No one wants to get into an accident, but the truth is that they occur more often than we’d like to admit. Whether you have health insurance or not, almost no one who experiences an accident is prepared for the financial burden of unexpected medical expenses.
Many individuals believe that their health insurance covers everything when they get injured in an accident. But this isn’t always the case, which is why having sufficient insurance coverage is so crucial.
Health insurance plans only cover some medical expenses and hospital-related costs. In contrast, an accident insurance policy helps pay for various injury-related costs, including death. Accident coverage helps safeguard you and your family from the unexpected.
So, even if you already have health insurance, purchasing accidental insurance coverage is strongly advised. Read through what exactly accident insurance is, how it works, and what you can expect from the coverage.
In this article:
Understanding Accident Insurance
Accident Medical Expense Advantages
How Accidental Insurance Coverage Works
What Accident Medical Insurance Does and Does Not Cover
Who Should Consider Accidental Insurance Protection
Finding the Right Accident Insurance Policy
Difference Between Traditional Health Insurance and Accidental Medical Insurance
How Accidental Medical Expense Coverage Compares to Other Supplemental Policies
What Happens if You Don’t Have Supplemental Accident Insurance
How Much Accidental Medical Payment Coverage is Enough
What You Need to Make an Accident Insurance Claim
Handling Accidental Medical Expenses
Closing Thoughts on Accident Insurance
Understanding Accident Insurance
An accident medical expense insurance policy is a type of supplemental insurance. This type of policy can help cover the medical costs of unexpected accidents. Accident insurance coverage can be a valuable tool if you ever injure yourself in an accident.
There are several main types of supplemental insurance plans. Each one has a unique set of pros and cons. It’s important to know the difference before choosing accident supplemental coverage.
- Accident medical expense. Accidental medical expense coverage is a form of supplemental insurance that helps cover medical expenses that your regular insurance may or may not cover for necessary treatments after a covered accident.
- Accidental death and dismemberment. Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance policies can help your family should you die or suffer an injury as a result of an accident. For example, some policies payout if you survive a covered injury that results in loss of limb, eyesight, hearing, etc.
- Critical illness. Critical illness insurance is a type of health insurance that can provide much-needed protection should you suffer a serious illness, such as kidney failure and cancer. These policies can protect you and your loved ones from large medical bills during difficult times.
While it’s helpful to have even one of the accidental insurance coverage types mentioned above, sometimes one alone is inadequate. For example, if you have a critical illness policy, but hurt yourself in a vehicle collision, your critical illness policy won’t payout. To avoid these types of coverage gaps, many consider getting all three forms of supplemental accident insurance.
Accident Medical Expense Advantages
There are many benefits to having accident medical expense coverage. This type of insurance can help cover the cost of medical bills and other medical expenses that may result from an accident.
Here’s a real-world example of what your expenses could look like after an accident. Let’s say you trip and fall while doing yard work and end up fracturing your ankle.
Typical medical-related expenses from this type of accident could include:
- Ambulance ride to the hospital – $1,200
- Emergency room visit – $520
- X-rays – $320
- Cast – $190
- Prescription medication – $90
- Crutches – $50
In this example, the expenses totaled $2,370. Your accident insurance policy would cover all of these costs, depending on how much your policy carries.
Here are a few ways accident medical insurance can benefit you and your family even if you already have a health plan:
- Extra protection from the unexpected. Accident medical insurance plans can give you and your family additional protection if something happens. If you have this type of insurance and something bad occurs, it will be easier to cover those expenses.
- Accident insurance picks up the slack. Automobile and health insurance policies often don’t cover all medical expenses incurred due to an accident. As a result, accident medical insurance can save the day should misfortune show up.
- It’s coverage that pays you. Medical accident insurance doesn’t require pre-authorization or in-network providers. And since you’re paying cash, you don’t have to worry about whether your plan will cover the treatment.
While personal accident insurance coverage offers many benefits, it does not replace health insurance. Instead, the two coverage types complement each other.
How Accidental Insurance Coverage Works
Accident insurance can protect you from unexpected financial burdens. If you already have health insurance, your accidental insurance would likely only cover costs that your health insurance doesn’t. So, accident coverage supplements your health insurance, not replace it. Additionally, the policy could help pay the deductible or maximum on your medical plan.
If you don’t have health insurance, your accidental insurance would likely cover most or all of your medical costs related to a covered accident.
