Understanding Travel Insurance Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage
Nobody sets off on a holiday abroad expecting things to go wrong, but it’s always wise to be prepared. Personal accidents, including flight accidents resulting in severe injuries like permanent disablement or worse, the tragedy of death, are more common than we might imagine. As morbid as it sounds, here’s how travel insurance provides coverage in such crucial situations.
Which Travel Insurance Plans Offer Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Coverage?
Here are some travel insurance plans to consider:
What is Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance?
Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance provides financial protection against injuries arising from personal accidents, including flight accidents, that lead to dismemberment or death of an insured individual. While often available as an add-on rider for life and health insurance plans, AD&D is commonly included as a component of travel insurance.
Dismemberment, or total permanent disablement (TPD), includes the loss or loss of use of body parts or functions such as limbs, speech, eyesight, and hearing. Even then, the definition of “loss” varies according to body part and function, with strict criteria outlined in most policies:
Evidently, these stringent definitions make qualifying for AD&D payouts tricky and challenging.
Typically, AD&D coverage is assured in the form of a Principle Sum payout, with varying coverage amounts specified according to your policy’s benefit schedule. Meaning to say, the extent of the payout depends on the severity of said loss or disablement.
Below is an illustration of how the principle sum is calculated:
| Permanent loss of | % of Principle sum |
|---|---|
| Life | 100% |
| Permanent total disablement | 100% |
| One or more limbs | 100% |
| Sight in both eyes | 100% |
| Sight in one eye | 100% |
| Speech and hearing in both ears | 100% |
| Speech | 50% |
| Hearing in both ears | 75% |
| Hearfing in one ear | 15% |
| Lens of one eye | 50% |
| Four fingers + thumb | 70% for right hand 50% for left hand |
| Note: This is a non-exhaustive list. Please refer to your policy wording | |
Source: Bubblegum
Special AD&D Scenarios
Beyond the textbook definitions of AD&D, there are also special scenarios or incidents where some benefits may be conferred to the insured individual. This clause is often labelled as Exposure and Disappearance in your policy’s benefits.
Exposure
Refers to the individual being unavoidably exposed to elements due to an accident, resulting in covered losses. These exposure-related losses must occur within 365 days of said event as an aftereffect.
Disappearance
Refers to the event where your body is not found within 365 days of incident (e.g. cruise ship sinking/destruction while being onboard, public transport accident). You will qualify for the death payout.
Another potential scenario would be Terrorism, Hijack, Assault, and/or Murder (including flight accidents). Under this clause, if you suffer an injury or die in an accident resulting from terrorism, hijacking, assault, or murder, the relevant payout benefit will also be triggered.
Best Travel Insurance With Highest Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage
MSIG TravelEasy Pre-Ex Premier
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$150,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$15,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$7,500
- Total Premium
- S$68
INCOME Enhanced PreX Prestige
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$1,000,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$15,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$8,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$97.2815% Off - S$82.69
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Get over S$45 worth of rewards including:
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• S$30 Revolut cash reward
• Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased.
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Singlife Travel Prestige
- Overseas Medical Expenses
- Unlimited
- Trip Cancellation
- S$20,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$8,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$60.5928% Off - S$43.62
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Get over S$65 worth of rewards including:
• Up to 510 SmartPoints OR S$30 via PayNow with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.
• S$30 Revolut cash reward
• Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased.
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PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards. T&Cs apply.
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Tiq Luxury
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$1,000,000
- Travel Cancelation
- S$10,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$3,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$6150% Off - S$30.50
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Get S$30 Revolut cash reward with every policy purchased. T&Cs apply.
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FWD First
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$1,000,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$15,000
- Loss/Damage of Baggage
- S$7,500
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$34.3325% Off - S$25.75
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Get over S$85 worth of UPSIZED rewards including:
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Bubblegum Travel Insurance
- Med. Coverage (Overseas)
- S$150,000
- Trip Cancellation
- S$5,000
- Loss/Damage of Personal Baggage
- S$3,000
- Total PremiumTotal Premium
S$30.3210% Off - S$27.29
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Get over S$60 worth of rewards including:
• Up to S$25 via PayNow with eligible premiums spent. T&Cs apply.
