Accidental death & dismemberment
AD&D insurance: extra protection for life's accidents.
Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance pays if you die or lose a limb, sight or hearing in a covered accident. It's usually low-cost — but it doesn't pay for death from illness, so it works best alongside life insurance, not instead of it.
- Low cost
- Pays on top of life insurance
- Covers serious injuries too
AD&D vs. life insurance
| Topic | AD&D | Term life insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Pays for death from | Covered accidents only | Almost any cause, including illness |
| Pays for serious injury | Yes — loss of limbs, sight, hearing, per the policy | No (some policies add living benefits for illness) |
| Health questions | Usually few or none | Usually, though no-exam options exist |
| Cost | Lower | Higher, because it covers more |
| Best used as | A supplement | Your core protection |
Schedule of losses
What a typical AD&D policy pays
Policies pay a percentage of the full benefit depending on the loss. This is a common example — your policy's schedule is what counts.
| Loss | Typical benefit |
|---|---|
| Life | 100% |
| Both hands, both feet, or sight in both eyes | 100% |
| One hand, one foot, or sight in one eye | 50% |
| Thumb and index finger of the same hand | 25% |
Read the fine print
What AD&D usually doesn't cover
Illness and disease
Including a heart attack or stroke — even if it happens while driving.
Drug overdoses
Usually excluded unless a prescription was taken as directed. Overdoses are the largest cause of accidental death in the U.S.
Other common exclusions
Suicide or self-inflicted injury, driving while intoxicated, acts of war, and some high-risk activities.
AD&D FAQ
Does AD&D cover death from illness?
No. AD&D pays only when death or a covered loss results from an accident. That's why it's best as a supplement to life insurance.
How common are accidental deaths?
Unintentional injuries are the third leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the CDC — about 197,000 deaths in the most recent data. Poisonings, including drug overdoses, falls and motor vehicle crashes are the largest categories.
If I have life insurance and AD&D, do both pay?
Yes. If an accidental death is covered by both policies, your beneficiaries can receive both benefits.
Is AD&D through work enough?
Group AD&D is a nice extra, but it usually ends when you leave the job and only covers accidents. Most families need individual life insurance as their main protection.
What counts as dismemberment?
The loss of a hand, foot, sight, hearing or speech as defined in the policy's schedule. Each policy defines its covered losses and percentages.
Sources
Last reviewed by a licensed agent. Figures change each year — confirm current amounts at the sources above.
Build protection that covers more than accidents.
Compare AD&D and term life side by side — free.