How to File a PIP Claim in Utah, Step by Step

Short answer: To file a PIP claim in Utah, figure out which policy is primary (usually the one on the vehicle you were in), report the crash to that insurer promptly, complete its application and medical authorization, and then keep feeding it proof: medical bills, a wage verification from your employer, and a doctor's note if you are off work. PIP pays regardless of fault. Once the insurer has reasonable proof of an expense, it has 30 days to pay before the benefit is overdue.

Step 1: Figure out whose policy pays

Utah Code 31A-22-308 lists who can receive PIP benefits under a policy:

The named insured, when injured in an accident involving any motor vehicle, in Utah, elsewhere in the United States and its territories, or Canada. The exception is an injury from using your own vehicle that is not insured under the policy.
Relatives living in the named insured's household, by blood, marriage, adoption, or guardianship, including those who usually live there but are temporarily away, with the same exception for their own uninsured vehicles.
Anyone else injured while riding in the vehicle the policy describes with the named insured's express or implied permission, or as a pedestrian hit by that vehicle in Utah.

You may qualify under more than one policy. When that happens, the policy insuring the vehicle in use during the accident is primary (Utah Code 31A-22-309(4)).

Where you were	Usually file with
Driving your own insured car	Your insurer
Passenger in someone else's car	The insurer of the car you were in
Pedestrian or cyclist hit by a car	Possibly both your own household auto policy and, for a Utah crash, the policy on the car that hit you; notify each and ask which will pay first
Riding a motorcycle	No required PIP; check the bike policy for optional medical coverage

The motorcycle row comes from Utah Code 31A-22-302, which does not require PIP on motorcycle, off-highway vehicle, trailer, and similar policies, and says their operators are not covered by PIP for injuries while operating those vehicles. The table is a starting point; the policy language and your household's coverage decide the details.

Step 2: Report the claim and get a claim number

Call the insurer or use its app or website, say you were injured in a crash, and ask to open a PIP (personal injury protection) claim. Have the date, location, vehicles, and crash report number ready. Write down the claim number and the PIP adjuster's name and direct contact information.

Utah's statute does not set a single notice deadline for PIP claims; your policy does. Most auto policies require prompt notice and cooperation, and some set specific time limits for submitting proof. Read the conditions section of the policy, or ask the adjuster in writing what deadlines apply, and meet them.

Step 3: Complete the forms

Insurers commonly send a packet shortly after the claim is opened. Expect some version of:

an application for benefits describing the crash and your injuries;
a medical authorization letting the insurer request records tied to the crash;
a wage verification form for your employer to complete, if you missed work.

Read the medical authorization before signing. It is reasonable for PIP to see records related to the crash. An authorization with no date limit or scope can reach much further. You can ask that it be limited.

Step 4: Route medical bills to PIP

Give every provider the claim number and the adjuster's contact information and ask them to bill PIP directly. Keep your own copies of every bill and the payment statements PIP sends back.

PIP pays the reasonable value of necessary medical, surgical, X-ray, dental, rehabilitation, ambulance, hospital, and nursing services, with a minimum of $3,000 per person (Utah Code 31A-22-307). Utah measures reasonable value using a relative value study, and no deductible is permitted on these required benefits. Your policy may carry more than the minimum, so check the declarations page.

Step 5: Document lost wages

The income benefit is the lesser of $250 a week or 85 percent of lost gross income, for up to 52 consecutive weeks. The first three days need not be paid unless the disability lasts more than two consecutive weeks. What gets that benefit paid is proof:

a completed wage verification from your employer showing your pay rate, normal hours, and the days missed;
recent pay stubs from before the crash;
a note from your treating provider taking you off work or restricting your duties, with dates;
for the self-employed, tax returns and records of work you had to decline or could not perform.

Update the insurer each time a provider extends or lifts a work restriction. Our post on lost wages after a Utah accident covers income above the PIP cap.

Step 6: Claim household services

PIP also pays up to $20 a day, for up to 365 days, for services you would have done for your household but could not because of the injury, subject to a similar three-day rule. Keep receipts or a log with dates, what was done, who did it, and what you paid.

Step 7: Track payment and push when it is late

PIP benefits are paid monthly as expenses are incurred. They are overdue if the insurer does not pay within 30 days after it receives reasonable proof of the fact and amount of the expense. Overdue benefits carry interest at 1.5 percent a month, and if you have to sue to collect them, the insurer must also pay a reasonable attorney fee (31A-22-309(5)). Keep a dated record of what you sent and when, because the 30 days run from the insurer's receipt.

Step 8: If PIP denies or cuts a claim

Ask for the reason in writing. Common ones are:

An exclusion. Utah limits what PIP can exclude, for example injuries while occupying another vehicle you own that is not insured under the policy, or while using a vehicle without permission (31A-22-309(2)). If a denial cites something else, ask where it appears in the policy.
Not reasonable or necessary. In a disputed case, a court may appoint an impartial medical panel of up to three licensed physicians to address the reasonable value of the medical services (31A-22-307(2)(e)).
Missing proof. Often the fix is simply sending the record or form the insurer says it lacks.

If the dispute does not resolve, a lawsuit on the policy is the remedy. The statute of limitations for an action on a PIP policy is four years after the inception of the loss (31A-22-307(7)).

How PIP fits with the injury claim

Using PIP does not require anyone to prove fault, and it does not waive your claim against the driver who caused the crash. When the other driver is responsible, your PIP insurer can seek reimbursement from theirs through arbitration between the insurers (31A-22-309(6)). PIP also matters as a gate: to recover general damages such as pain and suffering, a person with PIP generally has to meet a threshold, one of which is medical expenses over $3,000 (31A-22-309(1)). Is Utah a no-fault state? covers the threshold.

Common questions

Do I file PIP with the other driver's insurance?

Usually no. PIP comes from the policy on the vehicle you were in or your own household policy. The other driver's insurer handles the liability claim.

Will filing a PIP claim raise my rates?

That depends on your insurer and whether you were at fault. PIP is no-fault coverage you paid for, and using it after someone else caused the crash is what it is for.

Do I have to give PIP a recorded statement?

Your policy likely requires you to cooperate with your own insurer, which can include answering questions about the crash. The other driver's insurer is a different matter; see recorded statements to adjusters.

What happens when PIP runs out?

Health insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid usually picks up next. Paying medical bills while your case is pending walks through the options.

If your PIP claim is stalled or denied, our legal team can review the policy and the paperwork with you. Call (801) 921-5134 or send us a message. Free consultation. No attorney fees unless we win. Hablamos Español.