Medical Payments Coverage for Seniors in New Hampshire
Medical payments coverage pays for injuries from a car accident no matter who caused it, and in New Hampshire you can choose how much to carry.
It covers injury costs your health plan may not
Medical payments coverage, often called MedPay, pays medical bills for you and your passengers after a car accident, regardless of fault. New Hampshire doesn't require drivers to carry liability insurance or MedPay, but if you buy a policy that includes it, it works the same way here as anywhere else.
For a driver on Medicare, the value of MedPay comes down to what Medicare doesn't cover right away. Medicare has deductibles and copays, and MedPay can pick those up after a crash so you're not paying out of pocket while a claim sorts itself out. It can also cover a passenger who has no health insurance of their own.
Whether you have Medicare changes what MedPay is for
If you're on Medicare, you already have coverage for hospital stays, doctor visits, and most treatment you'd need after a crash. MedPay doesn't replace that. It sits in front of it, covering the deductibles, copays, and coinsurance that Medicare leaves to you.
That's a narrower job than MedPay does for someone without health coverage, but it's still real money. A hospital visit after a collision can generate several bills, and MedPay can pay those directly without waiting on Medicare to process its share first.
It also doesn't ask who caused the accident. If you're found at fault, your health insurance and MedPay still pay. Liability coverage, by contrast, only pays for the other driver's injuries if you caused the crash.
Ask your agent how MedPay and Medicare coordinate on a claim. Insurers handle the order of payment differently, and it's worth knowing before you need it rather than after.
How much coverage to carry is a choice, not a rule
New Hampshire lets you set your own MedPay limit, or skip it, depending on what your insurer offers. There's no state minimum to meet, so the amount you carry is really a question of how much of a medical bill you want your auto policy to absorb before other coverage takes over.
People often assume MedPay duplicates their health insurance and skip it for that reason. The gap is usually in the deductible and copay amounts, not the coverage itself. If those costs would be hard to cover out of pocket, a modest MedPay limit closes that gap.
It's also worth checking whether your policy already includes MedPay by default or as an add-on. Some policies bundle it in, others require you to request it, and the only way to know is to look at your declarations page or ask directly.
Questions people ask about this
Does MedPay cover a passenger in my car who isn't a relative?
Yes, MedPay typically covers injuries to any passenger in your vehicle at the time of the accident, not just family members. Check your policy's definition of a covered passenger, since some insurers set conditions on who qualifies.
Do I still need MedPay if I have Medicare Supplement coverage?
It depends on how much your supplement plan already covers. Some Medigap plans cover most deductibles and copays, which narrows what MedPay would add. Compare what your supplement plan leaves unpaid before deciding.
Will my MedPay claim affect my car insurance rate?
This depends on your insurer's rules, since MedPay claims are handled differently than at-fault liability claims. Ask your agent directly whether a MedPay claim alone can affect your renewal rate.
Can I use MedPay if I'm hit while walking or riding as a pedestrian?
Many MedPay policies extend to pedestrian accidents involving your own car, but this varies by insurer. Read your policy's coverage terms or ask your agent whether pedestrian incidents are included.
What happens to unused MedPay coverage after an accident?
MedPay typically pays out up to your selected limit per accident, and unused amounts don't carry over or get refunded. It resets with each new accident, subject to the limit you chose when you bought the policy.
See how MedPay options and limits compare across insurers before you renew.
Pull out your current auto policy and find the declarations page, which lists whether you have MedPay and at what limit. If you're not sure, call your agent this week and ask them to explain it in plain terms, including how it interacts with Medicare or any supplement plan you carry. Ask what a higher MedPay limit would cost compared to what it would have covered after a past claim, if you've had one. If you're shopping for a new policy, ask each insurer the same questions so you're comparing the same coverage, not just the same premium.
