Accidents can occur unexpectedly, causing physical injuries, disability, or even loss of life. In such challenging circumstances, having personal accident insurance safeguards you from paying hefty bills incurred due to the accident.
Whether it’s covering medical expenses, compensating for lost income due to disability, or providing financial support to loved ones in the event of a tragedy, personal accident insurance plays a crucial role in helping individuals navigate the uncertainties and potential hardships that accidents can bring.
In this article, we will address some common personal accident claims in Singapore, as well as how to navigate the claiming process.
For the purpose of this article, we will be referencing the standalone personal accident plan. We are using that instead of a group personal accident plan, which is usually offered in companies’ insurance plans, and personal accident riders which can be added to life insurance policies.
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Common Types of Personal Accident Claims
Medical Expenses
This benefit will cover medical expenses incurred due to the accidental injury suffered by the insured person. However, it will be advisable to confirm in your policy contract if a referral letter is required for visits to specialist, chiropractors and physiotherapists. Most, if not all personal accident plans in Singapore will cover treatments by Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) practitioners too.
Typically, this benefit allows subsequent claims from the same injury to be claimable up to 365 days from the date of accident.
However, there will be sub-limits applicable to treatment by TCM physicians and chiropractors. Please remember to check if the TCM physician you are visiting is registered and where expenses will be claimable under your insurance . You may visit this link to search for the registration details.
In most insurance companies, you will find that their personal accident plans in this benefit will extend to cover other situations like accidental food poisoning, dengue fever, zika virus, other infectious diseases, insect/animal bits, motorcycling and others depending on which insurance companies.
Temporary Total Disablement (Weekly)
This benefit will provide loss of income (depending on the benefits as defined by the insurance company) in the event of an injury which directly disables and totally prevents the insured person from engaging in any part of his/her usual occupation or business activities temporarily, as certified by a Western Medical Practitioner.
Hospital Cash
This benefit will provide a daily cash benefit in the event of hospitalisation resulting from a covered accidental injury. This benefit can be very useful to self-employed persons such as taxi drivers and delivery personnel who will suffer immediate loss of income during their hospitalisation stay.
Mobility Aids
This benefit reimburses the cost of purchasing or renting equipment to assist in the mobility aid of the insured person in the event of a covered accidental event. These equipment include crutches, wheelchairs and walking frames etc.
This can be useful as more hospitalisation insurance does not cover the cost of purchasing or renting these equipment.
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Claims Process
It is advisable to find out the general exclusions and exclusions specific to the benefits in your personal accident plan. This will avoid unpleasant situations in the event that the claims are not claimable.
Steps to take note of:
- Find out if the insurance company is using a PDF claim form or online submission for the claim process.
- Remember to submit your claim within 30 days from the date of accident.
- Standard documents required for medical fee reimbursement claims as follows:
- Soft copy of original tax invoice
- A copy of the medical report or discharge summary report
- Copy of doctor’s memo
- Depending on the nature of the claim, the additional documents required may differ and here are some examples:
- For TCM or chiropractic reimbursement claims, please remember to have the physician indicate on the tax invoice about the injury and treatment provide
- A copy of the medical certificates
- Proof of Employment
- A copy of the death certificate
Of course, filing a personal accident claim will differ depending on the insurer. It is important to seek advice and help from your insurance agent to ensure a smooth claim process.
When an accident occurs, it is important to notify your agent, so that they will be able to appropriately advise you on the next steps and necessary documentation required.
Company Insurance (outpatient benefits)
If your company provides Outpatient General Practitioner (GP) and/or Specialists Benefits in their group insurance for their employee benefit program, you can consider visiting the clinics on the insurance company’s panel list to seek for treatments. Depending on the benefits, it can be a cashless or co-payment process.
In situations where your company’s group insurance cannot fully reimburse the total medical expenses, you can approach your insurance company with the proper documents for their review to claim the remaining amount from your personal accident plan.
Other Good To Have Benefits in a Personal Accident Plan
Unlike the common personal accident claims listed above, there are certain benefits that may or may not be included in your personal accident plan.
These benefits will be useful for you in the unlikely event you require them, so it is important to check with your insurer if your plan covers the following additional benefits.
Fracture
This benefit provides a payout when it is caused directly by an accidental injury. There is a table in the policy contract to show the scale of payout by percentage depending on the severity of the fracture. This benefit can be embedded as a standard feature in the plan or an optional add-on feature that requires an additional premium.
Example of a Fracture Scale:
Worldwide Personal Liability
This benefit reimburses any accidental bodily injury or damage to third-party property. Third-party property refers to assets or belongings that are owned by someone other than the primary individuals involved in a particular situation. For example, vehicles, properties, and personal belongings. This can give you peace of mind if unforeseen circumstances happen.
Emergency Medical Evacuation
This benefit provides the emergency evacuation service in the event you suffer an injury that is life threatening and is medically necessary to move to a nearby medical facility or back to Singapore for treatment. Please check with your insurer whether emergency medical evacuation is included in your personal accident plan.
Personal Effect
This benefit can indemnify you for the intrinsic value or cost of repairs to the personal belongings, whichever is lesser. There will be a sub-limit applicable for the category of your personal belongings. It will be advisable to check your policy contract for the wordings pertaining to this benefit if you have it in your policy.
Read More: Do I Need a Personal Accident Plan if I Already Have Life Insurance?
Getting a Personal Accident Insurance in Singapore
Personal accident insurance can offer valuable protection and financial assistance in the face of unexpected accidents. It serves as a safety net that helps individuals and their families cope with the financial burdens that accidents can bring. It’s essential to carefully review and understand the terms of your personal accident insurance policy to ensure you have the right coverage for your needs. Remember to promptly report accidents and follow the necessary steps to file a claim to receive the benefits you are entitled to.
