Unfortunately, every year several of our patients end up being injured in automobile accidents. I decided to share some insight with you this month regarding the importance of having Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay) on your auto insurance policy. MedPay is a hidden gem in the auto insurance world that many are unaware of, unless your agent educates you on the importance of having this on your policy.
What is Medical Payments Coverage?
Medical Payments Coverage is a type of optional car insurance in California that covers medical bills and funeral expenses for policyholders and their passengers, regardless of who is at fault for an accident.
Unlike health insurance, there are no deductibles or co-payments with medical payments coverage. Even if you already have medical insurance, MedPay can help cover out-of-pocket expenses your medical insurance may leave you with such as deductibles. It will also pay for expenses that your health insurance may not, such as chiropractic visits or an ambulance ride. It starts paying with the first dollar of incurred expenses, and pays regardless of who is responsible for the accident.
Having MedPay on your policy insures you will be able to receive proper medical care without any hassle. Without MedPay coverage, you may be responsible for negotiating and dealing with the 3rd party insurance company to receive reimbursement payment for the care you received. Or, you may need to consult with an attorney to represent you to ensure you and your passengers receive proper care for any injuries incurred during the accident, especially if the 3rd party insurance company denies your claim.
You might think your bodily injury liability coverage will cover all medical expenses, but it only steps in to cover injuries sustained by injuries that you cause to others if you are the driver in an at-fault accident. It does not cover you or any passengers that are family members. While another driver’s bodily injury liability coverage can help if you are injured in an accident that another insured driver caused, determining liability, like I mentioned earlier can be time consuming and your medical bills could go unpaid during that time.
What does Medical Payments cover?
- Health insurance deductibles and co-pays
- Doctor or hospital visits (including chiropractic visits)
- Surgery, X-rays, or prostheses
- Ambulance and emergency medical care services
- Specific diagnostics and treatments
- Professional nursing services
I see MedPay as a valuable low-cost preventative insurance tool to ensure you and your passengers receive the best medical care paid for in a timely manner should you be involved in an accident. I recommend you check your auto insurance policy to see if your agent already has MedPay on your policy, and if not give them a call to discuss adding it to your policy this year.