Supplemental plans, also known as voluntary benefits, are offered by such carriers as Aflac, Colonial Life, and Transamerica, among others.  These types of policies are designed to pay specific benefits when certain claim events occur, such as accidents or a critical illness like heart attack, stroke, or cancer.  They can also be designed to complement a major medical plan.  For example, it may make sense to save on monthly health insurance premiums by choosing a plan with a higher deductible, and using a supplemental plan to offset some of the deductible risk.