If you don't have MedPay or PIP on your car insurance policy and get injured, will the insurance company still pay medical bills for the injury?

If you live in a state with a no-fault insurance law, then you must buy personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments (MedPay) coverage. No-fault laws are designed to reduce litigation and ensure that people who are injured in car accidents get quick access to the medical care they need. PIP and MedPay pay for your medical bills, and those of your passengers, after a car accident no matter who was at fault.

States with no-fault laws include Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Utah.

[Let Insure.com help you find affordable car insurance now.]

If you don't live in a no-fault state and another driver caused the accident, then you could file a claim against that driver's liability insurance to pay for your medical bills, as well as the damage to your vehicle.

However, if you were at-fault for the accident, then you must have MedPay or PIP for the car insurance company to cover your medical bills. Without MedPay and PIP you'll have to rely on health insurance to pay for your medical care.

PIP or MedPay should not be considered a substitute for broader health insurance because they cover only the care needed as a result of a car accident and only up to a certain dollar limit, usually no more than $25,000.

Generally, MedPay covers reasonable and necessary expenses for medical, surgical, dental and chiropractic treatment, as well as hospitalization, ambulance services, X-rays, nursing services, prosthetic devices and funeral services.

PIP covers those services as well as psychiatric care, physical and occupational therapy and rehabilitation, plus any other professional health services defined by the policy. PIP also covers lost wages, reasonable costs other than medical, work-loss expenses and a small death benefit.

MedPay and PIP are designed for immediate and short-term care and are generally used first. Your health insurance kicks in once their limits are reached.

For more, see Do you need MedPay coverage?