Personal accident cover

Read our guide about personal accident cover, which could offer compensation if the unthinkable happens.

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Helen Champion
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Nobody knows what’s around the corner but accidents do happen and can happen to you, sometimes with serious consequences. If you sustain significant injuries, or worse, prematurely die as a result of an accident, will you and your loved ones receive any compensation? You may think that personal accident cover will be included in your car insurance. However, that’s not always the case. Here’s what we think you should know about personal accident cover.

What is personal accident cover?

Personal accident cover is a kind of compensation, usually a set lump sum, that is paid out if your vehicle is involved in a serious accident that results in you or your passenger being seriously injured or killed. The personal cover terms will have to be met before a payout is approved.

If you’re involved in an accident and the third party is at fault, you will generally be able to claim against the third party’s insurance. However, if you’re at fault or no one is responsible for the accident, this is when personal accident cover would be beneficial and offer you a way to seek financial compensation.

What does personal accident cover offer on car insurance?

An insurer will have its own guidelines on what is covered under the personal accident cover, and this could vary depending on the insurer. An insurer may have its own variations regarding the following:

  • Death
  • Significant injuries resulting in disablement
  • Significant injuries resulting in loss of a body part or loss of the use of a body part

What is not covered?

An insurer will again set its own exclusions and restrictions for the personal accident cover it offers. Typically, you can expect that an insurer will not pay out a lump sum if significant injury or death has occurred due to:

  • Sickness
  • General disability
  • Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Participating in sporting or racing activities

Is personal accident cover included in my car insurance policy?

While some comprehensive car insurance policies might include some level of personal accident cover as standard, others won’t, especially if the policy is a lower level policy such as third party or third party fire and theft.

If an insurer doesn’t include personal accident cover as standard, it may include it as an optional extra that can be purchased to enhance your policy.

Don’t automatically assume that personal accident cover is included in your policy. It’s best to check. If it is included, check the details carefully to see exactly what protection it offers in case you’d like to increase the level of cover.

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