What is MedPay?
MedPay, short for medical payments coverage, is a part of your own car insurance that pays medical bills for you and your passengers after a crash, up to a set limit. California’s insurance department says it can pay for immediate medical care no matter who is at fault.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (5)
How does MedPay work? An example
Example: you are driving in Phoenix with a friend when another car clips you. You both go to urgent care. Your bill is $1,800 and your friend’s is $1,200. You carry $5,000 of MedPay. Your insurer can pay both bills, $3,000 in total, without waiting to find out who caused the crash. You still have $2,000 of MedPay left for follow-up visits.
Texas’s regulator adds that MedPay also pays if you are hurt riding in someone else’s car, walking or biking. Think of it as a small, fast fund for bills, not a full settlement.
Why does MedPay matter if you were hurt?
It pays bills while the fault fight goes on. MedPay can also cover your health plan’s deductible and copays. In a state without required PIP, it may be the only part of your own car policy that pays for your own injuries. Arizona’s regulator says liability coverage does not pay your own injuries and that you need MedPay for that.
Check whether you have it before the bills go to collections. It is listed on the declarations page of your policy.
How does MedPay work in Arizona and Texas?
| Question | Arizona | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Your own injuries | Liability coverage does not pay them; the regulator points to MedPay. | MedPay pays your and your passengers’ bills, also when walking or biking. |
| Payback from a settlement | Your insurer may have a lien on MedPay paid above $5,000. | Check your policy’s reimbursement terms. |
Texas policies also include PIP unless you turn it down, and PIP pays more kinds of loss. See the Texas and Arizona state pages for minimums.
MedPay vs. PIP: what is the difference?
Both come from your own policy and pay regardless of fault. Texas’s glossary says both pay limited medical and funeral expenses, but PIP also pays lost-income benefits. MedPay is usually optional and sticks to medical bills.
Questions
Does MedPay pay if the crash was my fault?
Yes. MedPay can pay for immediate medical care no matter who is at fault, up to your limit.
Do I have to pay MedPay back from my settlement?
Sometimes. In Arizona, the insurer may hold a lien on what it paid above $5,000; elsewhere it depends on your policy and state law.
Does MedPay cover my passengers?
Yes. It pays your passengers’ medical bills as well as yours.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (5)
- California Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “This covers the cost of medical expenses if you or your passengers are injured. This coverage can pay for immediate medical care, no matter who is at fault.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “Medical payments coverage pays your and your passengers’ medical bills. It also pays if you’re hurt while riding in someone else’s car or while walking or biking.”
- Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, checked 2026-11-09. “It does not pay for bodily injuries you may sustain. You need Medical Payments coverage to have your own injuries covered under an auto policy.”
- A.R.S. § 20-259.01, checked 2026-11-09. “may have a lien against any amount in excess of $5,000 that is paid to or on behalf of that insured under the medical payments coverage of the policy for that accident.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, auto insurance glossary, checked 2026-11-09. “Medical payments and personal injury protection (PIP) - Both pay limited medical and funeral expenses if you, a family member, or a passenger in your car is injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident. PIP also pays lost-income benefits.”