What Is Medical Payments Coverage?

Medical payments coverage is an important piece of your car insurance policy. It helps pay medical expenses if you or your passengers are hurt in an accident. It can even help protect you as a pedestrian.2
Author:
Lily DiGregorio
Lily DiGregorio,Staff copywriter
Lily DiGregorio
Staff copywriter specializing in auto and home insurance for The Hartford.
Reviewed By:
Ben Ewbank
Ben Ewbank,Head of Personal Lines State Product and Pricing
Ben Ewbank
Head of Personal Lines State Product and Pricing at The Hartford.
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Updated: 01/30/2026
Read Time: 6 minutes
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Key Takeaways

  • Medical payments is an optional coverage that helps pay for essential services and medical expenses after an accident or if you’re struck as a pedestrian. For example, it can help cover ER visits, ambulance fees or dental procedures.
  • This coverage doesn’t help cover injuries to the other driver or lost wages if you must miss work due to accident-related injuries. Other car insurance coverages on your policy will kick in for those scenarios.
  • Since health insurance deductibles can be high, it’s wise to take them into account when selecting your medical payments coverage amount. That way, you can avoid as many out-of-pocket expenses as you can.

What Is Medical Payments Insurance Coverage?

Medical payments insurance coverage (MedPay) is an optional add-on for car insurance policies. It helps pay for medical or funeral expenses that result from an automobile accident, and coverage applies to everyone in your car at the time of the collision.
Since 1984, AARP® Auto Insurance from The Hartford1 has proudly protected AARP members and their loved ones. Call The Hartford’s insurance representatives at 888-546-9099 to add this optional coverage to your policy.
 

What Does Medical Payments Coverage Cover?

Your medical payments coverage applies in all states, regardless of fault for the auto accident. It helps pay for:
 
  • Doctor’s visits
  • Emergency room visits
  • Medical treatments, surgeries or procedures
  • Funeral expenses
  • Health insurance deductibles and co-pays
  • X-rays and diagnostics
  • Extended nursing services or hospital stays
  • Ambulance fees
  • Prosthetic limbs
  • Dental procedures
Use our car insurance calculator to learn more about auto insurance coverage options based on your insurance goals and your state car insurance requirements.
female driver protected by auto insurance medical payments from The Hartford

Who Is Covered by Auto Insurance Medical Payments?

This insurance protection applies to the driver and passengers in a vehicle at the time of the accident. It also helps protect you as a pedestrian.
 
This means it can help pay for medical treatment if you or a family member on your policy injures your passengers in a car accident or if you’re hit by a car while walking across the street.

What Is Not Covered Under Medical Payments?

Car insurance medical payments coverage will not cover lost wages if you have to miss work due to accident-related injuries. MedPay also doesn’t cover injuries to other drivers.
 

How Does Medical Payments Insurance Work?

Are you wondering what medical payments on car insurance protects you from? Let’s say you and your spouse are driving to run errands and you’re hit by another vehicle. You and your spouse are taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital, where they run tests and X-rays to confirm there are no concussions or broken bones.  
 
You have health insurance, but your deductible has higher limits that you’re nowhere near hitting. Without medical payments coverage, it’s your responsibility to pay out of pocket for the ambulance, hospital visit and testing per person, which could cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Even if you hit your deductible halfway through, you’d still be subject to pay all costs until then.
Medical payments insurance protects you financially and offers peace of mind, knowing you can get the care you and your passengers need without breaking the bank or going into medical debt.
 
This coverage would help pay for all of the above services and more if needed, and all you have to pay is the deductible amount you choose. That’s why it’s important to take into account your healthcare deductible when selecting your MedPay amount. 
video explaining medical payments coverage from The Hartford

Medical Payments

Watch this video to learn how this insurance helps protect policyholders by covering medical bills.

Determining Your MedPay Coverage Needs

Before you decide how much medical payment coverage to buy, you’ll want to look at the amount your health insurer will pay for accident-related injury expenses. Typically, medical payments coverage limits usually start at $1,000 with a maximum amount of $10,000, depending on where you live and who your insurance provider is. You’ll likely want to have enough coverage to equal your health insurance deductible. That way, MedPay will help cover your out-of-pocket medical expenses.
If your health insurance won’t cover the full amount of potential medical costs from a car collision, medical payments coverage can help cover the difference.
 
