Your homeowners insurance policy includes several types of coverage, including a relatively small amount of coverage for medical payments. That portion of your policy is intended to pay for claims related to minor injuries.
What the Medical Payments Part of Your Policy Will Cover
Medical payments coverage is only meant to pay for small bills for limited medical treatment, such as a trip to the emergency room, x-rays, stitches, minor surgery, physical therapy or dental work. The coverage limits aren’t enough to pay for long-term treatment, major surgeries, pain and suffering or legal bills related to an accident.
Your homeowners insurance policy’s medical payments coverage may pay for bills related to an injury that happens at your house or somewhere else. For instance, it may pay if your dog bites someone at a park.
Medical payments coverage applies regardless of who is liable for an accident. Even if the injured person’s actions caused the injury, your insurance will pay for medical bills, as long as an exclusion doesn’t apply.
When You Won’t Be Able to Use Medical Payments Coverage
Your policy won’t cover injuries that occur under certain circumstances. For example, it won’t pay for medical bills for injuries that are intentional, that are related to physical or mental abuse or corporal punishment, or that involve controlled substances. Coverage also will not apply to an accident related to a home-based business.
Your medical payments coverage will only pay bills if the person who is injured is someone who doesn’t live in your home. If you or a family member who lives with you gets injured on your property, you won’t be able to file a claim under your homeowners insurance policy to cover your medical bills, but rather use your regular health insurance.
If you’re found liable for a serious accident that results in significant injuries, your homeowners insurance policy’s liability coverage will pay for medical bills. It will also cover legal bills if the injured person sues you.
How Medical Payments Coverage Can Help
Your policy’s limit for medical payments will most likely be between $1,000 and $5,000, although some insurance companies offer higher limits. The coverage limit for medical payments is the maximum amount your policy will pay per claim, not the total maximum the policy will pay.
Submitting a claim for medical payments may raise your insurance premiums, but it can help you avoid much higher costs. If you’re liable for an accident that causes a minor injury and your homeowners insurance policy pays the associated medical bills, the injured person may be satisfied and decide not to file a lawsuit against you.
