General information, not legal advice. This guide explains California law in general terms. It isn't advice about your situation, and laws and deadlines can change. Check the official sources linked on this page.
MedPay in California: how Medical Payments coverage works
MedPay (Medical Payments coverage) is optional coverage on your own auto policy that pays crash-related medical bills for you and your passengers, no matter who was at fault. Many people don't know they have it until they read their declarations page.
Short answer: MedPay pays medical expenses up to the limit you bought, regardless of fault. The California Department of Insurance says it's optional, the smallest limit is $1,000 per person, and you can ask for more (CDI auto guide). Claim it through your own insurer.
What MedPay covers
The California Department of Insurance's auto insurance guide describes Medical Payments coverage as paying medical expenses for you and the passengers in your car, regardless of who was at fault. Your policy controls the details, including:
- the limit per person (the CDI says the minimum offered is $1,000, and higher limits are available)
- which expenses count, and any time limit for getting treatment after the crash
- whether it also covers you as a pedestrian or as a passenger in someone else's car
Read your policy's Medical Payments section and your declarations page. If you can't find it, ask your agent or insurer whether you have MedPay and how much.
MedPay is not required
California's required coverage is liability insurance. It pays for injuries and damage you cause to others, with minimum limits of $30,000/$60,000/$15,000 for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025 (Vehicle Code §16056). MedPay is an add-on that covers your side.
How to use it
- Tell your insurer about the crash and say you want to open a Medical Payments claim.
- Send bills and records the insurer asks for. Keep copies and track what you've sent and when.
- Ask how payments are made: to you, to the provider, or both.
- Track your limit. Once MedPay pays out its limit, other coverage has to take over (see the medical bills guide).
How MedPay fits with other coverage
Health insurance. The CDI's guide notes that health insurance often pays for crash injuries first and may then seek reimbursement (subrogation). Read the coordination-of-benefits terms in both policies, and give each insurer the other's information.
Medi-Cal. The Department of Health Care Services says it seeks recovery of Medi-Cal costs from injury settlements, including first-party coverage such as MedPay and uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Members must notify DHCS of a claim (DHCS personal injury FAQ; WIC §14124.73).
Medicare. Medicare treats auto medical-payments and no-fault coverage as primary, which means Medicare pays second. If Medicare pays first, it can recover those conditional payments. CMS asks beneficiaries to report the crash to its Benefits Coordination & Recovery Center (CMS reporting page).
Uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Insurance Code §11580.2(e) lets a policy deduct MedPay amounts from an uninsured motorist payment for the same expenses. See the uninsured motorist guide.
MedPay versus the other driver's insurance
MedPay is your own coverage, so fault doesn't matter and you don't have to wait for anyone to decide who caused the crash. The at-fault driver's liability insurance is a separate claim for what that driver is legally responsible for. Using MedPay doesn't stop you from making that claim. Be aware, though, that your insurer may have reimbursement rights under your policy. Ask your insurer how it handles this, and get the answer in writing.
Keep the injury deadline in mind while claims are open: lawsuits generally must be filed within 2 years (CCP §335.1; see the statute of limitations guide).
Common questions
Is MedPay required in California?
No. The California Department of Insurance describes Medical Payments coverage as optional. California's required minimum coverage is liability insurance (Vehicle Code §16056). Check your declarations page to see whether you have MedPay and what the limit is.
Does MedPay pay if the crash was my fault?
Yes. The California Department of Insurance says Medical Payments coverage pays medical expenses for you and your passengers regardless of who was at fault. Your policy sets the limit and what counts as a covered expense.
How much MedPay coverage can I get?
It depends on what your insurer offers. The Department of Insurance's auto guide says the minimum Medical Payments limit available is $1,000 per person, and you can ask for higher limits.
Can I use MedPay and health insurance?
Often both can apply, and the order depends on your policies. Read the coordination terms in your auto policy and your health plan, and tell each one about the other. Your health plan may seek repayment (subrogation or a lien) from a later injury recovery.
Does MedPay reduce my uninsured motorist claim?
It can. Insurance Code §11580.2(e) allows an auto policy to provide that amounts paid under its medical payments coverage are deducted from the uninsured motorist payment for the same expenses, so you aren't paid twice for the same bills.
Sources
The sources this guide cites. We check the guide against these sources before publishing and each time we review it.
- Automobile Insurance consumer guide (California Department of Insurance)
- California Vehicle Code §16056, minimum liability insurance limits (California Legislative Information)
- Personal Injury FAQ for Medi-Cal members (Department of Health Care Services)
- California Welfare and Institutions Code §14124.73, telling Medi-Cal about an injury claim (California Legislative Information)
- Liability, No-Fault and Workers' Compensation Reporting (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
- California Insurance Code §11580.2, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (California Legislative Information)
- California Code of Civil Procedure §335.1, two-year injury deadline (California Legislative Information)
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