Personal Accident

What is personal accident insurance?

These insurance policies pay out compensation to people who suffer serious injury or death as the result of an accident. They differ from ordinary life insurance in that the incapacity (or death) must be the result of an accident, not illness or old age.
Personal accident cover will protect you and your family from the loss of income that results from you not being able to work. One aspect of being involved in an accident that many people don’t initially consider is the stress caused by financial commitments. Personal accident insurance can therefore aid your physical recovery by easing this stress.

What does personal accident insurance cover?

A wide range of things may be covered by your policy, so make sure you look at a few kinds of accident cover and life insurance policies to make sure they cover the particular risks you may be exposed to. This is especially important if you spend a lot of time doing potentially risky activities, either as part of your work or for recreation (e.g. horse riding, cycling, climbing, contact sports). Make sure that the specific risks you take are covered under your policy.
Most personal accident insurance policies will provide the same broad levels of cover. These can include:

• • An accident or injury that occurs at work
• • Injury caused by someone being violent towards you
• • Road traffic accidents
• • Total or permanent disability as the result of an accident.

There is a distinction here between temporary and permanent injuries, as these require differing levels of ongoing financial support. If you are out of work for a month, you are going to need far less than someone who has suffered a permanent injury such as hearing loss or losing a limb. It is also possible to get cover for any medical expenses you may incur as a result of your accident, such as physiotherapy.
Some policies will be more flexible and could be tailored to include other scenarios, depending on your particular needs and lifestyle.