# Interaction between auto and health insurance

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-auto-and-health-insurance/632483>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 24, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-auto-and-health-insurance/632483 "2012-08-24T13:19:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-auto-and-health-insurance/632483/1 "2012-08-24T13:19:27Z")

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Say I am in a collision, and it’s my fault. The other person is injured. I have auto insurance. He has health insurance. He has to go to the hospital. Hospital charges his insurance $10,000. He himself has to pay $1000 out of pocket.

Will my insurance pay out $10,000 to his insurance, or $1000 to him?

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-auto-and-health-insurance/632483/2 "2012-08-24T14:12:43Z")

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$10,000 to his insurance company and $1,000 to him.

His total loss was $11,000. His insurance pays the $10,000, but then has a subrogated claim against you under the terms of his insurance policy: it can claim against you on his behalf.

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**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-auto-and-health-insurance/632483/3 "2012-08-24T15:12:47Z")

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But not all health insurance has a subrogation clause. They pay out and do not pursue the auto insurer for the amount of the payoff. This is usually factored into the auto final settlement so that the victim cannot collect money he is not entitled to.

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**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interaction-between-auto-and-health-insurance/632483/4 "2012-08-24T17:34:18Z")

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I work for one of the largest health insurers and we allways subrogate for any policy. Assuming we had already paid then the accident came to our attention what would happen is we would collect the $9000 (or a settlement for a lesser dollar) we paid to the provider from the at-fault party or his/her insurance, then the injured party could sue the at-fault party for the $1000 deductible s/he had to pay.