Choking is a serious risk, causing thousands of deaths every year. While many people associate choking with food, it can happen with any small object, liquid, or personal item.

It’s an unfortunate reality that many people don’t consider until it’s too late.

As a result, it’s important to realize that you may be able to get coverage for choking incidents in your insurance policy.

Whether your policy already includes coverage or you need to add it on as a rider, this article will explore what you need to know when it comes to choking and insurance.

What is Choking?

Before we dive into the specifics of insurance coverage for choking, it’s important to understand what exactly choking is and what it can entail.

Choking occurs when an object blocks the airway, either fully or partially. This can happen with food, drinks, personal items like medications, and other small objects.

Choking can also come in the form of a person’s own tongue (in cases of seizures or other medical emergencies).

When someone is choking, they may have trouble breathing, speaking, and may start to cough or turn blue. Without quick action and help, choking can result in brain damage, heart attack or even death.

Does Insurance Cover Choking?

Whether choking is covered under your insurance policy will depend on the specifics of your coverage.

If you have medical insurance, such as health or dental insurance, choking will likely be covered as part of your overall policy. However, you should be aware of what your deductible is and what your policy specifically covers (e.g.

ambulance, hospital stays, medications). Additionally, your medical insurance may not cover preventive measures such as choking hazard training classes or CPR classes.

Some life insurance policies may also cover choking incidents, but once again, the specifics of your policy will dictate what is covered.

For those in the foodservice industry, there may be specific liability insurance that covers choking incidents in restaurants, catering businesses, and other food-related industries.

Additionally, you can ensure that your employees have received proper choking hazard training to minimize the risk of choking happening.

It’s important to note that, while choking coverage may be included in some insurance policies, it is not a given.

Before assuming you have coverage, it’s important to review the specific terms and conditions of your policy, and if you need more coverage, check to see if a choking incident rider or policy extension is available.

What is a Choking Incident Rider?

A choking incident rider is an additional rider or extension to your existing insurance policy that specifically covers choking incidents. It is sometimes referred to as an accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) policy rider.

Choking incident riders typically cover a certain amount of financial compensation if death or dismemberment occurs due to choking. They may also cover medical expenses related to the choking incident.

It’s important to review the specific details of any choking incident rider before adding it to your policy. While they can provide peace of mind, they do come at an additional cost and may not be necessary for everyone.

Preventing Choking

While insurance for choking incidents is important to have, it’s also essential to know how to prevent choking incidents in the first place.

Firstly, it’s essential to understand the most common choking hazards and avoid them where possible.

These include small objects like coins, marbles, and other toys or household items, foods that are hard to chew or swallow (like popcorn or grapes), and sticky or dry foods.

It’s also important to have choking hazard training, particularly if you have young children or work in the foodservice industry.

Training can help you understand what to do if someone is choking and can help prevent choking incidents before they happen.

Conclusion

Choking can be a dangerous and unfortunate reality that everyone needs to be aware of.

While insurance for choking incidents may be available in certain circumstances, it’s important to review the specific terms and conditions of your policy before assuming coverage. Additionally, preventing choking incidents through education and training is a crucial component of choking prevention.