Health insurance refers to the broad field of insurance plans that provide protection against the financial consequences of illness, accidents, injury and disability. Within the broad field of health insurance, three distinct categories of health coverage exist:  medical expense insurance, disability income insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.

Health Coverages and What They Provide:

Type of Coverage	Provisions and Benefits
Medical Expense Insurance	Provides financial protection against the cost of medical care by reimbursing the insured, fully or in part, for these costs. It includes many kinds of plans that cover hospital care, surgical expenses, physician expenses, medical treatment programs, outpatient care and the like.
Disability Income Insurance	Provides a specified periodic income to the insured – usually on a monthly basis – in the event he or she becomes disabled.
Accidental Death and dismemberment Insurance	Provides a lump-sum payment in the event the insured dies due to an accident or suffers the loss of one or more body members due to an accident.