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Medical Payments Coverage

People who carry adequate health insurance might not need Medical Payments Insurance since their medical bills are already covered by another policy and there is no need to duplicate the coverage. You are recommended to check your health insurance before you purchase Medical Payments Coverage. However, it is a good idea to add this coverage if you often have passengers in your vehicle. If you get in an accident and your passengers happen to lack adequate health insurance, the Medical Payments coverage will pay their medical bills.

Medical Payments (MP) offers insurance against medical expenses if you or your passengers get injured in an accident, regardless of who is at fault. Your claim will cover hospital costs and continuing care. You or your family members can also be covered if you are injured as pedestrians.

Medical Payments is similar to Bodily Injury Liability (BI), however the latter covers other people's bodily injuries or death for which you are found responsible and does not cover your medical expenses.

Medical Payments coverage can also pay for things that are not covered by your health plan, for example, dental treatment, prosthesis, x-rays, surgery, ambulance, nursing services, and funeral services. It is important to choose an adequate amount of Medical Payments coverage if you care for covering a health deductible and paying for the above-mentioned additional treatments and services.

When you purchase your Car Insurance policy, you choose certain policy limits according to which your medical costs will be covered. The insurance company can reimburse quite a wide range of expenses related to injuries and loss depending on policy terms. Some policies may pay medical expenses only for the first year after an accident. Others may pay for the first three years and even up to five years after the accident if you carry an extended amount of protection.

Medical Payments Coverage can range from $1,000 to $10,000 for each person insured by your policy. Mind that sometimes the insurance company will pay only the sum exceeding the compensation you get from other insurance policies and the amount you receive from other sources will reduce the payments. In many cases, your Medical Payments Coverage will work only after other Auto Insurance coverage parts as well as your Health Insurance coverage have been used up.

The type of vehicle you drive should play an important role in choosing the policy amount. Motorcycle owners are usually more limited in coverage than car owners. Therefore motorcycle owners are recommended to purchase Medical Payments Coverage in order to fill in the gaps.

When considering whether to buy Medical Payments Coverage or not, bear in mind that in case of an accident in which either party's fault cannot be proven, Liability Insurance won't cover you. It won't protect you against your own injuries in accidents for which you are found responsible either. If you are a resident of a no-fault state, you are most likely to purchase a minimum amount of Medical Payments Coverage (often called Personal Injury or No-fault insurance) as a state requirement.