Hospital indemnity insurance
A financial safety net for the unexpected
An injury or illness can land you in the hospital for a night or two—or even longer. If that happens, unexpected costs from deductibles, copays or coinsurance, as well as non-medical expenses like child care or transportation, could take a serious toll on your family’s financial health.
That’s where hospital indemnity insurance comes in.
How it works
Hospital indemnity insurance pays a fixed dollar amount per day you are confined to a hospital—or a mental health, substance abuse or nursing facility—up to a maximum number of days each year.
You’re paid the full per-day benefit no matter what other insurance you have.
Why have it?
If you end up in a hospital, your focus should be on your recovery, not your medical bills. Hospital indemnity insurance can help with the cost of your stay to give you and your family some financial peace of mind.
What’s covered
Hospital indemnity insurance pays a fixed dollar amount for each day of a hospital stay lasting 24 hours or more until you reach the maximum number of days stated in your policy. Each facility has its own per-day benefit and calendar year maximum. Facilities and treatments may include:
Intensive care unit (ICU)
Heart attacks, strokes, serious injuries, respiratory failure and other serious conditions.
Substance abuse facility
Detoxification and residential addiction treatment.
Mental health facility
Anxiety, depression, eating disorders and schizophrenia.
Nursing facility
Physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and medication.
Note: The examples given above are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an exhaustive list of possible conditions and treatments; please refer to your benefits summary to confirm which facilities and treatments are included with your policy.
Claim examples
Meet Herman
During flu season, Herman falls seriously ill with pneumonia and spends five days in the hospital. Fortunately, the hospital indemnity insurance he purchased through work pays $300 for each day of his stay, for a total benefit of $1,500. His coverage removes some of the financial burden of his hospital stay, so he can focus on getting well.
|
|||||||
| Per-day hospital stay | $440 per day | $100 per day |
| 5-day total | $2,200 | $1,500 |
| Outstanding balance | $700 |
Note: This example is for illustrative purposes only and is meant to provide a general overview of how hospital indemnity insurance works. Any resemblance to actual persons is purely coincidental. Refer to your enrollment materials for your plan’s benefit amounts.
Why enroll in hospital indemnity insurance at work?
Hospital indemnity insurance can provide an extra layer of financial cushion if you become hospitalized for any reason. In addition to competitive rates, enrolling at work means:
- No preexisting condition limitations.
- No health questions to answer or tests to take.
- No copays, coinsurance or deductibles to meet.
- Benefits are paid no matter what other coverage you have.
- You can visit any hospital or covered facility, in network or not.
- Benefits can be used for anything, including non-medical costs.
- 24/7 access to your benefits information with our user-friendly online administration tool, MyGO.
Next Steps
To learn more about hospital indemnity insurance provided by First Symetra, contact your company’s benefits representative.
Fixed-Payment Indemnity policies (also known as “hospital indemnity policies”) are insured by First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York, New York, NY. Mailing address: P.O. Box 34690, Seattle, WA 98124. They are not available in all U.S. states or any U.S. territory. They are designed to provide benefits at a preselected, fixed dollar amount. They are not a replacement for major medical or other comprehensive coverage, and do not satisfy the minimum essential coverage requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Base policy number is SBC–00500/NY 6/20. Coverage may be subject to exclusions, limitations, reductions and termination of benefit provisions. For costs and complete details of the coverage, contact your benefits representative.