What Does No-fault or PIP Mean in Insurance Terms?

Posted on June 24, 2025July 9, 2025 by admin

local car insurance wenatchee PIP No-fault

The term “no-fault” in auto insurance can be confusing, especially if you’ve never had to file a claim. While it might sound like it removes responsibility, that’s not entirely accurate. Instead, no-fault insurance refers to how claims are handled after an accident, specifically, how medical bills and related expenses are paid, regardless of who caused the crash. Here’s an explanation from your insurance representative at Wenatchee Insurance Agency, serving Wenatchee, WA.

How No-Fault Insurance Works

In states that follow a no-fault system, each driver’s insurance policy covers their own policyholder’s medical expenses after an accident, up to a certain limit. This happens regardless of who was at fault. The primary goal of no-fault insurance is to reduce lawsuits related to minor accidents and ensure injured drivers receive treatment quickly.

Washington is not a traditional no-fault state, but drivers here have the option to add Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage to their policies. PIP functions similarly to no-fault insurance, covering medical expenses, lost wages, and essential services without waiting for a liability determination.

What No-Fault Insurance Does Not Cover

No-fault insurance does not cover damage to your vehicle or someone else’s property. These types of claims still require determining fault, with the at-fault driver’s liability coverage typically paying for repairs. Additionally, in serious accidents involving significant injuries, lawsuits may still be permitted—even in no-fault states—if damages exceed policy thresholds.

Know Your Options in Washington

Since no-fault insurance is optional in Washington, it’s important to review your policy and understand the level of protection you have. Adding PIP coverage can provide an extra layer of financial support if you’re injured, even if the other driver is uninsured. Your experienced local agent at Wenatchee Insurance Agency, serving Wenatchee, WA, can help you determine if this coverage is right for you. Contact us today to learn more.

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Immigrant Medicaid Data shared without consent.

Posted on June 17, 2025June 17, 2025 by Matt McColm

We have been talking about Immigrant Health in Washington state for years. Getting Dreamers Insurance. How to get Health Insurance with an ITIN. When the Immigrant Medicaid Data was shared with Department of Homeland Security, We were more than a little upset.

One of the first people that Suzie enrolled was a refugee from Central America. It was an incredibly dangerous journey and they were needing medical attention to recover. Without Apple Health, they would not have received the care that they needed.

During Trump 1.0, Matt had a mom refuse to complete an application for their children over fear of the father being deported. That is a monstrous choice that no mother should have to make that he witnessed first hand. It’s why we are very protective of data and who we hand it over to.

Yes, some very cruel individuals like to threaten folks with public charge with all programs. It is important to note: The public charge rule will not consider any other federal or state benefits. That includes SNAP, WIC, CHIP, school lunches, Medicaid, Section 8 housing benefits, food banks, shelters, COVID-related medical care, and many more. So sometimes even we can not overcome fears on what will be used against families.

We can say that we have a couple of the insurance nerds at the office that used to ran one of the enrollment centers so we are real familiar with the Healthplanfinder for immigrants and the data that goes back and forth there. They don’t exchange medical data. There is a couple of Federal Hubs that they verify data with however those require the SSN.

The information is used for enrollment and states right on the front page it will not be used for immigration enforcement.

Medicaid falls under the Healthcare Authority’s control. If you don’t have access then here is a better description on what was taken.

The following programs were impacted by the breach:

Alien Emergency Medical

Apple Health Expansion

Civil Transitions

Non-Citizen Pregnant Women

Medicaid Family Planning (Take Charge)

The Alien Emergency Medical is a catastrophic program like dying of Cancer level patients. It’s one that no one wants to be on but delivers care to the patient and funds to the providers.

The Apple Health Expansion was limited to 16,000 people low income people and got them healthcare. It was paid for using state funds. It was done on a first come first served basis.

We don’t work directly with Civil Transitions, Non-Citizen Pregnant Women and Medicaid Family Planning as there are some programs that are not common on the Healthplanfinder.

Undocumented Immigrants make up about 24% of the uninsured in Washington State. Which is a priority to gain coverage to reduce the uninsured rate in the state.

At the office level, data is kept encrypted and not sold or shared expect to enroll people into insurance plans. We do everything in our power to prevent data breeches at a local level.

It is going to take the Legislatures at the STATE level to do something to prevent data from being stolen again.

It is going to take the Legislatures at the Federal Level to do something about the stolen Information at the Federal Level.

immigrant health washington wenatchee insurance

Bonus: Privacy Notice

The Washington Healthplanfinder Privacy Notice talks about their commitment to Privacy and provides contact information if you would like further assistance. The Master Person Index (MPI) is administered by the Healthcare Authority. Here is their statement:

Do I need to file my taxes for my Healthplanfinder insurance policy?

Posted on June 6, 2025June 6, 2025 by Matt McColm

1095 form wenatchee insurance health
for Healthplanfinder — Healthplanfinder does send out 1095 forms for taxes

If you pay for your health insurance on the Washington Healthplanfinder then you must file your taxes every year. It is an IRS rule. Yes, regardless of your income level, you will always want to file your taxes. If your Uncle Fred says that you do not need to then look at what Uncle Sam has to say about the IRS rule.

