Accident coverage & AD&D
For ages under 65
Accidents are the cheapest large risk to insure against. One bad fall on a ladder or an icy step is all it takes for the bills to start.
Accident insurance
An accident policy covers care resulting from a covered accident, both in and out of the hospital. Once the deductible is met, the policy pays a high percentage — commonly 80% or 100% depending on the plan you select — of covered expenses, up to a substantial annual maximum. It pays in addition to any other coverage you have.
The practical value is that accidents produce a scattered trail of costs: the ambulance, the ER, imaging, an orthopaedic follow-up, physical therapy twice a week for two months. Individually none of it is catastrophic. Together, against a modern deductible, it hurts.
Accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D)
AD&D is the simplest policy in this whole family. If a covered person suffers a covered loss as a direct result of a covered accident — death, or the loss of a limb or sight — it pays a stated benefit. Adults and children are covered at different benefit levels, and benefit amounts vary by state.
Unintentional injury remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with falls and motor vehicle crashes accounting for tens of thousands of deaths a year each (CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, 2022 data). AD&D is inexpensive precisely because the trigger is narrow.
Be clear about what AD&D is not
AD&D is not life insurance. It only pays if death results from a covered accident — not from illness, which is how the large majority of deaths occur. It is a sensible addition to coverage, and a poor substitute for it. If your family would struggle financially if you died of any cause, you want term life insurance, and AD&D on top only if you want it.
Real-life example
Accident policies work a lot like the specified disease design: a yearly deductible, then a percentage of covered expenses from the accident.
Tom falls off a ladder
Tom, 60 · broken wrist
Tom slips cleaning his gutters and breaks his wrist. Same day: ambulance, ER, X-rays and a cast. Then an orthopedic follow-up and eight physical therapy visits. His covered expenses add up to $6,000. His plan has a $500 deductible and then pays 80%.
| What the policy pays | Amount |
|---|---|
| Covered expenses from the accident | $6,000 |
| Minus his yearly deductible | −$500 |
| Remaining $5,500 × 80% | $4,400 |
| Policy pays | $4,400 |
Good to know: the ER visit has to happen within 48 hours of the accident to count. Tom went the same day.
These are illustrative examples with made-up names. Dollar amounts come from one sample plan design and are shown only to explain how the benefits work. Your actual benefits depend on the plan and options you choose, your state, and the terms, limitations, exclusions and waiting periods in your policy.
Common questions
Are falls at home covered?
Falls are typically the most common claim on these policies. Coverage applies to injuries resulting directly from a covered accident, at home or elsewhere, subject to the policy’s terms and exclusions.
Is there an age limit?
Yes. The accident and AD&D plans we offer are for people under 65. Adults and children have different benefit amounts, and details vary by state. We confirm what you qualify for before you apply.
Does it cover sports and hobbies?
Mostly yes, though hazardous activities are commonly excluded. If you ride, climb, or fly, tell us before applying so we can check the exclusions properly.
Should I buy this instead of life insurance?
No. Accidental death only pays for accidents. Life insurance pays regardless of cause. If you can only afford one, buy the life insurance.
Add a cheap layer against a bad day
Accident and AD&D coverage are usually the lowest-premium items on this list. Call and we will tell you what they cost for your household.
Keep reading
This page is educational and is not an offer of coverage or a recommendation of any specific policy. The policies described are individually underwritten supplemental (indemnity) insurance. They are not major medical coverage, not Medicare Supplement insurance, not long-term care insurance, and not “minimum essential coverage” under the Affordable Care Act. Benefits, benefit amounts, riders, availability and eligibility vary by state and are subject to the terms, limitations, exclusions, waiting periods and pre-existing condition provisions of the actual policy and its outline of coverage. Senior Benefits Hub is an independent insurance agency; licensed since 2013. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.