• S$30 Revolut cash reward
• Eskimo Global 1GB eSIM (worth S$9.50) with every policy purchased.
PLUS, score S$100 Revolut cash reward in our giveaway on top of existing rewards. T&Cs apply.
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Does Accidental Death Insurance Cover Flight Accidents?
Yes, standalone accidental death insurance—and even accidental death under travel insurance—does cover flight accidents when the insured is a paying passenger aboard a licensed commercial airline or established air route. This applies to both domestic and international flights.
In fact, many travel insurance plans like Income Enhanced PreX (Basic tier and above) and Singlife Travel (Plus tier and above) provide double indemnity for public transport incidents. This means enhanced/double cover for public transport-related disablement or death, including flights. However, for a claim to be valid, the death must directly result from the flight accident to qualify for the lump-sum payout.
While that may be so, certain exclusions still apply. In general, coverage does not extend to other flying activities like non-commercial, private, or chartered flights unless explicitly stated otherwise. Additionally, other situations like unlawfully piloting an aircraft, engaging in illegal activities, or flights on unlicensed carriers are also typically excluded.
How to Get Accidental Death Coverage?
Accidental death coverage can be acquired either as a standalone policy or as an included benefit under travel insurance.
Since accidental death coverage is often bundled with Total Permanent Disability (TPD), we recommend opting for a personal accident insurance plan. For example, the MSIG Protection Plus Silver provides up to $100,000 in accidental death and TPD coverage, alongside $1,000 in medical expenses, all for an annual premium of just $125.35.
However, if you already have comprehensive insurance coverage (e.g. health, hospitalisation, and critical illness insurance) and deem extra coverage redundant, you can simply enjoy personal accident coverage as part of travel insurance while travelling overseas.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need accidental death and dismemberment insurance?
- Accidental death and dismemberment insurance, otherwise more commonly known as personal accident insurance, is highly recommended.
Besides death and TPD, other potential components covered include medical expenses, daily hospital allowance, temporary total disablement, fractures and burns, mobility aids/home modifications, and even funeral expenses. Why is it important to get accidental death insurance?
- Accidental death coverage is essential when travelling overseas, given the increased exploration and reliance on public transport in a foreign land.
As a result, we’re naturally more prone to personal accidents that might result in disablement or death, even if we exercise caution. Is flight insurance necessary?
- Yes, flight insurance (or travel insurance) is important when flying, especially in events of flight accidents. Key components covered under flight insurance include:
- Travel cancellations & delays
- Baggage delays & loss
- Overseas medical expenses
- Accidental death & disablement
- Emergency medical evacuation & repatriation of mortal remains
- Daily hospitalisation allowance
Does travel insurance cover the death of a family member?
- Yes, it does if the family member is insured under a valid travel insurance with AD&D coverage. They will also be covered if you’ve purchased on their behalf under a family travel insurance plan.
In fact, the total lump sum payout for individuals under family plans is also generally higher. What is considered accidental death for travel insurance purposes?
- For travel insurance purposes, it refers to the death of the insured individual caused solely and directly by an external, visible, and unforeseen event “personal accident” such as a flight accident, occurring during the insured trip.
The death must result within a specific timeframe, usually 365 days of the accident, and must not stem from any illness, pre-existing condition, or self-inflicted harm. Is heart attack considered accidental death?
- No, it is not—unless the accidental death caused by a heart attack was a direct implication of an external, visible, and unforeseen event. It’ll be covered by other insurance components instead.
For instance, a heart attack caused by pre-existing conditions would be covered only if the policy includes pre-existing condition coverage. On the other hand, the sudden and unexpected onset of a heart attack of a healthy individual might fall under overseas medical expenses. Is choking considered accidental death?
- The same above explanation applies in the case of choking.
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