Medical payments coverage is a type of car insurance add-on available in the state of California. All vehicle insurance providers are obliged to offer this cover on top of their standard car insurance policies so it is an option to everyone based in this at-fault state. But what are the advantages and what does it cover?
MedPay insurance is designed to cover medical bills—and if the worst comes to the worst, funeral bills—for the driver as well as any passengers. It can be claimed even if the policyholder was responsible for the accident. MedPay coverage also pays out if the policyholder is injured by a vehicle while walking as a pedestrian, if they are injured as a passenger in someone else’s vehicle or if they sustain an injury while using public transportation or ride sharing services like Uber.
As MedPay pays out no matter who is deemed to be at fault for the accident, there is no waiting for blame to be assigned. The payments are sent directly to the doctor, hospital or other healthcare provider, so you don’t need to pay everything out of pocket and wait for a reimbursement. What’s more, MedPay doesn’t involve deductibles or copays, so all of your costs are covered in full.
MedPay in California does not stop at covering medical bills. Alongside hospital, dental and doctor’s bills, the policy will also cover ambulance/EMT costs and any additional costs such as for MRIs or X-rays. If you need longer-term care to help you recover, MedPay may pay for a carer to look after you in your home. Medical equipment such as prosthetics, crutches and other mobility aids can be claimed in addition to alternative therapies that may be helpful to aid you in your recovery. Acupuncture and chiropractic treatment can be very beneficial in speeding up recovery, so your MedPay provider may also reimburse you for these expenses too.
This may sound too good to be true, but there are some things that MedPay does not cover. These include the costs of repairing any property damage (cars, motorbikes, walls), any injuries not directly caused by the accident and accidents not involving a vehicle. There are also limits to MedPay policies, so there is a limit beyond which you will not be able to claim. Although, these claims are capped per incident rather than yearly, so coverage may end up being significantly higher if you are unlucky enough to be injured twice in one year.
So, should you take out MedPay cover as a driver in California? Well, MedPay cannot replace health insurance but can be relied on after an accident instead of health insurance: this helps claimants avoid high deductibles or copays required by their health insurance providers. It also covers passengers and children. At the end of the day, MedPay offers peace of mind for relatively good value for money. And it’s always better to have coverage you don’t need than need coverage you don’t have
