew Cooper, DC | Clinically reviewed by Matthew Cooper, DC
You’re a few weeks into care after a car accident, and you’d like to know how much of your personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is left.
The short answer: To find out how much PIP you have left, call the adjuster handling your PIP claim and ask. Adjusters disclose remaining PIP benefits only to their own insured (you), not to the providers treating you.
PIP is the part of an auto policy that pays medical bills after a crash, no matter who was at fault.
“My chiropractor bills my PIP, so they must know what’s left.” It’s a fair guess. It’s not how it works. No provider treating you can see your balance, us included. Here’s why, plus a short script for that call.
Every bill from your accident draws from the same PIP pool.
Think of your PIP medical coverage as one pool with a limit. Bills from every provider who treats you for the accident draw from it. Under Washington law, that includes the ambulance, the hospital, your prescriptions, and each licensed provider you see, including us.
In Washington, the minimum PIP medical limit is $10,000 per person. Washington insurers must also offer a $35,000 PIP medical limit if the policyholder asks for it. Your adjuster can tell you which limit you have.
Emergency care counts, too. An ambulance ride and one day in the hospital can come close to using up $10,000 before any care aimed at recovery begins.
PIP also has a time limit. In Washington, PIP medical benefits generally cover care you receive within three years of the accident. So your balance has two parts: dollars and time.
If your auto policy was issued in Oregon, different rules apply. Oregon’s minimum PIP medical benefit is $15,000, for medical expenses incurred within two years of the injury (ORS 742.524). The way to find your balance is the same: ask your adjuster.
Your chiropractor can’t see your balance, and a signed form won’t change that.
Adjusters disclose PIP balances only to their own insured, not to the providers treating you, even when you’ve signed an authorization for us. It isn’t a missing form. It’s how the system is built.
We also see only our piece of the pool: what we’ve billed to your claim and what’s been paid to us. We can’t see anyone else’s bills.
So if you ask us what’s left, the honest answer is that we don’t know. You can find out.
Here’s how to ask your adjuster how much PIP you have left.
Have your claim number and the date of the accident handy. If you’re not sure who’s handling your PIP claim, we can tell you which insurer we bill. When you reach your adjuster, ask:
- “What is my PIP medical limit?”
- “How much has been paid so far, and to which providers?”
- “How much PIP do I have left?”
- “Have you received any bills that haven’t been processed yet?”
- “Can you send me what’s been paid and what’s left, in writing?”
Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke with, and what they told you.
One thing to know: the balance reflects the bills your insurer has processed. Bills that haven’t arrived yet aren’t in it. That’s why it’s worth asking again as your care goes on.
Questions about your situation? Call or text 360-693-3030.
Your balance doesn’t set your treatment plan. Your exam does.
Knowing your number helps you plan how your care gets paid for. That’s all it changes. Your exam findings and your progress set your plan, whatever your claim status.
If you had back pain before the accident, Old Back Pain, New Car Accident explains how care changes when both are true.
If you have questions about paying for your care after PIP, ask us. Questions about your claim itself go to your carrier, or your attorney if you have one.
If your insurer asks for an IME, here’s what that means.
An independent medical examination (IME) is an exam by a provider your insurer chooses. Your insurer may require one as a condition of continued PIP benefits.
The insurer uses it to get a professional opinion about your injury and your care. When your insurer relies on a health care professional’s opinion, Washington’s rule allows only four grounds for denying, limiting, or ending PIP medical benefits. Those grounds are that the care isn’t reasonable, isn’t necessary, isn’t related to the accident, or wasn’t received within three years of it.
Under the same rule, the professional your insurer consults generally must be licensed in the same field as your treating provider. With several providers, the rule looks to your principal prescribing or diagnosing provider, and the insurer can add reviews from other fields.
If your insurer denies, limits, or ends benefits based on that review, it must explain the actual reason in writing. If that happens, you can also ask for copies of any pertinent documents.
Common questions about PIP balances.
Can my chiropractor tell me how much PIP I have left?
No. Adjusters disclose PIP balances only to their own insured, not to the providers treating you. We can tell you what we’ve billed and what’s been paid to us; your adjuster can tell you the rest.
How much PIP coverage do I have in Washington?
It depends on your policy. In Washington, the minimum PIP medical limit is $10,000 per person, and insurers must offer $35,000 if the policyholder asks. Your adjuster can tell you your limit and how much of it is left.
How long do I have to use my PIP?
In Washington, PIP medical benefits generally cover care received within three years of the accident. Policies issued in Oregon use a two-year window. Your carrier can confirm the details.
What happens when my PIP runs out?
You may be able to switch to your health insurance, and its normal deductibles and copays apply. While PIP is in place, health insurance generally won’t pay for crash-related care. Ask us whether we can bill your plan. Your carrier, or your attorney if you have one, can tell you what applies to you.
Does PIP cover chiropractic care?
Yes, if your policy includes PIP. In Washington, PIP covers chiropractic care that is reasonable, necessary, and related to the accident, with no deductible and no copay. You don’t need a referral, and you choose your own provider.
Have PIP questions? We’ll help you get ready for that call.
You don’t need your coverage sorted out before you call us.
Cooper Chiropractic has cared for patients with auto accident injuries in Vancouver, WA, since 2006, with a team of chiropractors and a massage therapist under one roof and a 4.9-star average rating on Google.
Call or text us at 360-693-3030 with your PIP questions. We’re used to helping patients prepare for that call. If you were recently in an accident, we can usually see you today or tomorrow. Or use our Request Appointment form, and we’ll call you back to confirm a time.
About this post: The insurance rules here were checked in October 2026 against RCW 48.22, WAC 284-30-395 (as amended October 18, 2026), and ORS 742.524. It’s general information about how PIP works, not legal advice.
About the author: Matthew Cooper, DC, co-founded Cooper Chiropractic Center for Health & Wellness in Vancouver, WA, in 2006 with Karis Cooper, DC.
