Family Personal
Accident Plan
I'd like to know more...
Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about our Family Personal Accident Plan cover.
Your questions
- What cover does this policy provide?
- How much would we be covered for?
- How much does this cover cost?
- How many children can be covered by this policy?
- Would we be covered if ...
- What doesn't the policy cover?
- When does the cover commence?
- How long will the policy run for? Can I cancel the policy?
- Do I get any money back if I cancel the policy?
- When will I receive my free gift(s)?
- Who will get the money if there is a claim?
- Can the money be paid into a trust?
- Can my stepchildren be covered?
- Can I cover my grandchildren on the policy?
- I am divorced and my children live with their father/mother. Can I insure them on this policy?
- I have a Personal Accident policy with another company. If I take out your policy as well, will both pay out??
- We spend a lot of time at our holiday home abroad. Can we still be covered?
- Am I covered whilst flying?
- I'm a member of the armed forces/police force. Can I take out this policy?
- Can you clarify 'active duty'?
- So when is a member of the armed forces covered?
- What if I'm posted overseas, will I still be covered?
- I am a journalist and will be working in a war zone. Am I covered?
- Is time spent in hospital through illness covered?
- Will my premiums increase?
- What about Insurance Premium Tax?
- I can't pay by Direct Debit. Can I pay another way?
- Can I pay annually/on a specific date/on a specific day?
Our answers
1. What cover does this policy provide?
We will pay a lump sum if anyone covered on the policy becomes permanently disabled or dies as the result of an accident. There is also a payment if anyone covered has to spend more than 3 days in hospital following an accidental injury.
2. How much would we be covered for?
There are 3 levels of cover - bronze, silver and gold. At all levels, cover is provided for:
- Loss of sight.
- Loss of, or loss of use of, any limb or limbs.
- Loss of hearing.
- Loss of speech.
- Loss of use of a shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, hip or ankle.
- Loss of, or loss of use of, any finger or toe.
- Accidental Death.
- Hospitalisation for more than 3 days as the result of an accident
For further details, please see the levels of cover section. There are reduced levels of cover for children and for adults aged 65 or over.
3. How much does this cover cost?
The premiums vary between £3.75 and £25.49, depending on which level of cover is chosen and which family members are covered.
4. How many children can be covered by this policy?
All your unmarried, dependent children, including step-children or legally adopted children aged over 3 years and under 20 years permanently living with you can be insured.
- We were abroad? You have to be a permanent UK resident to have the policy but you are covered abroad provided you're not overseas for more than 12 weeks in any 52 week period. You are not covered if you travel to a war zone or are serving on active duty in any armed force. Nor are you covered when flying other than as a fare-paying passenger on a licensed aircraft.
- One of us was injured during a suicide attempt? No. Death, disablement and hospitalisation resulting from suicide, attempted suicide or self-inflicted injury are not covered.
- One of us was injured in a terrorist attack? Yes, incidents like the London bombings and the September 11th attacks are covered.
- One of us was attacked by someone? Yes, deliberate injuries caused by a third party are covered.
- One of us had a stroke? No, if you simply had a stroke you wouldn't be covered as that is caused by a medical condition. However, if you had a non-fatal stroke that caused you to crash your car and you were killed, disabled or hospitalised by your injuries, then you would be covered.
- One of us had a medical condition that caused an accident? Yes. If an epileptic seizure caused you to fall off a ladder or your diabetes caused you to pass out at the wheel of your car, you would still be covered for death, disablement or hospitalisation caused by your injuries.
6. What doesn't the policy cover?
Briefly, the exclusions are:
- death, disablement or hospitalisation caused by illness or natural causes.
- death, disablement or hospitalisation arising from war or civil uprising (but death, disablement or hospitalisation resulting from terrorism are covered).
- death, disablement or hospitalisation caused by ionising radiation or connected with nuclear explosions or waste.
- death, disablement or hospitalisation resulting from attempted suicide or intentional self-injury.
- wilful exposure to danger, unless you are trying to save someone's life. For example, if you are a builder and fall off scaffolding in the course of your work, that's a valid claim even though you were in a dangerous situation. If however, you were on a building site and deliberately went through a barrier saying 'No entry - danger, unstable scaffolding' and it all fell down on you, then you have wilfully exposed yourself to danger and a claim would be turned down. Another example is if you were driving against specific medical advice that it would be dangerous to do so.
- you committing a criminal act (eg falling off a roof while committing a burglary, or a joyrider involved in a fatal car accident).
- pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage or abortion.
- flying other than as a fare-paying passenger on a licensed aircraft.
- certain hazardous pursuits: ballooning, caving, diving, hang gliding, hydro-planing, motorcycling (as a rider or pillion passenger), mountaineering, parachuting, pot-holing, racing of any kind (other than on foot), rock or cliff climbing, white water rafting or canoeing, any sport as a professional.
- anyone serving on active duty in any armed force.
- death, disablement or hospitalisation arising from alcohol or drugs.
