CAR INSURANCE 103: WHAT IS MED PAY?

If you haven’t read our Car Insurance 101 and 102 posts, we recommend you start there. Today we’re adding one more piece to the car insurance puzzle: Medical Payments Coverage (commonly called Med Pay).

When you look at your car insurance policy, you may find the words “Medical Payments Coverage” near the bottom. This is an important part of your Arkansas collision coverage. Rather than covering property damage, Med Pay insures your physical health. Med Pay will pay for up to $5000 of the accident-related medical bills you incur within two years of your car wreck. This coverage works regardless of whether the accident was your fault or the fault of another driver.

Do I Already Have Med Pay?
Check your policy or contact your insurance provider. It’s possible that Med Pay is available to you under the law if you never signed a written rejection, even if you haven’t paid premiums for this coverage or didn’t intend to have it when you applied for the policy.

Am I Required to Carry Med Pay Coverage in Arkansas?
As personal injury lawyers, we think that Med Pay is essential for Arkansas drivers – and our lawmakers agree. Although Med Pay is optional for drivers in our state, every insurance company is legally required to offer you the option to buy Med Pay coverage when you apply for an auto insurance policy. In fact, the state legislature took it one step further and created a law stating that anyone who waives Med Pay coverage in Arkansas must sign a written statement.

Why Should I Carry Med Pay Coverage?
While there’s no legal requirement for you to carry Med Pay coverage in Arkansas, Taylor King strongly recommends it. Our lawyers help countless Arkansans who are able to use the coverage to pay their medical bills after an accident, whether or not they are at fault.

Med Pay is especially helpful because you can use it while you’re still getting treatment and recovering after an accident. You don’t have to wait for a settlement from the other driver’s insurance company. It starts working immediately to help cover your ambulance ride, emergency medical services, hospital visits, and chiropractic therapy. For the cost of a few cups of coffee each month, you can have insurance coverage that will give you peace of mind for yourself and your passengers if you’re involved in a car accident.

Will I Be Penalized for Using My Med Pay Coverage?
Good news: in Arkansas, insurance companies cannot penalize you in any way for using, applying for, or dealing with Med Pay in any way. That means your insurance provider cannot raise your premiums or deduct points simply because you used your Med Pay coverage.

Problems with Med Pay? Taylor King Can Help
If you’ve been involved in a car accident and have injuries, you don’t have to walk through it alone. The lawyers at Taylor King Law deal with Arkansas insurance adjusters and complex insurance coverage questions every day. Our team will help you get any Med Pay benefits you’re entitled to and will maximize your settlement when it comes time to negotiate with the insurance company.
To begin your free consultation, call Taylor King today at 870.246.0505 or chat with us online.