Insurance policies or renewals taking effect after the first of January will include a new coverage minimum for medical payments coverage. It will require insurance agents to include a $5,000 minimum medical payments coverage. The addition will raise your premium if you don't already have the coverage, however you can opt out of this option.

Insurance agent Trout Kirch with Rocky Mountain West Insurance says the law is aimed more at the agents than the consumer. "Us as agents we are going to have to offer that coverage to consumers."

Many drivers already carry medical payments coverage.
Kirch says, "probably 9 out of 10 of our clients have at least $5,000 of this coverage anyway." However some drivers may not be aware of what policy they now have. For them an increase in their insurance premium may be the first time they learn about the new law. Kirch says it may be a good way for people to learn about their coverage. "It causes you in a round about way to be informed of what your coverage is."

Insurance agents say if you don't have the minimum, the added coverage won't cost you that much more per month, on average just under $4.00, and can act as an extra coverage to help pay medical co–pays and deductibles.

Out of 20 car insurance policies we looked at the highest increase per month to add the five thousand medical payments coverage was around eight dollars, the lowest increase was under a dollar...