Our Accidental Death is a benefit for Comprehensive, Snow Sports Plus, Domestic Plus and Frequent Traveller Saver policy holders. The Accidental Death benefit may be paid out to your estate if you are found dead whilst travelling or, within 12 months of you returning back to your home because of that injury. In addition, your family may have provision to claim if your mode of transport disappears, sinks or crashes and you are presumed dead and your body is not found within 12 months.*
If you are claiming for the Accidental Death benefit other benefits like the Overseas Medical Assistance benefit may cover the associated emergency evacuations costs and repatriation costs.
Who would most likely claim on accidental death cover?
Though claiming on Accidental Death can happen to anyone from a senior traveller to a young back packer; some people who travel for work in dangerous areas may find the benefit useful for their loved ones to help with funeral costs. A cover such as this is for the financial reimbursement for your loved ones in the event that you die on your trip. The following types of travellers may be more likely to claim on accidental death cover:
- Seniors travelling
- Young traveller
- Travelling Journalists
- Government employees
- Frequent business travellers and frequent travellers
- Missionaries and aid workers.
*Please note that we do not cover areas that have a 'Do Not Travel' warning, or activities that are not on covered in our Activities. You can find information on safe destinations on Smartraveller.
So, what happens if I die on holiday?
If you die unexpectedly as a result of an injury or sickness during your trip, we will pay for the costs of either a funeral or cremation overseas and/or to bring your remains back to your home.* This Overseas Emergency Medical Assistance benefit is only available on Comprehensive, Snow Sports Plus, Basics, Standard Saver and Frequent Traveller Saver policies and has a maximum of $15,000 per person.
Our Comprehensive, Snow Sports Plus, Domestic Plus and Frequent Traveller Savers policies provide cover for Accidental Death up to the amount of $25,000 for travellers that are aged 79 and under, $20,000 for travellers who are between the ages of 80 -89 years and $5,000 for any one accompanying dependant.
Defining ‘injury’, ‘injured’, 'injuring' and ‘injure’.
In our PDS, we have a list of ‘Words with Special Meaning’. This means that in the context of travel insurance these certain words have a specific definition.
Injury: ‘Injure, injured or injury means bodily injury caused solely and directly by violent, accidental, visible and external means, which happens at a definite time and place during your period of insurance and does not result from any illness, sickness, disease, or self-harm.’
Accidental Death exclusions
Not all death types are covered under the Accidental Death benefit. Accidental death does not cover the following:
- Death caused by any other reason than ‘injury’ defined under ‘Words with Special Meaning’ on page 5 – 10 in our PDS
- Death caused by suicide
- Death aided by drugs or alcohol
- Death in a country that is considered a ‘Do Not Travel’ region, including not following the advice of mass media or any government or official warnings. You can find this information on Smartraveller.
- Death from an injury incurred domestically within Australia
- Fraudulently death claims
- Death due to an activity we don’t cover for. You can find the list of activities we do cover here
- Death due to a pre-existing medical condition that we don’t automatically cover,
- Death because of a mental illness
Let us tell you a story
Brock was travelling to Mexico for a few weeks of backpacking and sight-seeing. As he had a valid motorcycle license to ride a motorcycle in Mexico, he decided to go on a motorcycle to ride through the country side of Mexico. During that ride, he was badly injured by at-fault incoming traffic. Luckily, he was repatriated to a medical facility back in Australia where he was in a critical condition. After many surgeries, Brock was discharged from the hospital. Within 12 months, he unfortunately passed away in his home.
Brock’s parents were able to claim on the accidental death benefit because Brock had accidental death cover in his Comprehensive policy. This was a huge relief for Brock’s parents! Brock’s accidental death benefit on his Comprehensive travel policy was able to aid his parents in covering his funeral expenses.
*Stories are fictitious examples drawn from the experiences of Fast Cover travellers and staff. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
*All information is subject to terms and conditions according to their Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). Fast Cover PDS can be found here.
