Medical Payments Insurance Information
Medial payments coverage is designed for auto drivers who wish to include medical protection in addition to the required liability coverage that they must buy. To make sure you are covered financially for any medical costs associated with a car accident, you can buy a medical payments policy.
What Medical Payments Plans Cover
Medical payments plans usually cover the medical expenses after you are hurt in a car crash. It does not matter who is found to be at fault. Also, this form of insurance may assist in paying for the following:
- Funeral costs.
- Injuries you sustain as a bicyclist or pedestrian – if a car hits you.
- Injuries sustained by the passengers in your car.
Talk to Your Insurance Agent First to Review the Coverage
The benefits or restrictions for this type of plan vary among insurers. Therefore, make sure you speak to an insurance agent to learn all the details about a particular plan. While this form of insurance is normally an optional choice, your state may require that it be added to your coverage. If your state does require it, you do have the alternative of rejecting the insurance in writing.
Consider the Following before Making a Decision
As with any other optional car insurance plan, you should consider the following before you make a decision to elect for coverage:
- The terms of your current health insurance plan.
- What is included in your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance plan, if applicable?
- The cost of the insurance.
One of the primary factors you need to consider, when making a decision for medical payments insurance is what your health insurance provides. If your health insurance plan already provides good protection for injuries sustained in auto wreck, you probably can forgo medical payments protection. However, if your health insurance does not extend protection for auto-accident injuries, you may need to buy the coverage.
Adding Medical Payments Insurance as a Second Form of Financial Protection
You may be able to include medical payments insurance as a back-up to your current health insurance policy. Therefore, once the limits for your health insurance have been met, your medical payments coverage can cover you up to the limits set you your auto insurance plan.
Personal Injury Protection and Medical Payments Coverage
People who live in no-fault states usually buy personal injury protection insurance. This type of plan is similar to medical payment policies. Both types of insurance resemble each other in that they cover the medical costs of car accidents. However, there are distinctions in this respect.
For example, in no-fault states, PIP protection is required and normally cannot be added optionally unless this is allowed as part of a no-fault state’s law. Therefore, PIP insurance is only sold in no-fault states. Unlike medical payments insurance, PIP insurance provides payments for loss of earnings.
If you live in a no-fault state that offers medical payments insurance as an option, you can buy this type of protection to supplement the expenses that surpass your PIP limits. To learn how to implement medical protection coverage, you need to contact your insurance carrier. Discuss what insurance is mandated and how you can incorporate the medical payments insurance into your auto protection plan. Also, be aware – some no-fault states will not permit car insurance businesses to sell medical payments plans.
How Much Does Medical Payments Insurance Cost?
Medical payments insurance is one of the most affordable types of insurance protection that are available to drivers. Premium rates are determined by the driver’s driving record, insurance claims history, gender, age, and marital status.
Because no auto insurance policy is the same, you need to carefully review plans for medical payments coverage so you know what items are covered.