Medical Payments Coverage (Med Pay) is an optional form of car insurance in Nevada that covers your reasonable and necessary medical and funeral expenses, up to the policy coverage limits, after an auto accident.
The people covered under Medical Payments Insurance include:
- the policyholder,
- the policyholder’s family, or
- passengers in the policyholder’s driver’s vehicle.
Med Pay automobile insurance applies regardless of who was at fault. It even applies when you or your family are struck by a motor vehicle while walking down the street.
In this article, our Las Vegas personal injury lawyers will address the following key issues regarding Nevada Med Pay insurance:
- 1. Applicability
- 2. Covered Expenses
- 3. Excluded Expenses
- 4. Med Pay Advantages
- 5. Availability
- 6. Med Pay vs. Other Insurance
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Additional Resources
1. Applicability
In Nevada, Med Pay insurance coverage applies anytime you or a residential family member is injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident, regardless of whether you were at fault.
When you are driving, it also covers passengers in your vehicle.
Though it also covers you when you are a passenger in a car that someone else is driving, or if you are struck by a motor vehicle when you are a pedestrian.
Examples of when Med Pay might apply include (but are not limited to):
- You sustain a brain injury and other bodily injury in a motorcycle accident while on your way back from the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area;
- A passenger in your car gets a spinal injury when a motorist rear-ends you in traffic on the I-215;
- Your spouse is hit by a bus while crossing the Las Vegas Strip;
- Your daughter is involved in a bicycle accident on her way home from school;
- A car accident while another parent is driving your son home from soccer practice, and it results in your son’s wrongful death;
- You are hurt in an accident with a truck when the truck runs a red light and hits your vehicle.1
2. Covered Expenses
Med Pay covers all reasonable and necessary medical bills and/or funeral expenses arising from Nevada auto accidents, up to the policy limits.
Such expenses can include (but are not limited to):
- Doctor’s bills;
- Chiropractor bills;
- Physical or occupational therapy;
- X-rays and MRIs;
- Ambulance and EMT costs;
- Hospital stays;
- Short- or long-term care (such as home health aides);
- Prosthetics;
- Dental expenses resulting from broken teeth; and
- Funeral expenses.
Note that Med Pay kicks in after you receive your medical bills.
3. Excluded Expenses
Nevada medical payments liability coverage will not pay for:
- Car repair bills or other property damage;
- Coverage in excess of your policy limits;
- Medical treatment expenses incurred while you are riding in a trailer or other equipment attached to a vehicle; or
- Expenses relating to pre-existing conditions (except to the extent they are made worse by an accident).
Med Pay is similar to PIP coverage (personal injury protection).
Med Pay insurance is optional in Nevada.
4. Med Pay Advantages
In Nevada, Med Pay coverage is usually well worth the cost. In addition to covering you in situations other car insurance won’t (such as when you are a pedestrian in a pedestrian accident or at fault for the accident), Med Pay has several other advantages:
- Every person injured can receive up to the policy limit – the limit is not divided between the victims;
- No deductibles or co-pays like most liability insurance has;
- No restriction on the type of provider you can visit as most health insurance coverage has;
- No restriction on where the accident takes place;
- Premiums will not go up after an accident;
- Coverage will not be dropped after an accident;
- Coverage for your family; and
- No obligation to reimburse any other insurer for payments previously made for medical expenses under any other plan of insurance (including, without limitation, expenses paid by private health insurance or Medicare).
Also, a Med Pay car insurance policy is relatively cheap – usually a few dollars every month.
5. Availability
Nevada law under NRS 687B.145(3) requires all insurance companies offering motor vehicle insurance policies to also offer optional Med Pay insurance with coverage of at least $1,000.2. However, most vehicle insurers offer Med Pay with higher limits, sometimes as high as $100,000.
Nevada law precludes subrogation of Med-Pay coverage. In other words, you do not have to reimburse your insurance company for Med Pay funds even if the at-fault driver’s insurance pays you.
6. Med Pay vs. Other Insurance
| Insurance Type in Nevada | What it Covers | Required or Optional | At-Fault Party | Minimum Coverage |
| Bodily injury or death | Injuries or death of people in the other vehicle | Required | You | $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident |
| Injury to or destruction of property | Damage to the other vehicle or property | Required | You | $20,000 |
| Med Pay | Your injuries and your passengers’ injuries | Optional | Regardless of fault | At least $1,000 |
| Uninsured/Underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) | Your injuries and your passengers’ injuries if the other driver has little or no insurance or commits hit-and-run | Optional | Other driver | $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident |
| Collision | Damage to your vehicle | Optional | Regardless of fault | Up to your car’s actual cash value |
All drivers are advised to buy a Med Pay auto insurance policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Med Pay to cover my health insurance deductible or copays?
Yes. If you use your primary health insurance to treat your car accident injuries, you can use your auto Med Pay coverage to pay your health insurance deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket maximums. This is one of the biggest financial benefits of carrying Med Pay in Nevada.
Do I have to wait until my policy renews to add Med Pay?
No. You can add Medical Payments coverage to your Nevada auto insurance policy at any time. You do not have to wait for your policy to renew. Simply submit a written request to your insurance agent or provider to have it added to your coverage.
Will my insurance company remind me about Med Pay?
Yes. Under Nevada law, auto insurance companies must include an offer for at least $1,000 in Med Pay coverage when you first purchase a policy, and they must include a copy of this offer with your paperwork every time your policy comes up for renewal.
Does Med Pay cover me if I get hurt in an Uber or Lyft?
Yes. Med Pay follows the policyholder, not the specific car. If you have Med Pay on your personal auto policy and you are injured while riding as a passenger in a rideshare vehicle like Uber or Lyft, your Med Pay benefits can be used to cover your medical bills.
Does Med Pay cover lost wages after a car accident?
No. Medical Payments (Med Pay) coverage is strictly for reasonable and necessary medical bills and funeral expenses. It does not compensate you for lost wages, property damage to your vehicle, or pain and suffering.
What is the difference between Med Pay and bodily injury liability?
Bodily injury liability insurance pays for the medical bills of other people if you cause an accident. Med Pay pays for your medical bills and the bills of your passengers, regardless of who caused the accident. Liability is required by Nevada law, while Med Pay is optional.
If the other driver is at fault, should I use my Med Pay or their insurance?
You should use your Med Pay right away. Liability claims against an at-fault driver can take months or even years to settle, and doctors need to be paid in the meantime. Med Pay pays out immediately so your medical bills don’t go into collections. Because of Nevada’s anti-subrogation rules, you won’t have to pay your auto insurer back when you eventually win your settlement from the at-fault driver.
Additional Resources
For more information, see our related articles:
- How to get your “car repair bills” paid after a Nevada accident
- How to get your “medical bills” paid after a Nevada accident or injury
- How to file a car insurance claim after an accident in Nevada
- How uninsured motorist insurance and underinsured motorist insurance (UM / UIM) works in Nevada
- A guide to “bodily injury liability” insurance in Nevada