Medical Payments Coverage: What is MedPay?

MedPay covers medical bills for you and your passengers after an auto accident, but it’s the more limited form of no-fault auto insurance.
Written by Jaya Anandjit
Edited by R.E. Fulton
Medical payments coverage, or MedPay, is a car insurance add-on that covers medical expenses related to car accidents for you and your passengers.
  • Medical payments coverage (MedPay) covers medical expenses and funeral costs for you and your passengers after an accident, even if you’re the at-fault driver.
  • MedPay can function alongside health insurance and personal injury protection as a co-insurance.
  • MedPay is required by law in Maine and New Hampshire.

What is medical payments coverage? 

Medical payments coverage, more commonly known as MedPay, covers medical costs for you and your passengers if you’re injured in a
car accident
. Even if you’re the at-fault driver, MedPay will pay out. 
In addition to medical treatment costs, MedPay will also cover the following: 
  • Funeral expenses if someone dies in an accident
  • Medical bills if you or a family member are hit by a vehicle while walking or riding a bike, or are injured while riding in another person’s vehicle
MedPay fills in any
coverage gaps in your health insurance policy
, and can even cover your health insurance deductibles and copays.
Keep in mind: Minimum liability car insurance only covers medical expenses for the other driver and their passengers when you’re at-fault in an accident. Without medical payments coverage, you will have to rely on health insurance or pay out of pocket for medical bills after an at-fault accident.

How much does MedPay cost? 

In most instances, MedPay coverage is less than $10 a month, and MedPay doesn’t require the policyholder to pay any deductibles or co-pay in conjunction with a claim.

What does medical payments coverage cover?

MedPay does more than just cover your medical bills and funeral expenses—it may also reimburse you for the following, up to your policy limits: 
  • Ambulance fees
  • Hospital visits and stays
  • Doctor visits
  • Dental care
  • Chiropractic care
  • X-rays
  • Prostheses
  • Professional nursing services
  • Rehabilitation expenses
  • Surgery
  • Funeral expenses
  • Health insurance deductibles and co-pays
MedPay can function as co-insurance for other types of insurance as well, such as health insurance and
personal injury protection

What does medical payments coverage not cover?

While MedPay covers most medical bills associated with a car accident, there are some things that MedPay won’t cover. These include:
  • Wage reimbursement (if you're forced to miss work due to injuries)
  • Child care costs (if you're limited physically due to injuries)
  • Medical bills for injuries suffered by other drivers 
  • Treatment of injuries or health problems unrelated to a car accident
  • Psychiatric care after an accident
In addition, there are some exclusions to MedPay’s medical coverage, including injuries that occur: 
  • While driving a vehicle with less than four wheels
  • While using your vehicle as a public conveyance (Uber, Lyft, and other
    ridesharing
    companies)
  • While you’re parked at your residence or other building and not driving
  • While driving a vehicle that you don’t own or use regularly
  • If you’re injured at work and your injury falls under worker’s compensation
  • While participating in an act of war or an organized race 
Keep in mind: MedPay also does not compensate you for any pain, suffering, or emotional distress you suffer due to an accident. For that, you’ll have to sue the other party in a court of law.

Who needs MedPay?

MedPay is optional in most states. Drivers in the following states are required to have medical payments coverage on their insurance policy: 
State
Coverage limits required
Stipulations
$2,000 per person
N/A
$1,000 per person
Required for drivers with a car insurance policy
MedPay is not available in these states:
Other states have the option to purchase MedPay, but some states may also offer personal injury protection, which may be the better option.
Regardless of whether or not MedPay is offered in your state, you do need
bodily injury protection
when it comes to paying the medical bills associated with injuries suffered in a car accident. This could be in the form of your health insurance, personal injury protection (if offered), or some other means of coverage.

Medical payments coverage limits

Like most coverage, there are financial limits to the amount of coverage you have under MedPay.
Maximums are usually around $10,000 or less, depending on the state where you have car insurance. 
MedPay generally works in conjunction with your health insurance or PIP, if you have either one, so it isn’t intended as a replacement for either. 

