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770-626-7895Your automobile insurance can cover a wide array of areas. In Georgia, the minimum coverage a driver must have is $25,000/$50,000 in Bodily Injury liability and $25,000/$50,000 in Property Damage liability. Beyond that, all other auto insurance coverage is voluntary. Such voluntary coverage options include Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage, Collision coverage, Comprehensive coverage, Lost Wages coverage (not available with all insurance companies), Umbrella coverage, and Medical Payment (Medpay) coverage. In this article, we will briefly explore Medpay coverage.
What is Medpay coverage?
In short, Medpay coverage pays for any medical bills you incur due to injuries you sustain in a collision up to your covered amount. This coverage applies whether you are at-fault for the accident or not (otherwise known as no-fault coverage).
To better illustrate how this coverage works, consider the following example: you rearend someone else and sustain injuries that require medical attention; if you have $5,000 in Medpay coverage, then your Medpay will pay up to $5,000 of your medical bills that come as a result of this collision. Of course, if you get rearended by someone and sustain injuries that require medical attention, then your Medpay coverage will also cover your medical bills (up to the insured amount).
In our experience, most of our clients do not have Medpay coverage. While many of our clients may think that they have Medpay coverage because they requested “Full coverage” from their insurance agent, such coverage generally does NOT include Medpay coverage. You usually have to specifically request Medpay coverage, and of course, such coverage will increase your premium rates.
Who does Medpay coverage cover?
As with most types of auto insurance policies, caveats exist to Medpay coverage.
First and foremost, Medpay coverage follows your vehicle and not you individually. For example, you have two vehicles, Vehicle A and Vehicle B. You elect to cover only Vehicle A with Medpay coverage. If you are in Vehicle B when you get into a collision, then generally speaking, you cannot use the Medpay coverage from Vehicle A to cover your medical bills.
Second, since Medpay follows the vehicle and not the person, Medpay coverage will cover the medical bills for all the individuals in your vehicle at the time of the collision. Again, as an example, you and two of your friends are in your vehicle when a collision occurs, and this vehicle has $2,000 in Medpay coverage. Here, all 3 occupants in the vehicle can receive up to $2,000 in Medpay coverage to cover the costs of any medical bills related to this collision.
Will using my Medpay coverage impact my insurance rates?
If you are not at-fault/liable for the car accident, then Georgia law prohibits insurance carriers from increasing your rates if you use your Medpay coverage and/or Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage.
Using your Medpay coverage can have a significant impact on your recovery in your auto accident case, and can be extremely helpful if you do not have any health insurance. Most importantly, due to Georgia’s Made Whole Law, an insurance company cannot decrease your settlement amount because you have your own Medpay coverage to cover your medical expenses. Because of this, your take home amount from a settlement can be higher. Thus, it is important to contact an attorney experienced in handling auto accident cases like the team here at The Larrison Law Firm.
Car Accidents
A car wreck can lead to whiplash, head trauma and other serious injuries. If you were hit by a negligent driver, we will help you seek the compensation you need to recover.
Truck Accidents
Tractor-trailer accidents often cause major destruction. We will be your steadfast advocates, going up against the trucking company on your behalf.
Motorcycle Accidents
Too often, drivers fail to look carefully for motorcyclists. The result is often a serious crash. We will help you hold the wrongful driver accountable.
Your Health Comes First
At our law firm, nothing is more important than your health and well-being. After an accident that causes serious injury, it is important that you get the medical attention you need to recover. Do not put off seeking treatment after an accident. As you begin your recovery, we will assess your situation and review your insurance policy to determine if MedPay can cover some or all of your medical expenses. If it does not, we will help you determine your options.
Never Settling Until You Are Ready
At our law firm, we are focused on doing what is right for you. We will never push you into a resolution that you are not comfortable with or recommend that you settle your case before you are ready. We want what is best for you and will do everything in our power to achieve it.
At Our Firm, Your First Consultation Is Free
We would like to speak with you about your injuries. Schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys by calling 770-554-8100. You may also get in touch with us online.
