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FAQ: Demystifying Auto Insurance Definitions
What is medical payments coverage?
Unfortunately, not all accidents are just small fender benders. Should you find yourself in a serious accident, medical payments coverage pays medical bills and/or funeral costs if a covered driver and/or accompanying passengers are injured or killed while in an insured vehicle. This type of auto insurance coverage applies regardless of who's at fault in an accident.
Medical payments coverage may also cover policyholders and their family members when in others' vehicles, or when policyholders and their family members are on foot and hit by a car. Covered costs are subject to the limits you choose when you buy your auto insurance policy.
If you and your regular passengers are fully covered by a health plan, you may not need medical payments coverage.
However, if your health plan requires you to pay a deductible, medical payments coverage may help pay it. This coverage can also help pay for items not covered by your health plan, such as dental treatment, professional nursing services, prostheses, and funeral services. If covering a health deductible or paying for these additional treatments would be valuable for you, select a medical payments coverage amount that reflects your needs.
Even if you are covered by a health plan, your state's insurance laws could require you to purchase Personal Injury Protection (PIP). PIP covers everything that medical payments coverage does, as well as rehabilitation, psychiatric treatment, lost wages, and similar costs relating to an accident.
It's a good idea to check your health plan to ensure that you don’t duplicate your coverages. Depending on your health insurance, you may find that medical payments or PIP provide additional benefits. Although we hope you never need to use your medical payments coverage, it can be a small blessing during a very difficult time.
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