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MedPay (Medical Payments) Auto Insurance Explained by a Wichita Falls Car Accident Attorney

MedPay is an optional auto insurance coverage that will pay for your and your passenger’s medical bills up to the policy’s limits if you get into a car wreck. It will also pay for funeral or burial expenses.

MedPay is a no-fault policy, meaning that no matter who caused the accident, MedPay will cover you. It also means that your insurance company can’t penalize you and raise your rates for filing a MedPay claim. Additionally, MedPay protects you not only when you’re in your own car, but also if you are hit by a car while walking down the street, riding a bike, or involved in a wreck in which you are the passenger in someone else’s vehicle.  

MedPay for Texas Drivers

It’s important to note that some Texas MedPay policies sneak in a condition of subrogation, meaning they will force you to pay them back after you use them. If you are looking to purchase MedPay, you should make sure the policy is a no-deductible and non-reimbursable one.

However, for Texas drivers, we actually recommend Personal Injury Protection (PIP) instead of MedPay. PIP covers you not only for accident-related medical expenses, but also for any lost income due to your inability to work. Additionally, PIP is not subject to subrogation where as some MedPay policies are, as discussed above.

If you are looking at getting auto insurance coverage in Texas or updating your policy, we recommend getting Personal Injury Protection. And while you’re at it, we recommend getting Uninsured Motorist Coverage as well.

MedPay for Oklahoma Drivers

Under Oklahoma law, insurance companies do not have subrogation rights for MedPay claims filed for those they have insured or for members of the insured’s household (or members that are not part of the household, this rule does not apply). So, if you file a MedPay claim with your insurance company and you eventually recover from the person who caused the accident, the at-fault party, your insurance company can’t come back and demand reimbursement (subrogation) from that recovery.

If you have health insurance, you may think MedPay is unnecessary. But remember, your health insurance policy probably has co-pays and deductibles, and MedPay does not. The advantage that you have with MedPay is that you don’t have to pay anything out-of-pocket for your medical care after a car accident up to your policy limits.

It’s important to remember that MedPay will only pay for a portion of your expenses, so if you are seriously injured in an accident, you may hit your MedPay policy limit quickly. Additionally, there are other things to consider such as lost wages, that MedPay does not cover.

Since Oklahoma doesn’t offer PIP, MedPay coverage can be beneficial. We recommend reviewing your auto insurance policy to make sure you have the right levels of MedPay as well as other types of coverages you may need. We definitely recommend Uninsured Motorist Coverage as well.