How Accident Insurance Helps Parents and Children

From car crashes to workplace injuries, about 21 million people are treated and released by emergency departments with nonfatal injuries each year.¹ The financial impact of these accidents can be significant, especially if you have young children.

With accident insurance, you can get financial help after a covered accident for costs that aren’t covered by health insurance. Read on to learn what accident insurance is and how it can be beneficial for both parents and children.

What is accident insurance?

Accident insurance is a supplemental policy that can help provide financial support after you’ve been in an accident. While health insurance helps pay for medical expenses and treatment, accident insurance helps fill coverage gaps, usually by paying a cash benefit after a covered accident.

With an accident insurance policy, an insurer typically pays a cash benefit to the policyholder to help cover expenses after suffering a covered injury. You can use this cash however you see fit. For instance, parents with young children may use the cash to help with:

• Unexpected expenses
• Treatments or prescription drugs that your primary insurer doesn’t cover
• Trips to the hospital
• Mental health and rehabilitation resources

Essentially, accident insurance helps cover expenses that your health insurance doesn’t. Each plan may have limitations, but it could help provide some extra peace of mind and financial flexibility when unexpected accidents occur.

How does accident insurance work?

Accident insurance may be available through your employer as part of a benefits package, and you can pay for it through your paycheck. Otherwise, you may apply for an individual or family accident insurance policy in the private marketplace and make monthly premium payments on your own.

In the event of an accident, you should always get necessary medical assistance immediately before submitting a claim. If the accident is covered, the insurance company will pay you cash benefits, unless otherwise assigned, based on the policy’s language.

How does accident insurance help parents of young children?

An accident can have unforeseen consequences. When you have young children, anything that happens to you can have a significant impact on their lives. As a supplement to your primary health insurance policy, accident insurance can help parents with young children:

• Cover medical costs that your health insurance doesn’t.
• Pay for out-of-pocket expenses.
• Get additional peace of mind for unexpected expenses.

Is accident insurance worth it?

The answer to the question, “Is accident insurance worth it?” depends on your particular situation. This type of policy may be worth considering if you are:

• A parent with young children who financially depend on you and would be impacted by the financial costs of you getting hurt.
• Self-employed and unable to get payroll-deducted accident insurance but still want an extra layer of coverage.
• In a high-risk profession that increases the likelihood of an accident on the job.
• An active person who regularly participates in activities that could be dangerous.

With accident insurance, you’ll have an extra layer of coverage to help give you peace of mind and financial assistance after a covered accident. That’s particularly valuable if you have a family who financially depends on you or if your lifestyle is one that is more likely to lead to accidents. 

The bottom line

You can’t predict when accidents will happen, and you often can’t predict the long-term financial consequences of being in an accident. However, you can take steps to be prepared in case of the unexpected.

When you have children who depend on you, it’s important to do everything you can to ensure they’re taken care of after an accident.  Accident insurance can help provide peace of mind by offering added financial protection for your family when you need it most.

Sources:

¹ CDC – Cost of fatal and non-fatal injury. Updated December 5, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/injury-violence-prevention/economics/index.html. Accessed May 22, 2025.

Content within this article is provided for general informational purposes and is not provided as tax, legal, health, or financial advice for any person or for any specific situation. Employers, employees, and other individuals should contact their own advisers about their situations. For complete details, including availability and costs of Aflac insurance, please contact your local Aflac agent.

Aflac coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, Aflac coverage is underwritten by American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

Accident, A36000 series: In Idaho, Policies A36100ID–A36400ID, & A363OFID. In Virginia, Policies A36100VA – A36400VA, & A363OFVA. A37000 series: In Delaware, Policy A371AA & A371BA. In Idaho, Policy A37000ID. In Oklahoma, Policy A37000OK. In Virginia, Policies A371AAVA & A371BAVA. A38000 series: In Delaware Policies A38100DE – A38300DE, In Oklahoma A38100OK – A38300OK

Coverage underwritten by Tier One Insurance Company. Tier One Insurance Company is part of the Aflac family of insurers. In California, Tier One Insurance Company does business as Tier One Life Insurance Company (NAIC 92908).

Accident, T37000 series: In Delaware, Policy T37000. In Idaho, Policies T37100ID, T37200ID, & T37300ID. In Oklahoma, Policy T37000OK. In Virginia, Policies T37100VA, T37200VA, T37300VA, T37400VA & T37600VA.

Coverage may not be available in all states, including but not limited to DE, ID, NJ, NM, NY, VA or VT. Benefits/premium rates may vary based on state and plan levels. Optional riders may be available at an additional cost. Policies and riders may also contain a waiting period. Refer to the exact policy and rider forms for benefit details, definitions, limitations, and exclusions.

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