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Accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity

Administered by Prudential

UC’s accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity plans pay cash benefits directly to you when you or an enrolled dependent experiences a qualifying injury, critical illness, or hospital stay. 

  • Full Full eligibility available
  • Mid Mid eligibility available
  • Core Core eligibility available
  • Retirees Retirees eligibility available

Benefit enhancements for 2025

Accident insurance

  • The benefit for a physician’s office visit related to a covered accident is increasing from $75 to $100
  • New $1,200 benefit for admission to the ICU
  • Benefits for up to ten ICU or non-ICU hospital stays (up from three stays in 2024)
  • New Chiropractic or alternative therapy benefit of $50 per day
  • New $950 sacrum fracture benefit
  • Outpatient surgery and anesthesia benefit is increasing from $500 to $700

Critical illness insurance

  • The benefit for mammography is increasing from $100 to $200
  • Coverage for childhood conditions is increasing to add 100% coverage for Type 1 diabetes and PKU and a $3,000 benefit for autism
  • Wellness benefits are increasing to add a $100 benefit per calendar year for cytological, DNA stool analysis, HIV – Nucleic Acid Test and spiral CT screening
  • New 100% coverage of cardiac arrest
  • Benefit for a recurring covered condition allowed 90 days (reduced from six months) after prior benefit payments

Hospital indemnity insurance

  • New $100 mammography benefit
  • New $1,200 benefit for admission to the ICU
  • Benefits for up to ten hospital admissions, hospital stays or ICU stays per calendar year (increased from five per calendar year)
  • New Intermediate ICU Step-Down Unit benefit of $100 per each 18-hour period of confinement

Premium costs

Premiums are not increasing for 2025, despite enhanced benefits. If you choose to enroll, you pay the premium for coverage for yourself and your dependents. See below for monthly premium costs, depending on the coverage you choose and who you cover.

How to enroll

You can enroll in accident, critical illness and/or hospital indemnity insurance during UC’s Open Enrollment, from Oct. 31 through Nov. 22. Newly-hired employees have a 31-day period of initial eligibility (PIE) to enroll, and you may be eligible due to a mid-year qualifying event.

How the plans work

Visit ucplus.com to learn more about the benefits offered by each plan with Prudential. If you have questions or need assistance filing a claim, call the Prudential customer service team at 855-483-1438.

Accident insurance

Pays cash benefits if you receive services related to an accident, such as emergency room and urgent care visits, ambulance transport, X-rays, surgery, physical therapy and more.

Critical illness insurance

Pays a lump-sum benefit if you are diagnosed with certain critical illnesses, such as cancer, heart attack, stroke and more. 

Hospital indemnity

Pays a pre-determined cash benefit if you’re admitted to the hospital due to an accident or illness, or for maternity care, and continues to pay a cash benefit for every day you’re in the hospital, up to 30 days.