Auto Accidents and Medical Payment Coverage

Medical payments coverage (commonly referred to as medpay, bodily injury protection or BIP) comes up often when dealing with injury claims resulting from car accidents.  Medical payments coverage is insurance coverage that you can contract for with your auto insurance carrier which will provide for payment of medical bills in the event you are injured in an accident.  Medical payments coverage is not mandatory in Nebraska and typically ranges from $1,000 to as much as $50,000 in coverage.  Other than accident injury attorneys, most people are unaware of whether or not they even have medical payments coverage.  Others are discouraged from making a claim after they have been in an accident for fear that their auto premium may increase.  Even insurance agents have been known to advise their clients against opening a medpay claim.  The truth is that in most cases where you have been injured in an accident, it is in your best interest to open a claim with your own insurance company for any available medpay benefits.  In addition to obvious benefits of immediate access to money for payment of medical bills, copays and deductibles, there can also be additional benefits down the road if your injuries were caused by another person’s negligence.  If you have been injured in an auto accident, make sure to speak with your lawyer about the potential benefits and drawbacks of opening a medpay claim.