Medical payments (Med Pay) will cover your medical payments and those of the passengers in your vehicle if they are injured in an accident. Personal injury protection (PIP) includes coverage for medical payments, but it will also cover other documented losses, such as the loss of your salary. The difference between medical payment coverage (MedPay) and PIP (personal injury protection) is that PIP covers both medical bills and non-medical expenses after an accident, such as loss of income and child care. By comparison, MedPay insurance only applies to direct medical costs and funeral expenses.
Both types of insurance cover the policyholder and their passengers after any car accident, regardless of fault. Regardless of whether your state requires you to have it, PIP insurance is often so affordable that it's worth adding to your policy. While it varies by state, personal injury protection insurance may be a good idea if you have the option. If you live in a no-fault state that requires personal injury protection or you have optional PIP coverage, it probably doesn't make sense to also take out Med Pay.
Having a car accident is a terrible experience, especially if you or one of your passengers is injured. You should also take out personal injury protection (PIP) insurance if it's available in your state and you would need financial support if you were injured in a car accident. If your PIP insurance doesn't cover all your damages, you may have options to seek additional compensation. Personal injury protection coverage and medical payments insurance (MedPay) are similar in that they cover medical expenses after an accident.
Instead, the at-fault driver's bodily injury liability is likely to pay your medical bill before your PIP insurance takes effect. States such as Arizona, California and Tennessee allow insurance companies to sell MedPay insurance instead of PIP coverage. PIP coverage is considered the core of your health insurance coverage, so your doctors will bill PIP for all treatments related to an accident until you have exhausted all of your PIP coverage. If you don't live in a state that requires PIP, your health insurance won't deny a claim for a car accident.
Most health insurance covers medical expenses once the deductible has been paid, but health insurance probably won't cover non-medical expenses, such as lost wages caused by not being able to work, or the cost of services that you can no longer perform yourself, such as cleaning or gardening. MP is not required in New York, although some insurance companies may offer it as an optional form of insurance. Unless you're trying to keep your insurance as low as possible, it's often worth adding PIP coverage to your policy. PIP insurance is available in 21 states and covers medical expenses, legal fees, and lost wages after a car accident, regardless of who was responsible.