You travel frequently for your consulting company and need additional coverage in an unexpected event.
While an accidental death policy is affordable, it doesn't offer the same protection as a traditional life insurance policy. This policy is not considered a standalone insurance policy and is therefore often used as a supplemental benefit.
Your family will receive a lump-sum cash payment if you are killed in an accident covered by the policy. This money can be used for any purpose, including replacing income, paying mortgage payments, covering credit card debts and other debts, paying funeral costs, or saving for the future.
If you die unexpectedly, your loved ones or family might need immediate financial assistance. This is a unique standalone product designed to pay only if your death occurs due to a covered incident, as specified in the policy terms. No medical exam is required.
AD&D Insurance covers both fatal and nonfatal injuries involving the dismemberment or loss sight or hearing.
Your consulting business often requires you to travel. You need extra protection in case something happens.
You need coverage quickly. No waiting period or medical exam is required. You can be covered immediately. This can be an advantage if it is urgent that you require insurance protection, such as for a trip or if there are other reasons.
Typically, accidental death covers exceptional circumstances, such as exposure to the elements, traffic accidents, homicide, falls, drowning, and accidents involving heavy equipment. AD&D insurance is supplemental life insurance and not an acceptable substitute for term life insurance.
Accidental death insurance
While accidents only accounted for 5.4% of deaths in the United States in 2016, they made up 30.2% of deaths for people between the ages of 25 to 44. This is why accidental death insurance typically isn't worth it if you're near retirement age or just need coverage for end-of-life expenses.
When accidental deaths occur, though, typical causes of accidental death or dismemberment claims are motor vehicle accidents, falls, poisoning, drowning, and gunshot injuries. Death by homicide is also considered an accidental death. But not every death resulting from such causes would be considered accidental.
Otherwise, drug overdose is considered a suicide by overdose and not an accidental death. Frequently, overdoses result from improperly prescribed drugs, an accidental double dose of narcotic painkiller or other sedative-type of medications, or interactions of various drugs taken together.
Learn about our editorial standards and how we make money. Life insurance provides financial protection for your family and will pay out for almost any cause of death. Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, on the other hand, only pays out for accidental death or accidental injury, such as loss of limb.
Can You Cash in Accidental Life Insurance? No, accidental life insurance doesn't usually have a cash value. For the first few days of an accidental death life insurance policy, you can cancel the coverage and get your money back.
Conclusion. While you may not need AD&D insurance, AD&D serves to complement existing health and life insurance policies that may otherwise not provide coverage to events such as dismemberment, loss of vision, loss of hearing, or paralysis (depending on the policy).
Basic life insurance coverage under Choices pays benefits to your beneficiary(ies) if you die from most causes while coverage is in effect. Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance coverage adds low-cost accidental death protection by paying benefits in the event your death is due to accidental causes.