Accidental insurance usually pays out if you’re hurt or contract a disease due to an accident. Premiums and total coverage amounts vary. Let’s use Avibra’s $1 a week Accident Medical Expense as an example. This coverage pays out $1,000 to the individual after an accident. Should you find yourself needing to use your accident insurance coverage, you’d simply:
- Access your claims form. To do so, just open the app, navigate to your accident medical benefit policy, and click the claims tab.
- Submit your claim. Fill out and submit the claim form.
- Expense documentation. Store any medical bills, along with any other costs that came about as a result of your injury.
- Send cost documentation. Forward any of the paid expense documents to the claims department.
In turn, Avibra will process your claim and pay for any covered expense – up to 100% of $1,000 of what is considered usual and customary. The funds will either be paid directly to you as a reimbursement or directly to your medical provider for you.
What Accident Medical Insurance Does and Does Not Cover
Accidents are a common occurrence, so it’s important to prepare for them making sure you have adequate coverage.
Medical accident insurance provides comprehensive protection for all types of accidents, so long as they aren’t work-related. It can also cover everything from emergency care to surgery and hospital stays.
What may not get covered in an accident medical expense claim?
There are a few circumstances where your accident medical expense policy may not pay. For example, if you lacked accidental insurance at the time of the accident.
Alternatively, if you have a pre-existing medical condition that the accident aggravated. Or if your injuries are too minor to qualify for coverage.
Additionally, some policies will only cover expenses related to specific types of accidents, such as car accidents. Always read the policy carefully before signing up for it to ensure there are no surprises!
Does accident insurance cover sports injuries?
Because it’s purchased for that purpose, accidental health insurance can cover injuries sustained in an accident, including organized sports injuries. However, it differs from state to state and plan to plan.
Some accidental health insurance plans, for example, may not cover sports injuries or work-related accidents. Avibra’s plan does cover sports-related injuries.
Who Should Consider Accidental Insurance Protection
Anyone with a high deductible insurance plan should consider adding accident medical expense coverage. If you have an accident and your medical insurance has a high deductible amount, you’ll likely pay quite a bit out of pocket.
However, supplemental accident coverage can be a lifesaver in these situations. So, if you lack the financial reserves to pay out of pocket, you may want to look into a supplemental accident policy.
Finding the Right Accident Insurance Policy
To find the right accident medical insurance policy, identify your needs and what is most important to you.
For example, if you need coverage for short-term medical events, you may be able to get a policy with a lower payout threshold.
But if you need coverage for long-term medical events, you may want to get a policy with a higher payout threshold. Once you have determined what is most important to you, you can work toward figuring out which coverage option makes the most sense.
Avibra’s Accident Medical Expense pays out $1,000 and is only $1 per week. This is a great starting point at a very low price point. Check it out here.
Ready to protect yourself with Accident Medical Insurance?
Difference Between Traditional Health Insurance and Accidental Medical Insurance
Traditional group health insurance plans offer a number of benefits that can be helpful in protecting your health and well-being. These plans typically cover a wide range of medical expenses, including hospitalization and doctor visits.
On the other hand, accidental medical insurance covers the costs of accidents occurring outside of work. Furthermore, these plans work best when supplementing your existing medical insurance plan.
How Accident Medical Expense Coverage Compares to Other Supplemental Policies
Accident insurance may be sold as a supplement to other medical plans. The type of coverage determines the similarities and differences between accident insurance policies.
What is the difference between accident medical expense insurance and short-term health insurance?
Accident medical expense insurance covers general accidents, such as getting hurt in a car accident, while you can use short-term health insurance to cover pre-existing conditions or illnesses.
Short-term health insurance typically has lower limits than accidental medical expense insurance. It’s best for those who only need coverage for a brief period, such as during a job transition.
Accidental medical expense insurance has more general coverage, so it may be more appropriate if you’re worried about a broader range of potential costs, including hospital stays and surgery.
How does accidental medical expense insurance differ from critical illness coverage?
You can tell the difference between the two by looking at what they cover.
Here are two types of insurance:
- Accident medical expense insurance. Medical accident insurance covers accidents that happen suddenly.
- Critical illness coverage. Critical illness plans help pay for care if you get a life-threatening illness like cancer or a heart attack.
While illness or accidents can strike anyone, many insurance professionals recommend accident coverage to younger audiences and critical illness to an older demographic. Avibra offers both accidental medical expense and critical illness coverage. They are only $1 a week each, so if you think it’s best to have both, this is a low cost option to get you started.
What is the difference between accidental medical expense insurance and indemnity insurance?
