How to insure your child against an accident: expert advice

Trauma and the child are inseparable. From the moment the child starts at least, the mother does not leave her bag with adhesive plaster and antiseptics. Unfortunately, sometimes there are situations when you cannot help with a plaster and brilliant green. And the older the child becomes, the more difficult it is to protect him with the contents of his mother's purse alone. Do I need to insure children against accidents, at what age is it better to do it, and how much does such insurance cost? The press service of the PZU Ukraine company told us about this and Alena Kucherenko, specialist of retail sales department of "Insurance company INGO"

At what age to insure a child against an accident

Child accident insurance can be bought for a child from one year to 18 years old inclusive. However, at an early age, this is not always advisable. The kid is under the supervision of adults around the clock, and problems are most often solved with the help of a plaster. However, the more active the child becomes, the more difficult it is to keep track of him. A kindergarten and a school appear in the child's life, where the mother will no longer pick up in her arms during the fall.

Injuries in children cannot always be "closed" with adhesive tape / istockphoto.com

“Usually, accident insurance is bought for children from 6-7 years old, when the child goes to school and starts attending sports clubs,” says Alena Kucherenko. - But we had cases when parents insured very active children from 4-5 years old. It all depends on the activity, energy of the child and on the type of his occupation. "

Who Needs Accident Insurance

Whether or not a child is insured against an accident is up to his parents to decide. But in some situations, such insurance is highly recommended, and may even be mandatory. “Child accident insurance is popular, first of all, among parents whose children go in for sports. For example, to participate in competitions it is often necessary to have an insurance policy, which even takes into account the sport and the level of the athlete (professional or amateur), ”notes Alena Kucherenko.

Accident insurance is a must for young athletes / istockphoto.com

At the same time, experts highly recommend not buying an insurance policy "for show". If a child goes to the sports section, it immediately increases the risk injuries. Therefore, insurance for young athletes must be bought without fail, regardless of whether they will participate in competitions or not. When buying a policy, it is very important to inform the insurance company that the child is playing sports. “Otherwise, the insurance company may refuse to pay if the child is injured during the lesson in the section,” warn the PZU press service.

What is covered by children's accident insurance

Like an adult insurance policy, child insurance includes the risks of injury and death as a result of an accident. Risk of getting disabilities in some companies it is included in the insurance coverage, and in some it must be included in the insurance contract additionally. Please note that this insurance does not cover flu, adenoids, or even appendicitis.

Accident insurance covers injury, not illness / istockphoto.com

“Accident insurance does not cover childhood illnesses or the need for an operation that has arisen as a result of an illness,” the PZU press service explains. - Except for those situations when functional disorders occur due to trauma, burns, poisoning (plants, mushrooms, chemicals), animal bites, asphyxia and some infectious diseases (rabies, tetanus, botulism) ".

Also, the risk of contracting coronavirus is not included in accident insurance. “Indeed, there is now a request from parents to include the risk of contracting Covid-19 in the insurance policy. But at the moment this is a separate risk, which is covered by a special policy, ”says Alena Kucherenko.

Pay attention to the coverage area as well. Most often, the insurance policy applies only to Ukraine (except for zones of military conflicts and the territory of anti-terrorist operations). This means that when you go abroad (for example, on vacation), you will not receive payment in the event of a child's injury. There are also nuances for the insurance period. Some companies offer the so-called "sports" policy, which is valid only during the training of a child in the sports section or at competitions. “Such policies can be issued for a period of at least one day. However, an accident can happen anywhere and at any time, so it is better to buy insurance with 24/7 validity. The difference in price is insignificant, but protection is more reliable, ”Alena Kucherenko is convinced.

How much does child accident insurance cost?

The cost of an accident insurance policy for children depends primarily on insurance coverage (the amount that the insurance company undertakes to pay upon the occurrence of the insurance events). Now in insurance companies you can find policies from 100 to 1000 UAH (one-time payment per year). And the most common insurance amounts are 10, 50 and 100 thousand hryvnia.

At the same time, you do not need to expect that you will be paid 10 thousand. UAH for a broken knee. The amount of insurance coverage specified in the contract is the maximum that you can get from the company in the event of the greatest risk (death). For all other insured events, the payment will be different. “There is a risk table in the insurance contract, in which, next to each event, the amount of insurance payment is indicated as a percentage of the insured amount,” the PZU press service says. Depending on the nature of the event and the severity of the injury, the payment may be 5%, 25%, 50% of the sum insured.

How to get paid for accident insurance

Such insurance, unlike health insurance, does not cover treatment or pharmaceutical preparations. It works after the fact: if there is an injury, you will receive compensation. “If an accident occurs, parents are guaranteed to receive a payment, regardless of whether or not there is a need for long-term treatment. Even if the nature of the injury is simple, such as a hematoma, ”says Alena Kucherenko.

To get paid, you need to see a doctor / istockphoto.com

To receive a payment, upon the occurrence of an insured event, one of the parents submits an application to the insurance company, a copy of the policy, passport and identification code, a birth certificate of the child and a medical certificate with diagnosis. Today, in many companies, all these documents can be submitted online. Within 15 days, the insurer makes a decision on calculating the payment, after which the money is transferred to the card of the parents of the injured child. “Often the speed of calculating the payment depends on how quickly the parents provided the necessary documents,” sums up Alena Kucherenko. "The sooner the documents are submitted, the sooner they will receive compensation."

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