How Medpay Coverage Works in North Carolina

An often overlooked but potentially beneficial kind of car insurance is known as “Medpay” coverage. Medpay – short for “medical payments” – coverage may pay for necessary and reasonable medical and funeral services resulting from a car accident.

Medpay benefits may be paid regardless of who was responsible for a car accident in North Carolina.

The intention of having Medpay coverage is to ensure that money is quickly available for all kinds of medical bills and/or funeral expenses after a car accident, up to the policy’s limits.

Though the point of Medpay insurance is to quickly provide money, some insurance companies may be reluctant to make good on a policy. At The Elmore and Smith Law Firm, PC in Asheville, we work hard to keep this from happening to our clients. We help car accident victims in Western North Carolina obtain all of the compensation they have coming to them from all sources of insurance.

If you have questions about your insurance coverage or experience problems getting the benefits you deserve after a car accident, including medpay coverage, contact us now by phone or through our contact form.

What Is ‘Medpay’ Insurance Coverage?

Medpay coverage is not required car insurance in North Carolina, unlike liability coverage. It is an option that is available at extra cost. Medpay policies are usually fairly inexpensive and do not have deductibles.

If you have Medpay, you voluntarily paid an additional premium and should not hesitate to make a Medpay claim if you are involved in an accident. Under North Carolina law if an accident is not your fault your insurance company is not allowed to increase your rates because you make a claim.

Some think of Medpay coverage as a supplement to health insurance. Others suggest Medpay coverage may be useful for someone who drives for a carpool, or for parents whose driving-age children often have friends in the car with them.

After An Accident In A Car With Medpay Coverage

Medpay coverage should reimburse you for medical or funeral expenses that result from a car accident. You may be able to forward bills to your insurance company to pay or seek reimbursement for bills that you paid at the time of service.

Your health insurance company may decline to pay medical expenses connected to your car accident until you have exhausted the benefits of a Medpay policy. At a maximum of $25,000, Medpay policies cover relatively minor injuries requiring short-term treatment.

Because benefits are relatively small and it is meant to be quick-paying coverage, insurance companies usually handle Medpay policies well. But the aftermath of a car accident can be a confusing time, and it is easy to misunderstand or overlook various facets of your insurance coverage. Insurers may still look out for their company’s bottom line first.

The Elmore and Smith Law Firm, PC can help you after a car accident to make sure that you receive all the compensation you deserve through your insurance and the at-fault driver’s liability coverage. After a car accident, we can assist you as you seek reimbursement for or payment of medical bills for yourself, family members or others in a car covered by a Medpay policy.

Eligibility For Medpay Coverage

North Carolina insurance policies provide two classes of Medpay coverage. First, named insureds and their family members who reside with them are covered if they are injured in a motor vehicle accident – even if they are passenger in someone else’s vehicle, riding a bicycle or walking. Another way of thinking of this first class and their family members is that their Medpay follows them.

The second class is made up of people who occupy a vehicle with Medpay coverage that is not owned by them or one of their family members. These individuals are entitled to Medpay only if they are injured in an accident involving the covered vehicle.

In some circumstances, the two classes can be combined, providing additional Medpay coverage. For example, if someone is riding in a friend’s vehicle, and the friend has $5,000 in Medpay, and the passenger has $5,000 in Medpay coverage on his or her own car and lives with a spouse who has an additional $5,000 in Medpay coverage on a separate policy, the passenger would potentially have $15,000 in coverage. This is called stacking.

North Carolina has complex laws about who is entitled to stack Medpay. For example, adult children who are away at college may be entitled to coverage under both of their parents’ policies, even if their parents live apart. An experienced attorney at The Elmore and Smith Law Firm, PC can review your situation and seek out all potential sources of coverage.

Get Help From A Western NC Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in a car accident in a vehicle covered by a Medpay insurance policy, let The Elmore and Smith Law Firm, PC car accident attorney help you recover all the benefits you deserve.

Call us now or use this online form to set up a free, no obligation discussion of your case today. Our attorneys have years of experience maximizing insurance payouts for car accident victims in Western North Carolina just like you.

Sources:

• N.C. Department of Insurance – A Consumer’s Guide to Automobile Insurance
• Car Insurance Comparison – What is Med Pay car insurance coverage?
• Bankrate – Why you need MedPay in car insurance