How to choose the right amount of MedPay coverage 

There’s no one-size-fits-all way to determine how much MedPay coverage you need. If you know that you would have trouble paying a deductible or co-pay associated with an accident, then you should consider maximizing your MedPay coverage. 
MedPay offers coverage for costs that your health insurance may not cover, like funeral expenses and your health insurance deductible and copay. 
For example, if your health insurance has low deductibles and copays, you may be better off with a lower MedPay limit. If your health insurance plan has higher deductibles, consider higher MedPay limits.
If you have health insurance and are on firm financial footing, you may consider keeping your medical payments coverage relatively low or forgo it altogether.

What’s the difference between liability coverage and medical payments coverage? 

Liability car insurance
is required in every state except New Hampshire. Part of your liability insurance is bodily injury liability, which is designed to pay for the medical bills of anyone you injure while driving your insured vehicle. 
MedPay, on the other hand, is optional coverage in most states and is designed to protect you and your passengers regardless of who is at fault.

What’s the difference between personal injury protection and medical payments coverage? 

In addition to MedPay, some states also have something called personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. PIP covers a wider range of medical costs not covered by MedPay and is required in no-fault states. 
PIP is normally the primary insurance, while MedPay serves as secondary coverage. MedPay insurance doesn’t have a deductible; PIP sometimes does.
Take a look at the table below for some of the coverage similarities and differences between MedPay and PIP.
Expenses
MedPay coverage
PIP coverage
Funeral expenses
Yes
Yes
Doctor visit
Yes
Yes
Hospital visit
Yes
Yes
Lost wages
No
Yes
Surgery, medication, and/or rehabilitation
Yes
Yes
Childcare compensation
No
Yes

How MedPay works with your health insurance 

Your health insurance coverage will kick in after your MedPay coverage is paid out for your medical expenses.
If you receive a payout from any claim you filed against the other drivers, you will have to repay your car insurance company and health insurance for any payments it made on your behalf to cover your treatment.

How to search for medical payments insurance quotes 

Medical payments coverage is available from a wide range of auto insurance companies and third-party providers. To find a plan and price that works best for you, be sure to shop around and
compare quotes
from different insurers. 
To save yourself the time and hassle, consider using
Jerry
to find the perfect policy with MedPay coverage. In just a few minutes, Jerry will connect you with quotes from the country’s top insurance providers—all you have to do is choose the price that fits your budget. Jerry will set up your new policy and cancel your old one if necessary!
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FAQs

Medical payments coverage is required in Maine and New Hampshire (if you choose to purchase car insurance). In other states, medical payments coverage is not required, but it’s a good idea if you want extra protection against medical bills resulting from an at-fault car accident.
Keep in mind: MedPay is not available in all states. In some states, your only option for medical expenses coverage will be personal injury protection.
Yes, there are medical payments coverage options for homeowners. Medical payments coverage on a homeowners insurance policy will cover any non-household member who gets injured on the property.
No, medical payments coverage is not required in California. MedPay is commonly purchased by California drivers since it’s relatively cheap and offers quick coverage for post-accident medical bills.
Medical payments coverage is important since it offers financial support to drivers after an at-fault accident. Your liability coverage will only cover the other driver and their passengers, so MedPay offers personal protection and can help you avoid expensive medical bills.
You can reject medical payments coverage under the following criteria:
  • You live in a state where MedPay is not required. Medical Payments coverage is required in Pennsylvania and Maine. You must also carry medical payments coverage if you purchase car insurance in New Hampshire. 
  • You choose to forgo car insurance in New Hampshire.
  • You live in a state where MedPay is not available.
  • You live in a state where PIP is required rather than MedPay.

If your dental visit is related to a car accident, your medical payments coverage will offer dental coverage. If your dental visit is not related to a car accident, you will not have coverage under your medical payments policy.
Since this is one of the most common car-related accidents, your medical payments coverage or personal injury protection coverage will cover medical bills if you slammed your fingers in your car door.
While
medical payments coverage
helps cover the costs associated with your healthcare in the event of an accident, they will likely not work directly with your hospital or medical provider. 
Instead, once your
claim
has been processed, they will send you a check directly. It’s up to you to use this money to cover your medical costs.
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