Car Insurance Protects You and Your Family After Car Accident

As a personal injury attorney, I see people every day that have been injured from a car accident, trucking accident, auto accident, dog bite or a host of other personal injury claims. Most people rely on their auto insurance to get them by in the event of a car accident, and understandably so. After all, why else would we pay thousands of dollars to insurance companies each year? Car insurance protects you or your property in the event of a personal injury, but auto accidents are often much more expensive and add considerable stress on everyone involved. One way to protect yourself and your family is to purchase additional coverage.

The Cost Of Health Care Is Rising!

The cost of medical procedures is increasing at an incredible rate, which means to cost of being involved in an auto accident is increasing. In California, the minimum amount of automobile insurance one can purchase to register a vehicle and drive on a California roadway $15,000/$30,000. This means, the maximum payout on a single accident victim is $15,000. If 2 or more people are injured, the coverage will max out at $30,000. This is fine for smaller scuffles, but what if something serious occurs? Medical bills can easily total in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that under insured motorists really aren’t that different from uninsured motorists – what’s $15,000 in the face of a $250,000 surgery?

Is Your Family Protected?

The scariest part is that this $15,000 in coverage only applies to you or in some cases your family. What happens if you get into a serious car accident and your child and spouse suffer serious injuries? You might be able to make it if just one family member has to undergo very expensive surgery, but when the medical bills extend to multiple people, the financial hole can be nearly impossible to escape. The financial impact can be devastating, and it is nothing short of irresponsible to be under-insured in light of the risk of a car accident. Ensuring adequate coverage for you and your family is much more than a wise financial choice, it’s an important step that every head of a family should take in order to protect their family’s well-being.

Medical Payments – An Overview:

Medical Payments is no fault insurance coverage which provides coverage for medical expenses. When you’re reviewing your auto insurance coverage options, you probably want to add Medical Payments coverage. While this coverage is optional, it provides coverage under multiple accident situations: car accidents with the policyholder’s vehicle; auto accidents while you (or a family member) are traveling in another person’s vehicle; and even, if the policyholder (or a family member) is struck while a pedestrian or a cyclist.

What Does Med-Pay Cover?

• Ambulance and/or EMT
• Doctor’s Expenses
• Hospital Costs
• Radiology – CT Scans, X-Ray and MRIs
• Co-Pays
• Insurance Deductibles
• Funeral Expenses – wrongful death cases

Medical payments coverage is available at multiple coverage levels.

• $1,000
• $5,000
• $10,000
• $25,000
• $50,000
• $100,000.

Good news! Medical payments coverage is an inexpensive benefit, for a few dollars a month you can protect yourself and your family.

Who’s Covered?

As a general rule, Med Pay will cover expenses regardless of fault (even if you cause the accident, you are covered). Med Pay typically covers yourself, your passengers, and the driver of your car. Also, even in the auto accident happens in another’s vehicle, you and your family members are likely be covered. In fact, even if you or your family members are pedestrians, Med Pay coverage provides additional protection.

Questions To Ask Your Agent

Finding enhanced auto-insurance is paramount to the protection of your family. If you don’t already have a higher level of coverage, contact your insurance agent and ask them the following questions:

• 1. How much coverage do I have right now
• 2. What plans are available to increase my coverage (Med Pay, Under-insured Motorist)?
• 3. How expensive will the increase in coverage be?
• 4. How does the coverage work for my family?

Check with your agent to see what he or she offers – remember, a good plan is the best way to protect your family in the event of an auto accident. Call your insurance provider right away to find out what other plans are available. Most of the time, you’ll be able to dramatically improve your coverage plan for a very small increase in your monthly payments. Don’t delay – protect your family and increase your coverage today!