Accident Insurance Can Make Summer Injuries Less Painful
Blues Perspectives
| 3 min read
Summer brings almost endless opportunities for outdoor recreation and fun for adults and children. But even lighthearted activities can carry risk of accidental injury. More than 2.7 million children and young adults are seen in emergency rooms every year for injuries related to sports and recreation. Specifically, injuries related to basketball and bike riding resulted in more than half a million trips to the emergency room in 2018. That’s what makes accident insurance a good option to protect you and your family from extra costs in case of an emergency. And for employers, offering accident insurance to your employees gives them peace of mind that they’ll be able to tackle the unexpected. Accident policies bridge the gap in coverage for those that have a health insurance plan with a high deductible and can help them with unexpected expenses outside of medical bills. For example, accident insurance can help pay for other expenses like special transportation, flying in a family member to help, modifications to your home and loss of work. For Jon Luna of Novi, his accident policy helped ensure his son was able to fully heal and recover from a baseball injury. “One minute I was cheering for my son as he took the mound in a travel baseball game and the next, he was laying on the ground with a torn tendon in his right elbow. Accidents happen in the blink of an eye but the peace of mind I have knowing I’ll be covered financially is worth every penny of my premium,” Luna said. “I was able to get my son the treatment he needed along with the physical therapy to get him back to 100% in no time – all covered by my accident policy. I’ll never stop worrying about him out there but at least I know some things will always be under control.” It's not just children who can get injured during summer fun. Melissa of Novi said she never imagined a game of softball with friends would result in a torn Achilles tendon – and then having to miss work, undergo surgery and complete physical therapy. “Having accident insurance allowed me to feel more secure as I was recovering and not worry about mounting bills,” Melissa said. The average cost of a trip to the emergency department was $1,010 in 2018, according to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. For some families in America, that kind of unexpected cost could be difficult for them to cover: about 12% of Americans surveyed said they would not be able to cover a $400 emergency cost. Accident insurance provides cash benefits after a covered accidental injury, regardless of any other insurance policy you may hold. If you’re part of an organization looking to provide accident insurance or any other specialty benefits to your employees, visit our Specialty Benefits for Employers page. If you purchase your own coverage for you and your family and would like to learn more about accident insurance, visit bcbsm.com/specialtybenefits for more information. If your employer offers health care options, ask your HR administrator if they also offer accident insurance. More from MIBluesPerspectives:
- The Importance of Using Your Vision Benefits
- Accident Insurance Protects Against Financial Harm
- Do Your Employees Need Long-Term Disability Insurance?
Photo credit: Getty Images
