What is Medical Payments Coverage
Medical payments coverage, sometimes known as Med Pay, is an optional automobile insurance coverage in New York. Usually, auto insurance policies will have coverage limits of $5,000 or $10,000.
There is a good chance that if you bought your insurance online or over the phone with an 800 number, you do not even have this coverage on your policy.
This coverage is used to help pay for injuries sustained in an auto accident regardless of who is at fault.
One reason that some insurance company’s do not put Medical Payments on your insurance policy or value this coverage less is that Med Pay only pays when No-Fault Coverage has been exhausted.
New York State No-Fault Coverage
New York State no-fault coverage is another name for your personal injury protection.
Personal injury protection is a mandatory coverage in the state of New York with a base limit of $50,000 per person, with the option to add additional personal injury protection up to another $100,000 in coverage.
New York State no-fault coverage is what pays for any injuries that arise out of your vehicle for you or your passengers in the event there is an accident, no matter if you’re at fault or if the other person’s at fault.
Why Medical Payments is important
Since NY is a no-fault state, medical payments coverage does not tend to pay out many claims, which is why that coverage limit is so inexpensive.
Where medical payments coverage will pay is
When your personal injury protection coverage is exhausted
Intoxication
If the accident occurs on toys like a motorcycle, watercraft, or snowmobile
If you are found to be intoxicated or have a blood alcohol level of higher than the legal limit, you forfeit your rights to your Personal Injury Protection Coverage and medical payments will kick in immediately.
Motorcycles, watercrafts, snowmobiles, or other toys do not have no-fault coverage and the only way to get your injuries paid is by adding medical payments coverage to that specific insurance policy.
What’s Next?
Adding $5,000 or $10,000 in medical payments coverage could cost less than $2 a year per vehicle. Make sure you understand what is on your current policy and if you don’t have it reach out to your insurance agent to have this conversation.
If you don’t have a relationship with an agent or want a review of your insurance then click the button below to schedule a review with one of our trusted insurance advisors.
