A Car Accident Can Expose the Gaps in Your Health Insurance Plan

COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- An 18-year-old woman was driving one afternoon when her car's tires went off the road. She overcorrected, and the car flipped and rolled. She was partially ejected from the car, sustaining significant internal injuries and a spinal fracture. An air ambulance quickly transported her to the hospital where she faced many surgeries and a long hospital stay, as well as a long list of expenses not covered by health insurance. However, benefits from her voluntary accident plan – about $34,000 – helped her pay for medical bills and other living expenses.*

Voluntary accident plans, like the newest one Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company released this month, offer employers and employees a variety of benefits for covered accidents that can help pay for what health insurance doesn't. "Even some of the best health plans don't cover all expenses," says Michael Scheetz, assistant vice president for product development at Colonial Life. "Employees can purchase our new accident plan without answering questions about their health, and the plan is easy to understand."

Policyholders who have a covered accident or sickness can receive a benefits check paid directly to them (unless they specify otherwise) to use as they see fit. Employees can also buy coverage for their spouse and children.

Accident Plan Features and Benefits

• No waiting for health insurance to pay before you can file a claim through the accident plan for benefits.
• Three coverage levels to fit employees' budgets.
• Employee, employee/family or family-only coverage options.
• Wide range of coverage, such as: hospital admissions; emergency treatment in an emergency room, doctor's office and urgent care visits; fractures, dislocations, surgery, rehabilitation unit; X-rays; occupational therapy, medical imaging study; and accidental death and dismemberment.
• Same premium for all employees regardless of job title or management status.
• Other benefits options: choice of accident or accident/sickness disability riders offering total and partial disability benefits, and sickness hospital confinement rider.
• Coverage for people 80 years old and younger.
• Compliant with a health savings account.

In addition, Colonial Life's new accident plan works well when packaged with other insurance plans:

• With disability insurance: Even with disability and health insurance, an accident can have financial effects because of possible gaps in coverage or elimination periods.
• With a disability rider: Can cover a spouse who may not have disability coverage through an employer.
• With a voluntary supplemental health plan. Provides a choice of lump-sum benefit levels that pay for a hospital admission from a covered accident or sickness.

For more information about Colonial Life's new voluntary accident plan, call (803) 798-7000 or visit www.ColonialLife.com.

Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company is a market leader in providing insurance benefits for employees and their families through their workplace, along with individual benefits education, advanced yet simple-to-use enrollment technology and quality personal service. Colonial Life offers disability, life and supplemental accident and health insurance policies in 49 states and the District of Columbia. Similar policies, if approved, are underwritten in New York by a Colonial Life affiliate, The Paul Revere Life Insurance Company, Worcester, Mass. Colonial Life is based in Columbia, S.C., and is a subsidiary of Unum Group, one of the world's leading providers of employee benefits. For more information, visit www.ColonialLife.com.

* A real-life accident claim paid by Colonial Life.

Exclusions and limitations may apply. Benefits may vary by state.

SOURCE Colonial Life