Why did PIP only pay 80 percent of my bills?

It isn't an error or a denial. Florida's statute sets PIP medical benefits at 80 percent.

Who covers the other 20 percent depends on your situation. Health insurance may pay it, subject to its own terms and to reimbursement rights. Some providers bill you directly. Some accept a letter of protection and wait for the case to resolve. And where there's a claim against an at-fault driver, that remaining balance becomes part of the damages sought.

What to watch. Providers sometimes bill the 20 percent aggressively, including sending balances to collections while a claim is pending. That's worth addressing rather than ignoring, because a collection account creates its own problems.

Two other reductions that get confused with the 80 percent: a policy deductible, and the reduction of a bill to what the insurer determines is a reasonable amount, which is a separate dispute.

Keep every explanation of benefits. Reconstructing what was paid, reduced, and denied months later is difficult without them.