While some insurance policies might hone in on a particular agegroup, accident insurance can be a boon for every employee, nomatter what the employee's life stage. (Image: Thinkstock)

While we all hope for as easy a life as possible, the likelihood of an accident happening is too highfor your clients to do nothing about that.

Life happens, after all. According to the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accidental injurieslead to an estimated 30.8 million visits to the hospital emergency department each year.

If an accident happens, major medical may cover a large share ofthe doctor and hospital costs. However, the unexpected out-of-pocket expenses that remain can quicklyadd up.

The average total cost of treating one broken leg, for example,is $9,300, according to Aflac estimates. Assuming the average major medical insuranceplans cover about 60 percent of the costs, there would stillbe about $3,720 in remaining expenses.

The best strategy is, “Hope for the best, but prepare for theworst,” but how do we prepare for what we cannot predict? Oneimportant way to help client employers and their employees preparefor the high cost of accidents is to offer them voluntary accidentinsurance plans, like those offered by Aflac, and to remind clientsabout the peace of mind and financial security accident insurancecan offer.

All life stages

While some insurance policies might hone in on a particular agegroup, accident insurance can be a boon for every employee, nomatter what the employee's life stage.

Whether the employee is a young college graduate stilldeveloping rainy day savings, or a near-retirement-age employee whohas no desire to dip into retirement funds early, the employee maynot have the cash on hand to pay for high deductibles or otherout-of-pocket expenses.

Accident insurance can help life continue uninterrupted for allemployees. That means young parents can have help paying for achild's backyard injury, and weekend warriors can go on vacationwithout needing to worry about whether benefits will follow themout of town.

An extra benefit

Another reason for employers to offer accident insurance is thegrowing emphasis on corporate social responsibility. Companiestoday are increasingly judged by criteria such as the way theytreat their employees.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of employees have less than $1,000available to pay for unexpected out-of-pocket medical expenses,according to Aflac's WorkForcesReport.

Providing those employees with access to accident insurancehelps client employers show genuine care for employees – both onand off the job – by helping the employees meet a practicalfinancial need.

Doing so better differentiates great, compassionate companiesfrom the merely good. Best of all, voluntary insurance policies canbe offered at no direct cost to the employer.

It is probably safe to say that no one wakes up in the morningexpecting to get hurt in an accidental slip, trip or fall. However,the unpredictable nature of accidents does not negate the need tobe as financially prepared as possible for one. Counsel clients onthe need for accident insurance for their employees, regardless ofwhere the employees are in life. Offering that product is good forthe employees and the business alike.

Wendy Herndon is second vice president ofproduct development and implementation at Aflac. She has more than20 years of experience in this field.