Being in a car accident is a huge hassle. Even minor fender benders can not only cause damage to your vehicle, but also inflict various personal injuries such as whiplash, headaches, numbness and tingling, back and hip pain and more. Here at Well Beings Chiropractic we have certainly seen the gamut. We frequently see people who think their auto insurance policy only covers the vehicles in the case of an accident, though. What people don’t know is their policies will also often include Medical Payment Coverage, otherwise known as “MedPay.” MedPay will cover various medical bills incurred in a car accident.
Here is what is included in the MedPay Coverage:
- A minimum of $5,000 in medical expenses but can also be purchased in much larger increments
- Coverage for you and your passengers
- This includes the minimum $5000 each for anyone who is driving your vehicle, passengers, or if you are driving someone else’s vehicle.
- Can help with chiropractic and medical costs
- Many additional out of pocket expenses can build up in a car accident. MedPay helps cover those including ambulance and ER visits, seeing a chiropractor, and things like acupuncture, massage and dental. It is also recommended to increase your MedPay coverage to $10,000-$25,000 if you do not have health insurance.
- Offers additional protection in situations outside of your own vehicle
- Did you know your MedPay follows you whether you’re walking, riding your bicycle, in another person’s car, on public transportation, in state or out of state, etc.?
Sound great right? The downside is many people tend to opt out of this coverage in their auto insurance policy even though it does not cost much. In a round figure it only adds about $20 a year to your auto insurance bill. This means twenty bucks equals $5,000 in coverage. Not a shabby deal, by the looks of things. The problem is that many people have a few misconceptions about MedPay.
Here are a few of the misunderstandings of MedPay Coverage:
- Many think that if they file a claim it will affect their rates
- The only thing that can affect your rates is if you were at fault in the accident, in which case, considering you already have to file the claim you might as well use the benefits YOU pay for as part of your policy.
- It only covers doctor bills
- As it was stated above, MedPay covers a multitude of areas from chiropractic and x-rays to ambulance and ER fees.
- If a MedPay claim isn’t filed right away the benefit is lost
- A MedPay claim can be filed up to 3 years after an accident occurred (if you had MedPay at the time of course). Let’s say you got rear ended last year, but no real damage was inflicted. Your car was fine, and you generally felt fine after the accident if only a little shaken up. Since then though, you’ve had an increase in headaches, and this pain in your neck just won’t go away. You can still open a MedPay claim, even if you’re only now just visiting a chiropractor. It is certainly not recommended to wait that long, and if you do wait it can make the claim a little stickier. Whether you file the claim the day after or a year after, the insurance company will review the case to determine if the medical services are reasonable and necessary. That being said, it is always a good idea to read over what services your MedPay will cover because some services such as acupuncture and massage therapy may not be covered.
Of course, if you have any additional questions or if you do not know if you have coverage, you can always ask your insurance agent for more information. Auto accidents are never fun, but that doesn’t mean your wallet has to be affected. MedPay is a recommended coverage for many reasons, but mainly because no one should let an unexpected motor vehicle accident get in the way of their health. Make sure you are protected.
At Well Beings Chiropractic, we have worked with many clients who have been in auto accidents. We can work directly with your auto insurance to make sure you get the chiropractic care you need and we can also refer you to other providers if necessary. We look forward to being your Lakewood and Northwest Denver car accident chiropractor.