Depending on your insurer, you may not have any deductibles with MedPay coverage, unlike health insurance. In that case, the coverage amount you buy helps determine the cost.  If you do have a deductible, remember that choosing lower deductibles means you’ll pay less before your insurance covers the rest after an accident, but this may result in higher car insurance premiums.
 

What's the Difference Between Personal Injury Protection and Medical Payments Coverage?

Car insurance medical payments coverage and personal injury protection (PIP) offer similar benefits, but understanding their differences is key to making sure you have the protection you need on your policy.
Medical Payments Coverage Personal Injury Protection Coverage
Helps cover medical-related expenses only. Offers protection for both medical and non-medical covered losses.
Helps pay for medical costs like doctor’s visits, ambulance fees or funeral expenses after an accident or if you’re injured as a pedestrian. Helps cover things like lost wages, child care services and household help if you’re unable to perform them after an accident.
Optional in most states but required in some. Required in “no-fault” states, optional in most other states.

State Laws for PIP Coverage

States with no-fault insurance laws require every driver to file a claim with their own insurance company after a car accident, regardless of fault. In these states, you’ll need to buy PIP as part of your auto insurance policy. Some no-fault states include:
 

What’s the Difference Between Bodily Injury Liability Coverage and Medical Payments Insurance?

Your car insurance medical payments coverage helps pay medical costs for you and your passengers after an auto accident. Bodily injury liability insurance also helps pay for treatment after an accident but only for people other than you or your passengers.
couple happy being protected by car insurance medical payments from The Hartford

Get an Auto Insurance Quote With Medical Payments Coverage

For over 40 years, The Hartford has offered customizable coverage options for AARP members plus exclusive benefits and car insurance discounts. In fact, you can save over $800** on your auto and home policies when you bundle insurance with The Hartford.
 
To learn more about insurance rates, savings and coverage options, get a car insurance quote online or contact The Hartford at 888-546-9099.

Frequently Asked Questions About MedPay

Medical payments coverage helps cover medical fees after an accident, which are often expensive. While it’s not a mandatory coverage, without proper protection you’ll have to pay these bills out of pocket, making this coverage worth it in most cases.
It’s a good idea to have medical payments coverage even if you have health insurance. If your health insurance won’t cover the full amount of potential medical costs from a car collision, MedPay can help pay the difference.
How much medical payments coverage you need is a personal decision. Typically, you’ll want at least enough coverage to equal your health insurance deductible, so you can avoid paying out-of-pocket expenses.

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2 Medical benefits are calculated on the basis of usual, customary and reasonable charges.
** Average annual savings are based on information reported by customers who switched to The Hartford’s newest rate plan between 9/1/24 and 8/31/25. Average auto insurance savings $597 and average home insurance savings $366. Your savings may vary. Rate differences for AARP members and non-members vary by state and AARP membership tenure. Auto/Home discount is available only to policyholders who have both their auto and home (or condo or renters) insurance through the AARP Auto & Home Insurance program from The Hartford. The Hartford does not write new business in all areas, including the states of CA and FL.
 
§ Availability of RecoverCare benefit and benefit levels vary by state. The Hartford RecoverCare Advantage® is a registered mark of The Hartford.
 
§§ Terms and conditions apply.
 
‡ Terms and conditions apply. Accident Forgiveness and the Disappearing Deductible are not available to CA policyholders.
 
‡‡ Terms and conditions apply. Availability varies by state.
 
‡‡‡ Based on one car and driver; individual rate/premium/savings will vary based on actual coverage selections and characteristics of vehicle(s)/driver(s).
 
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1 In Texas, the Auto Program is underwritten by Redpoint County Mutual Insurance Company through Hartford of the Southeast General Agency, Inc. Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates are not financially responsible for insurance products underwritten and issued by Redpoint County Mutual Insurance Company. The Home Program is underwritten by Hartford Insurance Company of the Southeast.
 
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