During the first couple of weeks of the year a copy of a Form 1095-A is mailed out. If you can not find a your copy then let us know. Since the second year, we have been printing and email copies to our customers at no charge so that they could file their taxes.

(If you have Apple Health then you could receive a Form 1095-B. This form is not required to file your taxes and you can request a new copy from the Healthcare Authority. )

When you file your taxes, you take the information from your 1095-A and reconcile it using the IRS Form 8962. It involves comparing the amount of premium tax credits used with the eligible amount, based on final annual income. This is why you want your income on the Washington Healthplanfinder as accurate as possible and you can updated it during the year if your income changes.

The Advanced Premium Tax Credits are what is used to lower your monthly cost of health insurance. It is an advance so if you underestimate your income then you will be asked to pay back the portion that was advanced to you. The reverse is true if you over-estimate your income while you will pay more monthly for health insurance then you will also be paid back any unused tax credits.

Some reasons you could lose the Advanced Premium Tax Credits because:

You did not file taxes and reconcile tax credits from previous years.
Did not consent on application for the Washington Healthplanfinder to request updated tax information.
Customers who are married filing single instead of jointly on their tax return.

If you lose the Advanced Premium Tax Credits then suddenly what you are required to pay for health insurance can increase!

You could receive a letter you don’t understand otherwise known as the scary letter that looks like this:

If you get a scary letter an want help then give Suzie or Matt a call at Wenatchee Insurance. We can confirm what the situation is and how to correct it. This is insurance so it does take times to make changes and it is one of the reasons that we recommend filing taxes as early as possible to reduce problems with your advanced premium tax credits.

Open Enrollment for the Washington Healthplanfinder is November 1 through December 15.

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Don’t Miss the Boat: Health Insurance & Medicare Enrollment Dates in Washington

Posted on June 5, 2025June 5, 2025 by Matt McColm

Medicare and Health Insurance has enrollment dates

Let’s talk about the least exciting calendar dates you’ll ever mark with a glitter pen—health insurance and Medicare enrollment deadlines. But just because they don’t come with cake or party hats doesn’t mean they’re not important. Miss the window, and you might end up paying more than your fair share (or going without coverage—yikes!). Luckily, Suzie from Wenatchee Insurance has your back, clipboard in hand, ready to keep you on track across North Central Washington.

Health Insurance Enrollment (AKA: Don’t Snooze, or You’ll Lose)

If you’re under 65 and buying your health insurance through the Washington Healthplanfinder, here’s what you need to know:

Open Enrollment:
November 1 – December 15
This is the biggie. You can sign up, switch plans, or renew your current coverage. Want to ring in the New Year without a health insurance hangover? Select an appointment early as this is the shortest enrollment ever in Washington State!
Special Enrollment Periods (SEP):
Life happens—marriages, babies, losing job-based insurance, moving, or even getting out of jail (yes, that’s a legit trigger). These events may qualify you for a 60-day SEP.

Suzie’s advice: “If you’re not sure whether your life change qualifies, give me a call. I love solving insurance mysteries more than I love huckleberry pie. And I really love huckleberry pie.”

Health insurance and Medicare has enrollment dates

Medicare Enrollment (It’s Like Health Insurance, But With More Acronyms)

If you or a loved one is turning 65, you’ve got your own enrollment clock ticking. Medicare has its own little maze of dates, but Suzie knows the shortcuts.

Initial Enrollment Period (IEP):
Starts 3 months before you turn 65, includes your birthday month, and goes 3 months after. That’s a 7-month window to get into Medicare Part A and Part B.
Medicare Advantage & Drug Plans (Part C & D) Annual Enrollment:
October 15 – December 7
This is the time to change, drop, or add Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plans. Your changes kick in January 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period:
January 1 – March 31
Didn’t love your Medicare Advantage plan after New Year’s? You get one switch during this time.

Suzie’s tip: “Don’t wait until December 6 to call me. I’ll be caffeinated, but it’s best to chat while we’re both relaxed and not trying to understand Medicare with Christmas music blasting in the background.”

Native American Health and Apple Health

These applications have year round enrollments. Apple Health is Washington State’s Medicaid program that we have a special information site set up for. If you have a Tribal Affiliation then yes, you can enroll every month of the year. It is why we run applications year round.

Why Suzie from Wenatchee Insurance Should Be Your First Call

Navigating enrollment periods in Washington state is like trying to find a parking spot at Pybus Market on a Saturday morning—possible, but easier with a little help. Suzie doesn’t just know the dates, she knows the plans, the fine print, and where to find extra savings or better networks across North Central Washington.

Call Suzie at Wenatchee Insurance before your deadline becomes a dead-end. She’ll make sure you’re covered, confident, and maybe even chuckling through the paperwork.

appointment Suzie

Health InPerson Matt

📞 509-295-9055
🌐 wenatcheeinsurance.com

Let Suzie put the fun back in functional insurance enrollment deadlines!