Medical Payments Coverage
Your personal automobile insurance policy will also pay "reasonable" medical expenses associated with a
car accident regardless of whether the accident is your fault or not. In insurance terms, medical coverage
under the auto policy is considered "no fault". Coverage applies whether you are at fault or not.
How Broad is the Medical Payments Coverage Under the Arizona Personal Auto Insurance Plan?
Generally, medical payments coverage follows you. You are covered if you are involved as in an accident as
a driver, a passenger or a pedestrian no matter if you are at fault or not.
The coverage is extremely broad. Coverage is triggered when you or a family member who is an insured is
injured while entering, exiting, occupying or enlightening from an automobile that is designed for public roads.
This means if you are getting, into, out of, or occupying a motor vehicle. The courts have considered injuries
that included such things as not only riding in a car to trigger coverage - but also things like - sitting on
the roof, working under the hood, entering a convertible through the roof, riding in the bed of a pickup -
basically if you are getting into or out of or even touching an automobile you are likely to find coverage under
the medical payments section of the policy.
Say for example you are driving with your friend and his car breaks down. You and he push the car to the side of
the road and are both injured doing so. In this case, your personal auto policy would pay your medical, while his
would respond to his claims. Fault or lack thereof doesn't matter at all.
However, the vehicle must be designed for public roads. If the boys are out playing on ATV's and get injured -
these are not considered vehicles for public roads - no coverage applies under the Arizona personal auto policy.
Avoid This Temptation - Making a Bad Situation Worse
Because the auto policy's medical coverage is so broad, there is a temptation to use it as a personal health insurance
policy for accidents not related to an automobile accident. In the example above, if you were injured using an ATV
there would be no coverage under the personal auto policy. However, if you have no medical coverage the temptation
is to find "deep pockets" to have some insurance company pay the claim. If you tell your auto insurance company that
you were injured in your car versus an ATV there would be coverage.
Avoid this temptation at all costs - it is insurance fraud. Not only will there be no coverage, you could face
significant fines, as well as possibly jail - it's a crime.
How Long Do You Have to Present a Claim
Under the personal auto policy, the normal provision is that only expenses incurred within 3 years from the date of
accident will be paid. Clearly if continuing medical payments are ongoing from the accident these should be discussed
with our office so that we can discuss the matter with the claims department and manager.
Other situations where this limitation comes into play is when an accident involves children. Perhaps in some
cases it is best to delay surgery or treatment until adulthood. How does the auto policy respond to these
situations? Or where an injury sustained in an accident later manifests as arthritis? How does the policy
respond here?
Why You Need an Agent for Your Personal Auto Insurance Claims
Personal medical payment claims under the Arizona auto policy don't always go on a linear path.
Coverage is sometimes limited by a claims rep, or denied or given a specific timeframe to reach
"maximum medical benefit". No matter how you try to encapsulate it some people's claims take more
time or different treatments. If you have no agent, this can be a very difficult position for you at
a time when you are very vulnerable.
At times like these, you need an legally contracted agent of the insurance company to fight for your
rights and for your benefits.
At Michael Bott Agency, we understand and respect the trust you are placing in us, and we realize that there
are moments of truth that are part of the trust you are placing in us as a personal injury claim is no time
to find out that you no agent to protect your interests.
We're Just a Phone Call or Click Away
Your time is your most valuable resource. When you need us, we will respond. In a few quick
minutes we can give you a free
AZ Auto Insurance Quote,
AZ Motorcycle Insurance Quote or
AZ RV & Motorhome Insurance Quote.
Call us at (480) 963-5622 or
contact us for answers to your Chandler Arizona Auto Insurance
questions and a fast and easy auto insurance quote for your car, truck, motorcycle or RV.
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