In the United States, everyone knows that car accidents and medical expenses can easily break the bank. That’s why the majority of us arm ourselves with as much insurance as possible in case any disaster occurs. Paying for a wide variety of insurance policies such as health insurance, auto insurance, home insurance, life insurance etc. is expensive too, but not near as expensive as a possible emergency could be.
All U.S. states require a minimum amount of auto liability coverage in the event of an accident. From there, you can choose from a wide selection of supplemental auto insurance policies, which can provide even more protection. One of the many supplemental policies you can get in the state of Georgia is medical payments coverage, also known as MedPay coverage. Medical payments insurance covers yours and your passenger’s medical bills after an auto accident, regardless of whether or not you’re at-fault. Below, our legal team discusses everything you need to know about MedPay coverage after an accident.
If you or a loved one has suffered catastrophic injuries or wrongful death after a car accident in Georgia, you need strong legal representation on your side. Sandy Springs personal injury lawyers at Ashenden & Associates can help you recover financial compensation for all damages, including medical costs, lost wages, funeral expenses, and so much more. Call 770-394-8909 to schedule a free consultation at our law firm today.
What is MedPay Insurance?
MedPay (AKA medical payments coverage) is a type of car insurance policy in Georgia that can cover drivers and passenger’s medical expenses after an auto accident, regardless of who is at fault.
Georgia law requires all drivers to have a minimum amount of auto insurance, including:
- Bodily Injury Liability: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
- Property Damage Liability: $25,000 per accident.
Purchasing medical payments coverage alongside your normal car insurance policy is optional in Georgia, but can be incredibly useful if you (or your passengers) were to suffer catastrophic injuries in a car accident. This supplemental auto insurance policy can also cover medical expenses if you become injured in a pedestrian accident, bicycle accident, or motorcycle accident.
What Does MedPay Cover?
Medical payments insurance covers both emergent and non-emergent medical services for all drivers and passengers after a car accident, including:
- Health insurance deductibles and copays
- Emergency medical technician and ambulance fees
- X-rays, MRIs, and CAT scans
- Doctor visits and hospital visits
- Dental procedures
- Necessary medical equipment such as prosthetics
- Professional nursing services
- Funeral expenses, if the car accident results in wrongful death
Keep in mind that MedPay covers your medical bills, not any losses you suffer from missing work due to your auto accident injuries. Some types of car insurance will provide wage reimbursement after an accident, but MedPay will not.
How Does MedPay Insurance Work in Georgia?
In Georgia, you can request MedPay insurance from your regular car insurance company. Most people only pay $5 to $10 a month for this supplemental policy, which is a small price to pay for expensive medical payments coverage in a tragic car accident.
It’s important to know that medical payments coverage works by reimbursement only. This means that you can request an exact reimbursement for the medical bills you have accrued from your accident, or you can request that your Med Pay payments be sent directly to your doctors.
For example, if you suffer $5,000 worth of medical costs after a car accident, your medical payments insurance will reimburse you exactly $5,000, as long as it doesn’t exceed your coverage limit.
MedPay Insurance Coverage Limits
So – how much coverage does MedPay provide in the event of an accident? That is up to you. You can choose the exact coverage limit with your car insurance company.
If you’re unsure what would be a good coverage limit to start with, think back to the last medical emergency you (or a loved one) had, whether it was related to a car accident or not. It’s always a good idea to match the health insurance deductible for your last medical emergency, so that you can receive as much health coverage as possible during another emergency. Generally, a good MedPay coverage limit ranges from $5,000 to $10,000.
Remember, if your car accident medical bills exceed your MedPay coverage limit, you might have to pay for these out of pocket expenses yourself.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) vs. MedPay
Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, also known as no-fault insurance, is mandatory in no-fault states. PIP covers lost wages, medical bills, and funeral costs after auto accidents.
Georgia is an at-fault state, which means that a car accident victim can recover damages through the at-fault party’s insurance company. In no-fault states, all drivers are responsible for their own car accident damages, regardless of who is at-fault in the accident.
In no-fault states, everyone needs to have good auto insurance in case of an accident, because everyone is responsible for their own expenses regardless of whether they caused the accident. For this reason, PIP coverage is not required in the state of Georgia.
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage vs. MedPay
Bodily injury liability insurance is required in Georgia because, again, Georgia is an at-fault state. The at-fault party in a car accident must cover the damages of the other driver through their own liability car insurance. The bodily injury liability portion of your car insurance helps protect you from paying damages out of your own pocket if you cause an auto accident.
So the main difference between bodily injury liability coverage and MedPay coverage is that the former pays for the other driver, and the latter pays for you. Additionally, MedPay is considered optional coverage in Georgia, while bodily injury liability insurance is mandatory.
How to Seek Damages in a Car Accident That Wasn’t Your Fault
If you’ve never been in a car accident before or you’re just so shaken up from your accident that you don’t know how to recover damages, you’re not alone. Car accidents are terrifying (even if you only suffered minor injuries) and auto insurance is complicated and confusing. There are a few ways that you can recover damages from a car accident that wasn’t your fault:
- File a claim with your own car insurance company. From there, they may speak to the at-fault party’s car insurance company to recover compensation for the damages you suffered.
- File a claim directly with the at-fault party’s car insurance company.
- Lastly, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver, which gets their liability insurance involved. If they are uninsured or your damages exceed their auto insurance coverage limit, you may be able to make a claim against your own insurance company.
Car Accident Damages in a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If you feel that filing a personal injury lawsuit is the best option for you to receive full compensation for your damages, a Sandy Springs personal injury lawyer at Ashenden & Associates can help. Our legal team has recovered more than $2.3 million in combined auto accident verdicts, so you can rest assured that we have the skill and experience necessary to help you recover a fair settlement.
Sandy Springs personal injury lawyers at our law firm can help you recover financial compensation for the following types of damages:
- Past and future medical bills
- Past and future rehabilitative bills
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity if your injuries prevent you from completing your normal job duties
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Mental health counseling costs
- Permanent scarring, disfigurement, and disability
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
- Funeral and burial expenses if the car crash results in wrongful death
Call Sandy Springs Personal Injury Lawyers at Ashenden & Associates Today
If you or a loved one has just endured a car accident, it’s always a good idea to seek legal representation, even if you don’t plan on suing the other driver. That’s because receiving fair compensation from another driver’s auto liability coverage can be quite the challenge, especially if you happen to share a small portion of fault in the accident. Sandy Springs car accident lawyers at Ashenden & Associates have what it takes to protect your legal rights and ensure that you receive fair compensation whether that’s through insurance or a civil lawsuit. Call 770-394-8909 to schedule a free consultation at our law firm today.