- Accidental medical expense insurance. Accidental medical expense insurance helps cover the costs of unexpected events, like car accidents.
- Indemnity insurance. Indemnity coverage protects you and your business from lawsuits that may arise from an accident or injury.
Both provide coverage for medical expenses, but they serve different purposes.
What Happens if You Don’t Have Supplemental Accident Insurance
The point of accident medical insurance is to prepare yourself in case of an accident, because it’s better to have coverage and not need it than to require coverage and not have it.
With accident insurance, it typically doesn’t matter if you have a pre-existing condition or if you change jobs.
Consumers can purchase a policy that will cover them if they have an accident and require medical attention, regardless of their current health status. The same is true when it comes to changing jobs.
What happens if you’re injured in an accident but lack coverage or the cash to pay?
If someone else was at fault, personal injury law firms can present a case and help you collect money to cover medical expenses and lost wages in an accident.
These firms’ lawyers have the extensive legal knowledge and know-how to work with insurance companies to get you the compensation you deserve.
On the other hand, if you caused the injury but can’t pay your medical bills, you could seek help from community organizations that assist people in need.
Does auto insurance cover medical expenses?
The answer is dependent on the type of auto insurance you have. If you have comprehensive coverage, your insurance will likely cover some medical expenses incurred due to the accident up to your bodily injury costs.
However, since automobile coverage primarily covers damage to your vehicle, many policies are often very limited when it comes to paying for medical expenses.
How Much Accidental Medical Payment Coverage is Enough
It’s always wise to protect against potential medical bills arising from an accident. So it’s no wonder many consumers are curious as to “how much accidental medical payment coverage to buy?”
The answer to that question depends on many factors. These include your age, location, income, insurance status, etc.
You can determine the amount by considering how important it is to your family and your financial resources. Having too much will cause your premiums to be higher than they need to be, and vice versa.
What You Need to Make an Accident Insurance Claim
- Keep track of your doctor appointments. The first step is to notify your insurance company of the accident and keep track of doctor visits.
- Keep an itemized list of any medical expenses for your accident insurance claim if you have an accident.
- List any additional medical expenses on your insurance claim. Saving receipts and proof of payment is vital for filing an accident insurance claim.
Handling Accidental Medical Expenses
No one ever plans on going to the emergency room, but unfortunately, accidents happen. If you find yourself in this situation, you may be wondering how you will handle the medical expenses. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
How much should you expect to pay in accident-related medical bills?
If you get hurt in an accident, you may be personally responsible for expensive medical costs. Since it’s not uncommon for these costs to run into the thousands of dollars, it’s best to explore your coverage options online before you decide to make changes.
Key factors you may want to consider are:
- What your insurance policy might pay out, and how much of your medical expenses you’ll need to cover out of pocket. Some of the medical costs you could incur after an accident include emergency room visits, ambulance rides, lab and testing fees, and crutches.
- You could lose income due to missing work.
- If there’s vehicle damage you could likely have to pay for transportation (both to and from your doctor).
What happens when you incur medical expenses due to an accident?
Medical bills can be expensive if you don’t have health or supplemental insurance. Many accident victims have to pay for medical procedures out of pocket. However, since medical expenses can add up quickly, this isn’t always the best way to handle unexpected medical costs.
If you don’t have accidental insurance, there are a few options for dealing with medical bills:
- Try setting up payment arrangements with the hospital or the doctor.
- Turn to family, friends, or crowdfunding to cover medical bills.
How Personal Accident Insurance Coverage Can Shield You From Loss
If you’re like most, you probably already maintain health insurance. But what if something happened and your health insurance didn’t cover all of your medical bills?
Accident medical expense insurance comes in handy in situations like this–when your primary care plan only covers a small portion of your hospital stays.
This type of insurance typically covers expenses that exceed the limits of your health or auto insurance policies. It can include hospital bills, doctor fees, and even medical supplies.
You may obtain personal accident insurance coverage through a group plan, or you can purchase your own policy. Avibra offers direct consumer options that allow you to bypass long hold times or pushy reps in order to purchase accidental protection through their self-service mobile app.
Closing Thoughts on Accident Insurance
Supplemental accident insurance is well-suited for anyone who wants an extra layer of protection in case of an accident.
Even if you already have health insurance, supplemental accident insurance can help cover costs that your regular health insurance policy doesn’t.
So, if you’re looking for peace of mind in case of an accident, supplemental accident insurance is a great option to consider.
