WHEN DOES PAYING EXTRA FOR MEDICAL COVERAGE ON AUTO POLICIES MAKE SENSE?
I get where you’re coming from—those hospital bills can be brutal, and med pay definitely takes some of the headache out of it. But honestly, I’ve always felt like it’s a bit of overkill if you already have decent health insurance. I mean, unless your health plan has a super high deductible or you’re driving through the middle of nowhere with spotty coverage, isn’t it just paying for the same thing twice?
I’ve done a lot of cross-country trips (my playlist is basically just road noise at this point), and I’ve had a couple of close calls, but my regular insurance always picked up the slack. Sure, paperwork is a pain, but for me, the extra monthly cost just never seemed worth it. Maybe if I was hauling a family of five or driving an ancient van with questionable brakes, I’d think differently... but for now, I’d rather spend that cash on snacks and gas station coffee. Just my two cents—guess it really comes down to how much risk you’re willing to tolerate.
WHEN DOES PAYING EXTRA FOR MEDICAL COVERAGE ON AUTO POLICIES MAKE SENSE?
That’s a good point about health insurance overlap. I’ve always wondered, though—what about situations where you’ve got passengers who aren’t on your health plan? Like, if you’re road-tripping with friends or giving someone a ride, does med pay help them out more than your regular insurance would? Or is it just as much of a hassle for everyone involved?
Yeah, med pay actually covers your passengers regardless of their own insurance, which is kind of the point. If you’re driving friends or even just carpooling with coworkers, it kicks in for their medical bills if there’s an accident—no need to worry about whose health plan covers what. It’s usually pretty straightforward, not a huge hassle. I added it after realizing my kids’ friends are in my car all the time... just seemed like cheap peace of mind.
just seemed like cheap peace of mind.
- Agreed, med pay is a no-brainer if you regularly drive others around.
- It’s also useful if you’ve got a high deductible on your health insurance—med pay can cover smaller ER bills before your main policy kicks in.
- Not everyone needs it, though. If you never have passengers or already have strong health coverage, it might be redundant.
- Personally, I keep it because I carpool and don’t want to stress about who pays what after a fender bender.
WHEN DOES PAYING EXTRA FOR MEDICAL COVERAGE ON AUTO POLICIES MAKE SENSE?
I hear you on the “cheap peace of mind” thing. I used to skip med pay because I figured my health insurance would cover anything serious, but then my buddy got rear-ended in his ‘72 Chevelle and ended up with a fat ER bill that his insurance only partly covered. Med pay would’ve saved him a headache (and a couple hundred bucks).
I drive my old cars to shows with friends, so for me it’s worth the few extra bucks a month. Plus, classic car parts are expensive enough—I’d rather not add medical bills to the mix if something goes sideways. But yeah, if you’re solo most of the time and your health coverage is solid, I get why you’d pass.
It’s one of those things that feels unnecessary until you actually need it... kinda like carrying a spare tire you hope never to use.