7. When does the cover commence?
Provided you have given us valid bank details from which we will be able to collect your premiums, your cover is in force from the next working day, following the submission of your application.
8. How long will the policy run for? Can I cancel the policy?
The policy can run until the end of the month before your 81st birthday. You can cancel it at any time before then by contacting us and cancelling the Direct Debit at your bank. Cover for any insured adult (you or your partner) has to cease at the end of the month before your / their 81st birthday. Children's cover, if selected, ceases when they are no longer dependent upon you, if they marry, or at the end of the month before their 20th birthday - whichever is earliest.
9. Do I get any money back if I cancel the policy?
If your policy is cancelled within the first 14 days and a premium has been paid, this premium will be refunded to you. If you cancel the policy later on, there is no surrender value and no money is due to you as this insurance is a protection product not an investment product.
10. When will I receive my free gift(s)?
Your policy documents and gift will be sent to you within 5 working days, after we receive your application.
11. Who will get the money if there is a claim?
For children up to the age of 16 the money would be paid to you as the policyholder (or your legal representative). For children aged 16 or above or for any adult insured on the policy, the money would be paid to them (or their legal representative).
12. Can the money be paid into a trust?
No, please see the above answer, however if arrangements have been made to pay the proceeds into a trust we will do our best to honour this. Our policy wording states we will not be bound by any trust, charge or transfer. At the time of a claim, we would rely on the advice of our lawyers as to whether we could comply with your wishes.
13. Can my stepchildren be covered?
Yes, provided they live permanently with you and are over 3 years old and under 20 years old.
14. Can I cover my grandchildren on the policy?
Only if they live permanently with you and you have legally adopted them. They must also be over 3 years old and under 20 years old.
15. I am divorced and my children live with their father/mother. Can I insure them on this policy?
No, unfortunately you can only insure children on this particular policy if they live permanently with you. Our Tots to Teens policy does provide cover for children in your circumstances, though.
16. I have a Personal Accident policy with another company. If I take out your policy as well, will both pay out?
At Norwich Union Direct, we will pay out regardless of any similar insurance policies you hold. However, we suggest you also check with your other insurer as their terms and conditions may be different.
17. We spend a lot of time at our holiday home abroad. Can we still be covered?
Cover is provided as long as you are all permanently resident in the UK. For this policy, we define permanent residency, as not being out of the country for more than 12 weeks in any 52 week period. If you are abroad for longer than that, the policy will need to be cancelled but it can be reinstated if you return to live in the UK.
18. Am I covered whilst flying?
All fare-paying passengers on a licensed aircraft are covered. However crew members, such as pilots, co-pilots, flight engineers or flight attendants are not covered unless fare-paying passengers.
19. I'm a member of the armed forces/police force. Can I take out this policy?
Yes, service personnel are eligible for cover except while on active duty. Police personnel are eligible although there will be no cover if you are involved in handling a serious civil commotion on the scale of an uprising.
20. Can you clarify 'active duty'?
If any serviceman/woman is sent to serve in a war zone such as Iraq or Afghanistan in any capacity they will not be covered. This includes all frontline and combat operations as well as all rear echelon support duties under the command of the British Armed Forces, NATO and/or the United Nations.
21. So when is a member of the armed forces covered?
Cover would operate while stationed in the UK, on military exercises in the UK or on military exercise in all non-war zone classified areas overseas (for example Germany, Norway or Brunei). Cover would not operate while stationed in a war zone.
22. What if I'm posted overseas, will I still be covered?
You are covered as a member of the Armed Forces whilst posted abroad as long as you still maintain a property in the UK, the posting is not in a recognised war zone and you will not be overseas for more than 12 weeks in any 52 week period. If the posting exceeds 12 weeks your policy will lapse, however it may be reinstated on your return to the UK.
23. I am a journalist and will be working in a war zone. Am I covered?
Cover does not apply in any war zone, regardless of occupation.
24. Is time spent in hospital through illness covered?
No, only hospitalisation exceeding 3 days which results from an accidental injury. We will only pay hospital benefit for up to 100 days.
25. Will my premiums increase?
Over time, premiums for this sort of policy have been stable and our prices have stayed the same for a number of years. Of course, we cannot guarantee to keep them at this level forever, however if premiums do increase, we will advise you in advance and you will have the chance to cancel your policy before any premiums at the increased rate are collected.
26. What about Insurance Premium Tax?
Our premiums include Insurance Premium Tax at the current rate (5%).
27. I can't pay by Direct Debit. Can I pay another way?
No. Unfortunately, we can only collect premiums for this sort of policy by monthly Direct Debit which is one of the reasons we are able to keep the premiums so low. We cannot accept payment by any other means. We can however accept a Direct Debit from a family member or friend and the policy will still be issued in your name. They need to call us on 0800 051 8998 to set up this Direct Debit. (For our joint protection, calls may be recorded and/or monitored.)
28. Can I pay annually/on a specific date/on a specific day?
No. Unfortunately, we can only collect premiums by Direct Debit on the first working day of each month. This is one of the reasons we are able to keep the premiums so low.
