What Is MedPay Car Insurance
MedPay covers medical bills for you and your passengers after a crash, regardless of fault, up to the limit you choose.
MedPay pays medical bills after an accident, no matter who caused it
MedPay, short for medical payments coverage, pays for medical treatment for you and anyone riding in your car after a crash. It doesn't matter who caused the accident. It also doesn't ask whether you had health insurance, though it often works alongside it.
For a driver your age, MedPay matters most if you don't want to wait on a fault determination before bills get paid, or if your health insurance has a high deductible. It's optional in most states and sold with a set limit, so what it actually covers for you depends on the limit you chose when you bought the policy.
Whether your state requires it or treats it as optional
A few states require MedPay or something close to it. In most states it's optional, and whether your policy has it depends entirely on what you or a previous agent selected.
If you're not sure whether you have it, your declarations page will list it by name along with the dollar limit. If it's not there, you don't have it, and your insurer can tell you whether it's available to add.
In states with no-fault insurance, you may already have personal injury protection, which does more than MedPay and often costs more. Some insurers let you choose one or the other, some offer both, and this is worth asking about directly rather than assuming.
If you're on Medicare, MedPay can still be useful because it pays before Medicare in an auto accident and can cover costs like deductibles and copays that Medicare would otherwise leave to you.
How it works alongside your health insurance
MedPay typically pays first, before your health insurance, for medical costs from a car accident. That means it can cover your deductible or copays on the health insurance side, which is part of why some people keep a small amount of it even with good health coverage.
It also covers passengers in your car who may not have health insurance at all, or whose own insurer would otherwise have to sort out fault before paying anything.
One thing people often misunderstand is that MedPay is not liability coverage. It doesn't pay for damage to your car or the other driver's injuries if you caused the crash. It only pays medical costs for the people in your own vehicle.
It also has a limit, and once medical bills exceed that limit, you or your health insurance cover the rest. The limit is set when you buy the policy, so it's worth checking what yours is rather than assuming it will cover everything.
Questions people ask about this
Is MedPay the same as PIP?
No, MedPay and personal injury protection are different coverages. PIP usually covers more, including lost wages in some states, while MedPay covers medical bills only. Whether both are available to you, or whether your state requires one over the other, depends on where you live, so it's worth asking your insurer which applies to your policy.
Do I need MedPay if I already have health insurance?
It depends on what your health insurance would cost you out of pocket after an accident. MedPay can cover your deductible and copays and pays before your health insurer does, which some people find worth the cost even with solid health coverage. Whether it makes sense for you depends on your health plan's deductible and how much MedPay coverage would cost to add.
Does MedPay cover passengers in my car?
Yes, MedPay covers medical costs for passengers riding in your vehicle at the time of the accident, not just you. This is one of the reasons people keep it even when they have their own health insurance, since it protects guests or family members who ride with them. The limit you chose applies per person, so check your declarations page for the exact figure.
Does using MedPay raise my insurance rate?
This depends on your insurer and state, since rating rules for MedPay claims vary. Some insurers treat a MedPay claim differently from an at-fault liability claim because fault isn't a factor in paying it. Ask your insurer directly how a MedPay claim would affect your renewal before you file one.
Can I drop MedPay from my policy?
In most states, yes, since MedPay is optional and can usually be removed or adjusted at renewal. A few states require it or a similar coverage, so check with your insurer or your state's insurance department before assuming you can drop it. If you do carry it, you can also usually change the limit rather than removing it entirely.
See what MedPay costs to add or adjust before your next renewal.
Pull out your declarations page and look for MedPay by name, along with the dollar limit next to it. If it's missing and you want it, or if you want to change the limit you have, call your insurer and ask what's available in your state. If you're also eligible for Medicare, ask specifically how the two would work together after an accident. Have your health insurance deductible on hand too, since that number helps you judge whether MedPay is worth adding or keeping. This is a conversation with your own insurer, since what's offered and how it's priced varies by company and by state.
