Two Ways Insurance Helps Pay For Necessary Medical Treatments
Cheap car insurance may be the most affordable option available to you. However, the cheapest policies often offer only the most bare bones protection, likely only covering property damage liability and bodily injury liability at low maximum dollar limits. Many of the potential expenses of a car accident, such as necessary medical treatments, would not be covered. You may not be receiving all of the protection that you need; you may not even be aware that you are not properly protected until it is too late.
There are two types of car insurance that pay for necessary medical treatments that are a result of an auto accident.
Medpay
Medpay is a car insurance option that pays for necessary medical treatments and funeral expenses for the insured driver and any passengers in the vehicle. Medpay has a maximum dollar limit such as $10,000, and will pay regardless of who is at fault in the accident. Medpay protects the policyholder even when he is a pedestrian who is struck by an automobile.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Personal Injury Protection is a car insurance option offered in some states, but not all, which pays for funeral expenses and necessary medical expenses. PIP sometimes covers lost wages and other damages. PIP also has a maximum dollar limit, and will pay regardless of who is at fault.
No-Fault States
Certain states which mandate no-fault automobile insurance require that either Medpay or PIP be purchased as part of an automobile policy. The minimum amount of coverage required varies by state. Car insurance tends to be more expensive in no-fault states because of these requirements. Currently there are 12 no-fault states and the District of Columbia. No-fault states include: New York, Utah, North Dakota, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
In states that mandate at-fault automobile insurance, these types of insurance can sometimes be purchased as part of your car insurance policy.
Maximum Dollar Limits
Medpay and PIP typically have a maximum dollar limit that is defined by the policy. These limits usually do not exceed $25,000, so they are not a substitute for health care insurance. Hospital bills can easily and rapidly exceed the maximum dollar limits of this type of insurance.
Cheap car insurance is often initially the most attractive at first glance. However, once you have considered the possible consequences of an auto accident, the cheapest may not be the best option for you. Consider purchasing Medpay or PIP insurance to assure that you are able to pay for necessary medical treatment in the event of an accident in which you are injured.
