A motor vehicle accident (MVA) is a stressful, scary and often painful experience.

In addition, trying to navigate the processes with the insurance and legal world while recovering from injuries can be confusing and tiresome. In Alberta, the Insurance Act is a piece of legislation outlining the medical treatment and compensation you may be entitled to when you are involved in a motor vehicle accident. In the interest of making this complicated legislation easier, we have outlined the basic steps for dealing with an MVA injury insurance claim. 

What You Need to Know: 

• When involved in an MVA, it is important to contact your insurer as soon as possible. It does not matter if you think you are at fault or if another party is at fault. If you are injured, you are entitled to treatment for your injuries.
• Within 10 days of the accident, you will need to fill out an AB-1 (Proof of Loss) insurance form. This form is your official statement to your insurance company regarding what happened and where you are feeling pain/ injured, and any other health concerns you have as a result of the accident. This form can be found online, from your insurance company, or we have them available at the clinics. We are able and happy to submit this form to your insurance company on your behalf.
• As soon as possible, book an appointment with one of our chiropractors or physiotherapists. They will also complete a form for your insurance company, called the AB-2 Assessment Form. This is the official diagnosis of your injuries from the car accident. Our chiropractor or physiotherapist will be your Primary Care Provider for your insurance claim and injury recovery. If you are booking your first appointment after an MVA online with one of our chiropractors or physiotherapists, please select a "MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident) - Initial Assessment" appointment. You may also contact us and we will be happy to book your appointment for you.

You do not need to live in pain due to an accident, and you do not need to go through this stressful experience alone. We can help.

• Depending on your diagnosis and degree of injury, you will initially be entitled to either 10 or 21 rehabilitation treatments to be used within 90 days of the accident. These treatments can be any combination of chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture or physiotherapy. You will work with your Primary Care Provider to determine the best treatment plan for you but ultimately you choose what type(s) of treatment you receive and which practitioner(s) you choose to see. Our clinic can directly bill your car insurance company for your treatment.
• Acessing treatments will not cause any increase in your premiums, even if you are deemed to be at fault in the accident, as premium increases are determined by the number of at fault accidents you have, not the cost of the accidents.
• If you are not feeling back to your pre-accident health status at the completion of the 90 days or your allotted number of treatments, our physiotherapist or chiropractor will request coverage for more treatment from your car insurance company. These benefits are called Section B benefits and are often a specific dollar amount or treatment visit amount for different practitioner types (chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, psychology etc.)

At Energize Health, our clinicians have been helping people recover from car accidents and navigate the world of insurance claims for over 10 years. If you have been involved in a car accident and have any questions, please give us a call and we will be happy to help you navigate the system. You do not need to live in pain due to an accident, and you do not need to go through this stressful experience alone. We are here to help you with your insurance claim and get you back to living life pain free.