In most cases, you pay your medical bills through your own health insurance, and the dog owner’s insurance repays those costs later as part of a settlement. Below, we explain who pays now, what the dog owner’s insurance covers, what to do if you cannot afford the bills, and how everything is repaid once your claim settles.
Who Pays Your Medical Bills, and When
As mentioned, the dog owner’s insurer does not immediately pay your medical bills. This is because insurers typically settle a claim once, in full, in exchange for a release. A release is the document that formally closes the claim, so the insurer will generally wait until your treatment is finished and the full cost of your injuries is known before agreeing to a settlement.
Your state’s dog bite law will also determine whether the owner must be proven responsible for your injury. One thing to keep in mind is that the owner is almost never the person paying your medical bills directly. Instead, the claim typically runs through their homeowners or renters insurance. This can be reassuring if the dog belongs to someone you know, since you are generally dealing with their insurance rather than asking the person themselves to pay for your treatment.
Should You Use Your Own Health Insurance After a Dog Bite?
Yes, in almost every case. Using your health insurance keeps your medical bills out of collections and allows the hospital to apply your insurer’s negotiated rates, which can make a significant difference compared with the original amount charged.
Many dog bite victims hesitate because they worry that using their own health insurance lets the dog owner off the hook. It does not. Your health insurer can be repaid from your settlement later, so the cost can still ultimately be recovered from the owner’s insurer. In other words, using your own insurance changes who pays first, not who is ultimately responsible.
Sometimes, a dog owner may ask you not to use your health insurance and promise to pay your medical bills themselves. It is generally best not to rely on an informal promise like this. Bills can become much larger than expected, and unpaid medical bills can be sent to collections while your dog bite claim is still being resolved.
Instead, give the hospital your insurance information when you receive treatment, make sure your medical records clearly state that a dog caused the injury, and keep every Explanation of Benefits (EOB) you receive. These statements show what was charged, what your insurance paid, and what amount remains your responsibility.
Does the Dog Owner’s Insurance Pay Anything Now?
One part of the owner’s insurance policy may be able to help with your medical bills sooner – it’s called medical payments coverage, or sometimes Coverage F or “med pay.” This is a small no-fault portion of the policy that can pay medical expenses without requiring you to prove that the owner was responsible for the bite. The amount is often around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the policy.
However, medical payments coverage may be limited to injuries that happen on the insured property, meaning a bite that happens in a park or on a sidewalk may not qualify. The coverage limits are also relatively low compared with the cost of serious medical treatment, so it is unlikely to cover all of your expenses on its own.
For example, if your emergency room treatment and rabies shots cost $9,000, the owner’s med pay coverage might pay $3,000. Your health insurance could then cover most of the remaining treatment at its negotiated rates, leaving you responsible for deductibles and copays. Those remaining costs can then be included in your claim against the owner’s liability coverage.
You can ask the owner, preferably by text or email, for the name of their insurance company, their policy number, and whether their policy includes medical payments coverage. Making the request in writing gives you a record of what was asked and provided. For more information on how homeowners insurance covers dog bites, see Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Dog Bites?.
How Your Medical Bills Get Repaid From the Settlement
When your dog bite claim settles, any insurer or provider that helped cover your treatment may be repaid from the settlement rather than from your own pocket. This repayment claim is called a lien, and it is a term you will often see in the settlement paperwork.
Settlement money is generally paid out in the following order:
1. The dog owner’s insurer pays the agreed settlement amount.
2. Attorney fees and case costs are deducted.
3. Any valid liens are paid, such as claims from your health insurer, Medicare or Medicaid, a hospital, or a workers’ compensation carrier.
4. The remaining balance goes to you.
Liens can often be negotiated down, and negotiating them is a routine part of what a dog bite attorney can handle for you. Also, money paid directly by the owner’s liability or medical payments coverage does not have to be repaid. That money is part of your compensation.
What If You’re on Medicare or Medicaid?
Medicare and Medicaid may pay for your treatment with the expectation that they will be repaid if you later receive a settlement. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services explains how this recovery process works.
The amount that must be repaid is generally based on what was actually paid toward treatment related to your dog bite, and it typically needs to be resolved before your settlement can be fully distributed. This is a standard part of handling claims and does not necessarily mean there is a problem with your case.
What you should not do is ignore the issue. Government repayment claims do not simply disappear if they are overlooked, and failing to address them can create problems later. This is one of the reasons why a free case review from a dog bite attorney can be particularly valuable.
What to Do Next
Once you understand how medical bills are handled, the next questions are usually how much your dog bite claim may be worth, how long it may take to receive your settlement, and what evidence and documentation you should keep while your claim is being resolved.
Most people never expect to deal with a dog bite until it happens. That’s why we created Dog Bite Help Center — to help victims understand their rights and the legal process. We are not a law firm. We connect people with experienced dog bite attorneys across the United States, and every article is reviewed by attorneys in our network to help ensure accuracy. The information on this site is general in nature and should not be considered legal advice. For advice about your own situation, consult a licensed attorney.