SDPEBA’s sponsored Aflac plans are unique because they’re all designed to cover different health emergencies. The accident plan covers sudden injuries: like a broken arm or a sports injury; the critical illness plan covers a sudden life changing diagnosis: like cancer or a stroke; the hospital plan covers you in case you need surgery or are admitted for any other reason; and the life insurance plan covers your family in case something happens to you.
While all four plans are good for different reasons, by getting both the accident and critical illness plan, you’re covering yourself from the some common medical issues should something go wrong, which can be an extreme weight off of your shoulders. Each plan also offers a wellness benefit that can make the plans more affordable. The accident plan pays you when you get certain diagnostic tests or when you get your annual physical, and the critical illness plan pays you for getting the most common health screenings (that you really should just be getting anyway).
How do these two Plans interact with Each Other?
On top of stacking wellness benefits that basically mean you get $100 for doing what you’re supposed to do every year, these plans work extremely well together (and if you get a mammogram you can get up to $200). Essentially, these plans cover you from many angles when it comes to medical treatment.
The Accident Plan
The accident plan has you covered physically. If you have a job that requires a lot of moving around or other physical activity the accident plan can protect you if there’s an incident at work. If you look at the plan brochure you’ll see there’s coverage for anything from x-rays to burns to fractures to lacerations. You can even get coverage for dislocations. You can see why this plan is very popular with police officers, firefighters, and members of public utilities!
But it’s not just about work. The accident plan can cover you for injuries related to car accidents, sports, or any other sudden incident. And while the accident plan doesn’t cover you for “wear and tear” it does cover you after an accident for things like rehabilitation, wheel-chairs/crutches, and doctor prescribed therapy.
The Critical Illness Plan
The critical illness plan covers you for the things you can’t predict. Cancer, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and bone marrow transplants are all covered by the critical illness plan (check out the brochure for more information). These are all life changing diagnoses and could end up causing you a lot of stress and putting a serious strain on your finances.
The reason we highly suggest you get this plan as well is because it covers you for some of the most common reasons for hospitalization, especially in people who are getting older. We’re not trying to scare you with numbers, but around 40% of people will face a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lifetime. 25% of people will have a stroke. And about 15% of Americans will be diagnosed with a kidney disease. Don’t freak out. These usually happen later in life. But odds are there’s a good chance you might face one of these illnesses at some point.
The critical illness plan also continues to cover you after a diagnosis. So if you have a heart attack, a stroke, or a kidney disease once (which increases your risk for another one dramatically) then you will be covered again for the same disease. There are limitations to this, for example, the two diagnoses/events have to be 6 months apart, check the brochure for more information.
As a side note, while you might not think of these as “genetic diseases,” some types of cancer, heart disease, and kidney diseases are linked to specific inheritable genetic traits. Meaning if anyone in your family has had any of these diseases you should seriously consider this plan. There are also several personal choices that can lead to an increased risk of developing these diseases. If you smoke, drink, or participate in anything that increases your risk for these diagnoses, you really should consider this plan.
Why get these two plans Together?
When you get an Aflac plan, you’re locked in at that rate for life. And the rates are only ever going to go up as you get older. The accident plan is likely to cover you when you’re young and old. Whereas the critical illness plan is more likely to cover you when you’re old, but might come in handy if you need it when you’re young. Especially since the odds of you needing care go up as you age.
These plans also provide much needed peace of mind since you can’t always see an accident or a critical illness coming. Together these plans cover the items that can cause the biggest financial strain.
Additionally, since you can get wellness payouts for both plans, you’re able to very easily get $100 from Aflac annually. If you’re smart about planning your checkups and screenings, you can essentially think of this as $100-$300 off your annual Aflac premium. Plus, wellness on the accident plan applies to your whole family.
Overall, these plans are useful separately, but are best when combined. If you’re thinking about either of these plans and want to learn more, you can check out our website by clicking here, or you can click here and schedule a meeting with one of our Aflac specialists. They’ll be able to talk to you and tell you if any of our plans are right for you.