Personal Accident Insurance
Protect Your Income Against Accidents
An accident can stop your income overnight, even when hospital costs are covered. Personal accident insurance pays a fixed benefit for accidental death and permanent disability, and many plans add a weekly amount while you are temporarily unable to work. It is affordable, needs little medical underwriting and works anywhere in the world. MILES compares plans across insurers, sets a sum insured linked to your earnings and supports your family if a claim ever arises.
What This Policy Covers
Accidental Death Benefit
The full sum insured is paid to your nominee if an accident causes death within the period stated in the policy.
Permanent Total Disability
Loss of both eyes, both limbs or similar total disability from an accident usually pays the full sum insured.
Partial Disability Scale
Permanent partial disability pays a set percentage of the sum insured, based on the table in the policy.
Weekly Income Benefit
Temporary total disability cover pays a weekly amount while you recover and cannot work, up to a stated limit.
Low Premium
Premiums depend mainly on occupation risk rather than age, so high cover is affordable for most earners.
Help With Claims
MILES guides your family through police reports, medical records and insurer queries after an accident.
What is personal accident insurance?
Personal accident insurance pays a fixed benefit if you die or are disabled as a direct result of an accident. It protects your income and your family’s finances, rather than paying hospital bills, which is the job of your health insurance.
An accident here means a sudden, unforeseen and involuntary event caused by external, violent and visible means. Road accidents, falls, burns, drowning and injuries at home or at work are typical examples. Most personal plans cover you around the clock and worldwide.
What it covers
Core benefits
- Accidental death: 100% of the sum insured paid to the nominee.
- Permanent total disability (PTD): usually 100% of the sum insured for losses such as both hands, both feet or sight in both eyes.
- Permanent partial disability (PPD): a percentage of the sum insured set by a table in the policy, for example loss of one eye, a thumb or hearing in one ear.
- Temporary total disability (TTD): a weekly benefit while you are completely unable to work, for a limited number of weeks.
Common extensions
- Accidental hospitalisation and medical expenses up to a sub-limit
- Children’s education benefit if the insured dies or is permanently disabled
- Transport of mortal remains and funeral costs
- Home or vehicle modification after permanent disability
- Loan protector, which pays outstanding EMIs up to a limit
IRDAI has also introduced a standard personal accident product, Saral Suraksha Bima, with uniform cover and wording across insurers. It is a useful benchmark when comparing branded plans.
What is not covered
- Death or disability from illness or disease, including heart attack, unless caused by an accident
- Intentional self-injury or suicide
- Injury while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Participation in hazardous sports or activities, unless specifically added
- Breach of law with criminal intent
- War, nuclear risks and military service
- Pregnancy and childbirth
Who needs it
Anyone whose family relies on their earnings should consider it. It is especially relevant for people who drive or ride daily, travel often for work, or work in field roles, factories or on construction sites. Self-employed professionals and business owners benefit most, because they rarely have employer disability cover.
If your employer provides group personal accident insurance, check the sum insured. It often covers only a multiple of salary and ends when you leave the job, so a personal policy fills the gap. Note that the compulsory owner-driver PA cover under a motor policy is limited to accidents involving that vehicle.
How the sum insured and premium are decided
Insurers usually cap the sum insured at a multiple of your annual income, and the multiple varies by insurer. Dependent family members such as a spouse without income or children get a lower cap, often linked to the earning member’s cover.
The premium depends mainly on your occupation class. Office-based roles fall in the lowest risk class; people who work with machinery, at heights or who drive for a living pay more. Age matters less than in health or life cover, though entry age limits apply.
| Benefit | How it is paid |
|---|---|
| Accidental death | Lump sum to nominee |
| Permanent total disability | Lump sum to insured |
| Permanent partial disability | Percentage of sum insured per table |
| Temporary total disability | Weekly amount for limited weeks |
How MILES helps
- Compare insurers: we set out benefits, disability tables and weekly limits from several insurers side by side.
- Correct occupation class: we make sure your work is described accurately, so the premium is right and the claim is not questioned later.
- Fill the gaps: we review cover you already hold through your employer, bank or motor policy and suggest only what is missing.
- Pair with illness cover: we often combine a PA plan with critical illness insurance, since one covers accidents and the other serious illness.
- Claims support: we stay with your family through the claim.
How a claim works
- Inform the insurer or MILES promptly after the accident.
- For serious accidents, keep a copy of the FIR or police report.
- Submit the claim form, medical records and a disability certificate from the treating doctor. For a death claim, the post-mortem report and death certificate are also needed.
- For weekly benefits, send fitness updates from your doctor until you return to work.
- The insurer assesses the claim against the policy table and pays the benefit. Our claims team can help at every step.
Cover, exclusions and premiums depend on the insurer’s policy wording and underwriting. MILES Insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd. is an IRDAI-licensed direct broker (Life & General, Reg. No. 954); the insurance is issued by the insurer. Insurance is the subject matter of solicitation.