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- Medical payments coverage pays for medical expenses for you and your passengers if you’re injured in an accident.
- If you forego MedPay coverage, you may end up paying out-of-pocket for your medical bills when you are at fault in an accident or the at-fault party cannot cover your injuries.
- MedPay can cover injuries sustained as a pedestrian or while using public transportation.
Medical payments coverage pays for medical expenses resulting from an auto accident, regardless of who is at fault. It covers costs like hospital visits, surgeries and doctors’ appointments for you and your passengers.
What does medical payments insurance cover?
Medical payments (MedPay) coverage pays reasonable and necessary medical and/or funeral expenses for you and others injured or killed in an auto accident while riding in or driving your insured vehicle. MedPay can also extend to cover injuries sustained as a pedestrian or while using public transportation.
Parties typically covered by MedPay (may vary by state and policy terms) include:
- Policyholder
- Policyholder’s relatives in the same household
- Passengers
- Other authorized drivers of your insured vehicle
- Policyholder and family members if they are injured while riding in someone else’s car
- Policyholder and family members if struck by another vehicle when a pedestrian or on a bicycle (in some states)
MedPay benefits normally include all reasonable:
- Hospital, surgical, and chiropractor expenses
- X-ray expenses
- Dental expenses
- Professional nursing expenses
- Prosthetic expenses
- Funeral expenses
Medical payments coverage is often limited to medical expenses incurred within a specified period of time after your accident (typically the first three years).
State law requirements for MedPay (medical payments coverage)
Maine, New Hampshire and Wisconsin are the only confirmed states with MedPay explicitly listed as required coverage in the current 2025 regulatory summaries.
States that require MedPay
The only states where MedPay is required as part of the states’ minimum auto insurance laws are:
- Maine: Requires MedPay along with UM/UIM.
- New Hampshire: Requires MedPay (if you choose to buy auto insurance).
- Wisconsin: Requires MedPay along with UM and UIM coverage.
States where MedPay is optional
MedPay is optional (not required) in every other state, including:
- Pennsylvania: Often confused because it requires PIP (First Party Benefits), not MedPay.
- Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Florida and others: Require PIP or other first-party benefits instead.
In a majority of states, medical payments coverage is optional, though some states do require it to be offered but allow drivers to reject it in writing.
Even where it’s not required, MedPay is available as an affordable add-on, usually costing under $10 per month for basic limits ($1,000–$10,000).
| State | MedPay required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maine | Yes | Required alongside UM/UIM |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Required if you buy auto insurance |
| Wisconsin | Yes | Required alongside UM and UIM |
| All other states | No | Optional coverage |
What happens if I don’t have MedPay coverage?
If medical payments coverage is optional in your state and you choose to go without, you may end up paying out-of-pocket for your medical bills when you are at fault in an accident or the at-fault party cannot cover your injuries.
If your health plan requires a deductible, medical payments coverage may help pay it. This coverage may also pay for other items not covered by your health insurance, such as nursing services, dental expenses and funeral expenses.
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How does MedPay work with liability coverage?
If you have been injured in an automobile accident and want to make a claim against your medical payments coverage, contact your insurance company and first report the accident and injuries and find out how to proceed with your claim.
In general, medical payments coverage pays for medical expenses for you and your passengers injured in an accident. There may also be coverage if a vehicle hits you while walking. Medical payments coverage applies regardless of who is at fault. If you do not have medical payment coverage but have Personal Injury Protection (PIP) instead, then you, others in your car and pedestrians you hit will typically be covered, within the specified limits, for medical, hospital and funeral expenses.
If you are injured due to the fault of another driver, you can make a claim against the at-fault party’s bodily injury liability coverage. Claims for bodily injury may be for medical bills, loss of income or pain and suffering.
When making a claim for medical expenses — whether it is through MedPay, PIP or someone else’s bodily injury liability coverage — make sure that you have evidence of injuries and documentation of your medical expenses.
How do liability car insurance and MedPay differ?
Bodily injury liability insurance covers others that you are responsible for, while medical payment covers your own injuries that you sustained in a car accident.
Bodily Injury (BI) liability coverage normally pays for injuries to others when you are legally liable for an accident involving your automobile. Your insurance company will pay for injuries up to the limits of your policy and provide legal representation if you get sued. In some no-fault states, bodily injury insurance is limited — typically just paying for severe injury or death because your personal injury protection (PIP) would be used for less serious injuries.
Medical payments is an optional coverage that you would purchase to cover your medical expenses arising from a car accident. This coverage pays for medical expenses for bodily injury up to your policy’s limit.
MedPay covers your medical expenses, plus those of your family members or passengers, regardless of fault. It applies whether you are in your automobile or someone else’s or if you are hit by an automobile while walking or bicycling.
Frequently Asked Questions: Medical payments (MedPay) coverage
What is medical payments (MedPay) coverage?
Medical payments coverage, or MedPay, helps pay medical expenses for you and your passengers if you’re injured in a car accident — regardless of who caused it. It can cover hospital bills, ambulance fees, X-rays, surgery, and even funeral costs up to your policy limit.
Do I need MedPay if I already have health insurance?
MedPay can still be valuable even if you have health insurance. It can help pay deductibles, copays, and out-of-network costs that your health plan doesn’t cover. It also applies to passengers and family members injured in your vehicle or while walking or cycling.
How is MedPay different from personal injury protection (PIP)?
Both cover medical expenses after a crash, but PIP offers broader protection. PIP may cover lost wages and essential services (like childcare or household help), while MedPay only covers medical and funeral expenses. PIP is required in some “no-fault” states, whereas MedPay is always optional.
What does MedPay typically cover?
MedPay can help pay for:
- Ambulance and emergency room costs
- Hospital and surgery bills
- Doctor visits and X-rays
- Dental care due to an accident
- Funeral expenses
Coverage usually applies to injuries sustained in your car, someone else’s car, or as a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.
How much MedPay coverage should I buy?
MedPay limits typically range from $1,000 to $10,000 per person, though higher limits are available. Choose a limit that comfortably covers your health insurance deductible and potential emergency care costs.
Does MedPay cover other drivers or passengers?
Yes. MedPay covers you, your passengers, and family members who live in your household — even if they’re in another vehicle or hit as pedestrians. It does not cover injuries to people driving your car without permission or while using it for commercial purposes.
Does MedPay cover lost wages or pain and suffering?
No. MedPay only covers medical and funeral expenses. If you want coverage for lost wages or related costs, you’d need personal injury protection (PIP) or to file a liability claim against the at-fault driver.
Is MedPay required by law?
MedPay is optional in most states, but a few states require either MedPay or PIP coverage. Even where it’s not required, adding it to your policy is usually inexpensive — often under $10 per month for basic limits.
Does MedPay cover injuries in someone else’s car?
Yes. MedPay covers you if you’re injured as a passenger in another person’s car, or even if you’re hit by a vehicle while walking or biking. It follows you, not just your car.
When does MedPay not apply?
MedPay won’t cover:
- Injuries sustained during racing or intentional acts
- Accidents while using your vehicle for rideshare or delivery (unless your insurer allows it)
- Injuries in vehicles not listed on your policy (in some cases)
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