What qualifies as accidental death and dismemberment

Designating and Changing Beneficiaries
How to File a Claim

MetLife administers the Vanderbilt Accidental Death & Dismemberment program. Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) is a plan that pays a benefit if you lose your life, limbs, eyes, speech or hearing due to an accident. Full-time regular staff are eligible for AD&D coverage. You enroll as a new hire by using My VU Benefits. You can elect individual or family coverage in increments of $10,000 up to a maximum of 10 times your Annual Base Benefits Rate or $500,000, whichever is less. Changes can be made during annual Open Enrollment or if you experience a qualifying life event. If you choose family coverage, your spouse and children are covered at a percentage of the amount of coverage that you elect.

Table of Contents Show

Designating and Changing Beneficiaries
How to File a Claim
Accidental death[edit]
Common exclusions[edit]
Dismemberment[edit]
Coverage types[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
What are examples of accidental deaths?
What are examples of dismemberment?
What are the benefits of accidental death and dismemberment insurance?
Do I need accidental death and dismemberment coverage?

Family coverage includes your spouse (up to age 70) and any dependent children between ages 1 and 19 years (or up to age 23 if a full-time student).

There are three types of 'family' payouts:

If you and your spouse have no children, the amount paid to you if your spouse died in an accident (or paid to them if the accident caused dismemberment, but not death) would be 50% of your coverage.
If you and your spouse have children, the amount paid to you if your spouse died in an accident (or paid to them if the accident caused dismemberment, but not death) would be 40% of your coverage, and the amount paid to you if your child died in an accident (or paid to them if the accident caused dismemberment, but not death) would be 10% of your coverage.
If you have children, but do not have a spouse, the amount paid to you if your child died in an accident (or paid to them if the accident caused dismemberment, but not death) would be 15% of your coverage.

Designating and Changing Beneficiaries

To designate or change your beneficiaries, go to My VU Benefits.

How to File a Claim

Contact or 615-343-4788

For complete details of the Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance benefit, refer to the “Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Summary Plan Description” on the Benefit Plan Details page.

MetLife 800.638.6420 or www.metlife.com

"AD&D" redirects here. For the updated version of the original 1974 Dungeons & Dragons rule set, see Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.

In insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) is a policy that pays benefits to the beneficiary if the cause of death is an accident. This is a limited form of life insurance which is generally less expensive, or in some cases is an added benefit to an existing life insurance policy.

Accidental death[edit]

In the event of an accidental death, this insurance will pay benefits in addition to any life insurance but only up to a set amount total regardless of any other insurance held by same insurer, held by the client. This is called double indemnity coverage and is often available even when accidental death insurance is merely an add-on to a regular life insurance plan. Some of the covered accidents include traffic accidents, exposure, homicide, falls, heavy equipment accidents and drowning. Accidental deaths are the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S.[1] as well as in Canada.

Accidental death insurance is not an investment vehicle and thus clients are paying only for sustained protection. Most policies have to be renewed periodically (with revised terms), although the client's consent with renewal is often implicitly assumed.

Common exclusions[edit]

Every insurer maintains a list of events and circumstances that void the insured's entitlement to his or her accidental death benefit. Death by illness, suicide, non-commercial aviation, war injury, and natural causes are generally not covered by AD&D. Similarly, death while under the influence of any non-prescribed drugs or alcohol is most likely exempt from coverage. Overdose with toxic or poisonous substances and injury of an athlete during a professional sporting event may void the right to claim too.

Some insurance carriers will tailor their clients' coverage to include some of the above risks, but every such extension will be accompanied by increased premiums.

Due to these restrictions, the process of claiming the benefit may be relatively lengthy; the deceased client may have to undergo autopsy and the accident may have to be officially investigated before a claim is approved by the insurer.

Dismemberment[edit]

Fractional amounts of the policy will be paid out if the covered employee loses a bodily appendage or sight because of an accident.[2][3][4] Additionally, AD&D generally pays benefits for the loss of limbs, fingers, toes, sight and permanent paralysis. The types of injuries covered and the amount paid vary by insurer and package, and are explicitly enumerated in the insurance policy.

Coverage types[edit]

There are four common types of group AD&D plans offered in the United States:

Group Life Supplement – the AD&D benefit is included as part of a group life insurance contract, and the benefit amount is usually the same as that of the group life benefit.
Voluntary – the AD&D benefit is offered to members of a group. An example is an AD&D policy provided in an initial nominal amount with premiums paid by another party (such as a small $1,000 AD&D policy offered to credit union members, with the premium paid for by the credit union itself), with higher elective benefits offered to members where the member must pay the additional premiums separately.
Travel Accident (Business Trip) – the AD&D benefit is provided through an employee benefit plan and provides supplemental accident protection to workers while they are traveling on company business (the entire premium is usually paid by the employer).
Dependents – Some group AD&D plans also provide coverage for dependents.[5]

References[edit]

^ Accidents or Unintentional Injuries by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed July 14, 2011.
^ "BLS Information". Glossary. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Division of Information Services. February 28, 2008. Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
^ Margaret E. Lynch, Editor, "Health Insurance Terminology," Health Insurance Association of America, 1992, ISBN 1-879143-13-5
^ "Accidental Death Insurance Coverage and Exclusions". Glossary. death-insurance.com. March 22, 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
^ Fundamentals of Health Insurance: Part A, Health Insurance Association of America, 1997, ISBN 1-879143-36-4

What are examples of accidental deaths?

What Is Considered Accidental Death? Insurance companies define accidental death as an event that strictly occurs as a result of an accident. Deaths from car crashes, slips, choking, drowning, machinery, and any other situations that can't be controlled are deemed accidental.

What are examples of dismemberment?

Dismemberment coverage Common examples include the permanent or partial loss of or paralysis of limbs, and complete or partial loss of speech, eyesight or hearing.

What are the benefits of accidental death and dismemberment insurance?

What Is Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance? Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance pays a lump sum if an employee dies or loses a limb in a covered accident that could not be prevented. Deaths due to prior medical conditions are not covered under this type of policy.

Do I need accidental death and dismemberment coverage?

If your life insurance policy offers adequate coverage for you in the case of death or accidental dismemberment, AD&D may be an unnecessary additional cost. If you're in a high-risk profession however, it may be worth consideration.