Wait, an accident policy can cover preventive care? That's right. Insureds are often surprised to find that preventive care and wellness benefits can be included as a benefit or rider on an accident policy. After all, maintaining wellness and preventing health problems are sensible measures to include in any health-related insurance policy.

Insureds with this added coverage can receive benefits to help with early disease diagnosis, screenings, assessments to determine predisposition for specific conditions, counseling, health education, immunizations and other necessary intervention to avert potential health issues.*

Some accident policy riders will pay a benefit when the insured or their covered dependents simply visit a physician outside of a hospital for any reason—preventive care, injury, illness or otherwise. This benefit typically pays regardless of any other medical insurance claims the insured submits.

The important thing for insureds to remember is that they have those benefits after the next preventive care visit. After all, whose first thought after a diagnostic test or immunization is, "I really should submit a claim under my accident policy"?