Accidental Death Benefit Life Insurance: How It Works with Your Term Policy
Written by: CarePro Insurance General information only. Not legal, tax, or financial advice.
Accidental death benefit insurance pays a lump sum to your beneficiary if you die as the result of an accident. The policy offered here is for ages 20 to 59, asks no medical questions and lets you apply online, with most applications approved quickly. It pays when death results solely from an accident within 90 days, and it does not pay for death from illness.
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Accidental Death Benefit Insurance at a Glance
No medical questions: ages 20 to 59 can apply online.
Accidents only: death must result solely from an accident within 90 days.
Built-in travel benefit: the payout doubles for deaths on a public carrier.
Accidental death benefit insurance is a simple policy with one job: paying your beneficiary a lump sum if you die from an accident. Car crashes, falls, drowning and other accidental injuries are the kinds of events it is designed for. Because it does not cover illness, it is usually less expensive than term life and easier to qualify for. The policy offered here is issued by Fidelity Life Association and has no medical questions on the application, so health conditions do not affect approval.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents ages 20 to 59 can apply online, and most applications are approved quickly.
The key definition is how death must happen. The benefit is paid if death results solely from an accident and occurs within 90 days of it. Death from illness, including a heart attack or stroke, is not covered. The policy also lists exclusions, including death while intoxicated or driving over the legal blood alcohol limit, while committing a felony, from drugs not prescribed by a doctor, during war or riots, while incarcerated, in sporting events, or in certain extreme activities such as skydiving or bungee jumping. Exclusions vary by state, so read the full list in your policy.
The benefit amount is level until age 70. At 70, it reduces by half and stays level until the policy ends at age 80. A travel accident benefit is included: if death occurs as a passenger on a public carrier, such as an airline, train or bus, the benefit is doubled. Optional riders let you add coverage for a spouse and children, an inflation feature that increases the benefit in the early years, or a return of premium feature that pays back up to all of your premiums at the end of a set rider period.
Many people use accidental death insurance as an extra layer on top of term life. Term life pays for death from almost any cause, while accidental death coverage adds money for the family in the case of a sudden accident, when expenses can be unexpected. It can also be a good fit if a health condition makes it hard to qualify for term life, since there are no medical questions. It should not be your only coverage if your family would need money after a death from illness.
Buying is self-serve. You apply on your own life, choose your beneficiary and pay by credit card, bank draft or direct bill on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual schedule. The insurer is rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best as of the brochure date; check ambest.com for the latest rating. Products are not sold in New York or Wyoming. You have a 30-day free look to read the definitions, exclusions and benefit schedule after you buy, and cancel for a refund if it is not right.
Related guides:
• Accidental Death vs Term Life Insurance: https://www.careproinsurance.com/life-insurance/accidental-death-vs-term-life
• Accidental Death Benefit Rider vs Standalone AD&D Policy: https://www.careproinsurance.com/life-insurance/adb-rider-vs-standalone-add
• Accidental death vs term with living benefits: https://www.careproinsurance.com/life-insurance/accidental-death-benefit-vs-term-life-with-living-benefits-when-each-pays
• What Is AD&D Insurance? (Accidental Death & Dismemberment): https://www.careproinsurance.com/life-insurance/what-is-add-insurance
• Cheap Accidental Death Insurance Online: What to Watch For: https://www.careproinsurance.com/life-insurance/cheap-accidental-death-insurance-online
• Accidental death insurance guide: https://www.careproinsurance.com/accidental-death-benefit-life-insurance
• All life insurance guides: https://www.careproinsurance.com/lifeinsurance
This guide is general education, not legal, tax, or medical advice. Coverage, definitions, exclusions, and availability vary by carrier and state, and every application is subject to underwriting and the actual policy contract. Ready to see your price? Get an instant quote online in minutes and apply yourself, no agent needed: https://instantquotes.instabrain.io/
Frequently Asked Questions
What is accidental death benefit insurance?
It is a policy that pays a lump sum to your beneficiary if you die from an accident. The policy offered here pays when death results solely from an accident within 90 days, and does not cover illness.
Who can buy it?
U.S. citizens and permanent residents ages 20 to 59 can apply online. There are no medical questions, and most applications are approved quickly. The policy is not sold in New York or Wyoming.
Does it cover a heart attack or stroke?
No. Death from illness, including a heart attack or stroke, is not covered. The benefit is paid only when an accident is the sole cause of death and death occurs within 90 days.
What happens to the benefit at age 70?
The benefit is level until age 70, then reduces by half and stays level. The policy ends at age 80, so plan other coverage if you will need protection beyond that age.
What is the travel accident benefit?
If death occurs as a passenger on a public carrier, such as an airline, train or bus, the benefit is doubled. It is included in the policy at no extra step on your part.
What riders can I add?
Optional riders include family coverage for a spouse and children, an inflation feature that raises the benefit in the early policy years, and return of premium, which can pay back up to all of your premiums.
Should accidental death replace term life?
Usually not. It pays only for accidental deaths. Term life covers almost any cause, so many families buy accidental death coverage as an extra layer, or use it when health makes term hard to get.
How do I pay for the policy?
You can pay by credit card, bank draft or direct bill, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. You also get a 30-day free look to review the policy and cancel for a refund if needed.
Related Pages and Helpful Resources
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This overview pulls the accidental death policy's real rules into one place: who qualifies, the 90-day and sole-cause tests, the age step-down, exclusions and optional riders.
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