Flight Accident Insurance

Flight accident insurance, as the name suggests, is a form of life insurance which will protect a life in case of accidental death and dismemberment while traveling on an airplane. Even for a small premium fee, the traveler will be able to buy a policy that pays a lump sum to them/dependents should the traveler die or lose a limb either on the plane or in airline transportation to or from the plane.

Flight accident insurance plan can be taken for single trip or as an annual coverage. The insurance can be taken for an individual and his/her family while on a 'licensed' common carrier such as an airplane, car or bus or train provided by the airline.

Coverage under flight accident insurance

This plan covers a traveler who may be a passenger on a scheduled airline flight or while he/she is at the airport departing or arriving for a flight. Even for a very low premium, this policy covers a traveler up to $ 1,000,000 in the event of accidental death or injury.

The policy not only covers a passenger on a scheduled airline flight but also when they are at the airport departing for a flight, riding as a passenger in a car or bus service provided by the airline or airport authority, traveling as a passenger in a scheduled helicopter to and from airports as shuttle service to make connection for a particular flight, and traveling as a passenger in a land or water conveyance; provided the expense are met by the airline as a substitute for their flight.

The facility for emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains insurance protection is available with this policy.

• When a person who is not a pilot, operator or member of the crew, but a passenger boarding or alighting from a public conveyance provided by a common carrier sustains severe injuries.
  
  
• Another type of flight accident insurance which is more expensive than the regular flight accident cover can be taken by an individual anytime when he/she is traveling or living abroad.
  
  
• A multi-trip flight accident insurance is intended for frequent flyers and it provides accidental death and dismemberment coverage for flights only. Typically such type of accident cover extends to several trips during the year and each trip not exceeding a month.
  

As such there are three major flight accident insurance plans that are offered for most international carriers. There could be minor variation or change in the nomenclature of the plans from one service agency to another although the features of the plans are more or less the same.

Plan 1: This 'flight accident insurance plus plan' offers coverage up to $ 300,000 with additional coverage up to an extent of $500,000, which can also be purchased. A 24/7 accidental death and dismemberment coverage and a medical evacuation and repatriation expenses plan are all included in the plus package. Although there is no trip cancellation cover and only a limited medical expense cover offered, lost or stolen baggage up to $1000 and baggage delay up to $ 100 can be claimed. A flight only coverage from $200,000 to $ 500,000 is also available.

Plan 2: A 'travel guard and flight guard' package under flight accident insurance policy includes coverage for accidental death and dismemberment while aboard a commercial aircraft. A 24/7 live travel assistance is available. This package does not cover medical benefits, and the plan must be purchased prior to departure. No trip cancellation benefits are included.

Plan 3: Yet another 'liaison traveler' flight insurance cover comes with coverage period options of 3-month, 6-month and 12-month for unlimited number of trips outside the country. A host of medical benefits, repatriation schemes, other than accidental death and dismemberment are available. The facility to upgrade the plan to include accidental injury and emergency sickness is available. An increased death and dismemberment up to $ 1 million is also provided.

Flight accident insurance schemes

Flight accident insurance is made available with other packages, and not only as a stand-alone plan. Such packages are:

Travel care packages: Mostly intended by airlines for passengers below the age of 75, here stable pre-existing medical conditions are covered. Emergency medical, trip cancellation and interruption, loss and damage to baggage, and flight and travel accident insurance are covered under such deluxe package. These come as either single trip covers for travelers under age 75 or multi trip annual covers for travelers under age 60.

Deluxe packages: Coverage for cancellation charges or non-refundable amounts and expenses during a trip, protection for baggage and vital documents, 24-hour multilingual professional medical assistance, coverage for death or certain injuries caused by travel or flight accident, and unlimited coverage for eligible medical expenses are some of the features of deluxe packages available in select flights.

Non-medical packages: This is meant especially for those travelers who already possess medical insurance coverage when out of country. This package is available for single trips lasting up to 183 days. It has other regular features such as coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, damage or lost baggage, delay in baggage, flight and travel accident insurance.