Yes, you will be covered for medical expenses if you meet with an accident or injure yourself while on a flight!

A plane crash is a flight passenger's worst nightmare and sustaining injuries from such horrific events can be dire and lead to one's demise. So, a wise way would be to have travel insurance that protects your finances in the event of medical emergencies from a crash.  

In some situations, such as turbulence, malfunctioning equipment, a plane veering off the runway, or a crash landing, you might sustain extremely severe injuries, permanent total or partial disability, or even death. The extremity of risk is variable, and when worst comes to worst, it’s always beneficial to have a protective overseas trip insurance to assist in financing your medical bills. 

Sustaining critical injuries on your flight can majorly affect your trip, either right from take-off or landing. For example, if the common carrier you are travelling in crashes, or has a technical problem and you are caught in it, then you are at the risk of either losing your limbs or sustaining bodily injuries. Medical Assistance is of utmost requirement to save your life.

Another example could be if your flight had to make a forced lading or is stranded in the middle of nowhere and cannot be contacted, you will be recorded as a missing person owing to your disappearance.

In such cases your international travel insurance policy has a cover known as the Accidental Death and Disability (Common Carrier) which comes into effect.

During the trip, the policyholder is insured while in or on a common carrier (flight) and requires urgent and immediate medical attention that leads solely to:

1. Death
2. Permanent Total Disability
3. Permanent Partial Disability

The Accidental Death and Disability (Common Carrier) cover comes into effect when you are on your flight and sustain any injury that leads to your death or disability, either permanent, partial, or permanent total. Your insurer will cover you financially for your medical treatment up to an agreed percentage of your sum insured.

How does Digit’s International Travel Insurance AD&D (Common Carrier) cover work?

Digit’s Travel Insurance (Digit On the Move Policy) automatically covers you in case of any bodily accident during your trip when you’re riding, boarding, or alighting as a fare paying passenger. You will be covered in terms of a percentage of your sum insured based on the description of your injury. You can check for these details in your policy schedule. For example: if you have suffered loss of a limb then you will be covered 50% of your sum insured. In the event of death within a year from the date of your accident, 100% of your sum insured will be liable to your nominee.

Look at the coverages and exclusions of our Accidental Death and Disability Cover below.

Through this, you will be covered for a specified percentage of your sum insured, which will be detailed out in your policy schedule.

The insured is also covered for disappearance following forced landing, stranding, sinking, or wrecking of the conveyance, if, after 12 months, the person is dead because of an accident. The insured is compensated for loss regarding:

• entire and irrecoverable loss of sight

• death within one year from the date of the accident

• loss of limbs, fingers, or toes

• entire and irrecoverable loss of speech or hearing of both ears. 

If you need to file a claim under Accidental Death and Disability cover, it is essential to know what you can't be covered for to save time and effort.

Below mentioned are situations where you will unfortunately not be covered for: 

• Anything mentioned in the General Exclusions Section of your travel insurance policy 

• Any claim for sickness, disease, bodily or mental infirmity, nervous shock or naturally occurring condition or degenerative process 

• Amounts related to medical or Surgical treatment. 

You need to be aware of certain terms and conditions when filing your claim under the Accidental Death and Disability cover. Being informed about this information not only benefits you and makes you an informed customer but also saves you time and effort when filing a claim. 

Certain criteria are mentioned below. It is always important to go through your policy document thoroughly.

• The death or disability must happen within one year of the accident. 
• Suppose an insured person dies because of bodily injury. In that case, any amount already claimed and paid under permanent total disability or partial permanent disability will be deducted from the payment under accidental death.
• The benefit will be paid to you or your legal representative. If you die, the benefit will be paid to the nominee appointed by you or your legal heir.
• If more than one disablement is sustained due to the same accident, the amount payable shall be arrived at by adding together the various percentages mentioned in the table of benefits for corresponding disablements but shall not exceed the Sum Insured stated in the Policy Schedule against this Cover. 

Minimum documents required to claim under Digit’s Accidental Death and Disability cover

While filing a claim, one must contact the Medical Emergency Assistance helpline immediately.

You will be asked to produce:

• Copy of the tickets of common carrier on which the insured was travelling.
• Preliminary medical report describing the nature and extent of all injuries and diagnosis.
• Death/PTD/PPD certificate from a registered medical practitioner (where applicable)

An Accidental Death and Disability (Common Carrier) cover in your travel insurance supports you when times get hard. Insuring yourself with a policy that contains this cover safeguards your trip during conveyance for even the worst possible scenarios. Be sure to obtain a travel insurance policy with suitable covers for your benefit.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purpose, collected across the Internet and with respect to Digit’s On-the-Move Policy document. For detailed coverage, exclusions, and conditions about Accidental Death and Disability cover, go through your travel policy document carefully.