Are extreme sports covered under personal accident insurance 22^nd February 2023

Insurance is a financial product like no other. Upon payment of a meagre premium amount, it protects the insured person or asset against a contingent event involving a risk to its present or future value. While general, health and life insurance are relatively common products with a higher penetration rate in India, personal accident insurance online lags far behind.

While this may be attributed to the lack of awareness, it is straightforward why the product is required. Accidents are uncertainties that can occur in any setting, whether travelling, commuting, or at work. Since you cannot eliminate the risk of accidents, purchasing personal accident insurance online is essential to protect yourself against hospitalisation costs and other expenses resulting from an accident.

The limited awareness regarding personal accident insurance is also only partially reliable due to the misconceptions surrounding the product. While its coverage to the extent of travel accidents is commonly known, there are several questions surrounding its scope of coverage for adventure sports.

Find out whether adventure sports are covered by personal accident insurance online.

Defining adventure sports.

Adventure sports are easy to define in lay terms but are described differently by every insurer. It includes sports that involve contact, extreme speed, technical gear, and extremely high levels of risk. As the name states, these sports have a considerably high-risk grade, making most insurers hesitant to cover them. Common extreme sports include skydiving, skiing, rappelling, mountaineering, etc.

Generally, irrespective of the type of insurance- general or non-general, most insurers do not offer coverage for adventure sports due to the intensity of the activities.

Why should you check for adventure sports inclusion before participating?

The thrill of adventure is second to none, and the addition of multiple uncontrollable factors only adds to the experience for those who seek an adrenaline rush. However, one must always ensure to protect themself from potential accidents before participating in such sports for the following reasons –

1. Hospitalisation coverage:
With medical inflation on the rise, covering any possible medical expenses, including those arising from adventure sports, is prudent. Considering the high-risk profile of these sports, it is always better to be ready for the worst and prepare a financial net that shoulders the burden of such costs.

2. Allied perks:
Personal accident insurance online offers related allowances such as a daily cash allowance, transportation, and more. This reduces the strain on your finances during your period of hospitalisation or any inactivity as an earning member.

3. Mental peace:
The most significant benefit of inclusion is the peace of mind to engage in activities of your choice. You don’t have to worry about the consequences due to the existence of a safety net for your finances.

Does personal accident insurance online cover extreme sports?

At face value, one may assume that personal accident insurance online would offer extreme sports coverage. Most insurers in India presently do not include accidents caused while engaging in such sports within the scope of the policy.

However, if you want coverage against such risks, some insurance companies offer comprehensive accidental coverage across all terrains and destinations. It may take additional effort to discover such insurers amid all those that exclude such accidents. Here are a few factors you should consider before purchasing a policy from such a provider:
1. The extent of sports covered- land, air, water, etc.
2. Provision of immediate medical assistance
3. Customisation of a plan as per your adventure needs
4. Active policy period

Despite the exclusion of extreme sports by most insurers, personal accident insurance online is an essential requirement that provides financial assistance when you are only partially covered by your term or health insurance policy alone. We encourage you to consider purchasing personal accident insurance online to cover the other form of accidents and your risk exposure.

Click HERE to buy personal accident insurance online.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.