accident insurance

Accident insurance (also known as an accident supplement) is a policy that reimburses an insured in the event of a claim arising from an accident or injury. The policies typically have benefit amounts that range from $1,000 up to $10,000 or more. Most accident supplements have small deductibles. ($100 or $250 are common amounts.)

Accident insurance is offered by many major medical carriers as an add-on, but can also be purchased on its own, either from major medical carriers that offer that option, or from a company that specializes in supplemental coverage. Accident insurance is not regulated by the ACA, so they are available for purchase year-round.

These plans are not suitable as stand-alone health coverage, but can be a good option in conjunction with a major medical plan, especially one with a relatively high deductible. In the event of an injury or accident, the accident supplement will reimburse the insured up to the amount of the claim (less the deductible) or the benefit maximum on the accident supplement, whichever is smaller. The funds can then be used to pay the deductible on the major medical plan.