Do you need flight accident insurance?
For many people, the most stressful part of a long-distance vacation is the very first part: the flight. According to NBC News, one in six adults has a fear of flying. Even for those without the phobia, it’s not a difficult fear to understand – air travel seems like it’s dangerous. This is likely in part due to the fact that it taps into other fears, like fear of heights or claustrophobia. However, the harsh realities of plane accidents are hard for anyone to ignore.
Flight accident insurance
When airplane crashes occur, the results are often catastrophic and high profile. A lot of people think of airplanes as far more dangerous than they are because successful flights don’t make the evening news.
This misconception means that people may be interested in taking out flight accident insurance, a form of travel insurance that provides your family members with benefits in the event of accidental death or dismemberment. Basically, it’s a very specific life insurance plan. The idea is that if something on your flight goes wrong, and you die or suffer a grievous injury, your investment will return with some level of monetary support.
Is it worth it?
While this is often offered alongside trip cancelation insurance and other forms of travel insurance, flight accident insurance may or may not be worth it. The usefulness of having it is questionable at best. While it would certainly be great in the event of a plane crash, the odds of a plane crashing are astronomically low. Statistically speaking, the most dangerous part of your flight is the drive to the airport. From a numbers perspective, it’s money you’re probably never going to see any return on and insurance you’d probably never need.
However, there is something to be said for paying for peace of mind. If you usually spend your entire flight nervous about your own well-being, flight accident insurance could ease some of your fears. That said, the costs can be high, and it would probably be better to focus on the overall unlikelihood of an accident happening in the first place. If you think that having insurance would make the plane trip easier for you, emotionally, check out your current travel insurance plan. Some forms of travel insurance automatically include flight accident insurance, but most don’t. If you want to add it, you’ll need to reach out to your insurance representative.
