Arizona doesn't require PIP (personal injury protection) coverage. It's an at-fault state — the driver who caused the crash is responsible for your damages. But understanding what optional coverage exists on your own policy can make a real difference in how your bills get paid while a liability dispute is pending.
What Arizona requires vs. what's available
Arizona mandates minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident (A.R.S. § 28-4009) — coverage that pays other people when you cause a crash. PIP is not required. What Arizona does have as optional coverage is MedPay (medical payments coverage), which functions similarly to PIP: it pays your own medical bills after a crash regardless of fault, without waiting for liability to be resolved. Limits typically range from $2,500 to $25,000 depending on what you purchased.
MedPay vs. uninsured motorist coverage
MedPay covers medical expenses regardless of fault, payable directly to providers or reimbursed to you. UM/UIM (uninsured/underinsured motorist) coverage applies when the at-fault driver has no insurance or insufficient insurance to cover your damages — including medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Arizona law (A.R.S. § 20-259.01) requires insurers to offer UM/UIM; if you never signed a written rejection, you may still have it. Both can apply in the same crash, and both can be claimed simultaneously.
What to check on your policy now
Pull your declarations page and look for MedPay and UM/UIM coverage amounts. If you've been in a crash, your own insurer can be a source of immediate coverage for medical bills even while the at-fault driver's liability dispute plays out. An attorney can help you maximize all available coverage — including identifying coverage you may not know you have.
The filing deadline
Arizona gives most personal injury victims two years from the accident date (A.R.S. § 12-542). See our post on the Arizona personal injury statute of limitations.
Our car accident attorneys handle claims throughout Phoenix and Scottsdale on a contingency fee basis. No fee unless we win. Call (480) 418-SHER (7437) or reach out online.