Oftentimes, we wish we could bubble wrap our precious children and protect them from the many dangers that lurk around. Germs, viruses, and of course, the infamous falls that happen every so often. Now that we are approaching the holiday season, with all the fun and play in store, there’s an even higher chance of children falling sick or getting injured.
While we can’t possibly bubble wrap them, we can ensure that they are well protected in the form of insurance coverage.
Most parents have hospitalisation plans for the family, but the thing is, not every mishap leads to hospitalisation. That’s why everyone needs a Personal Accident plan. This allows you to focus on the good times knowing that your back (and your family’s) is covered if things don’t go as planned.
Common Childhood Injuries and Illnesses
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Did you know that about 10 – 12% of the nearly 400 children who seek treatment every day at the Children’s Emergency at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital do so for common childhood injuries1? Unfortunately, these injuries can be serious or even fatal. Here’s a quick look at some of the most common causes of childhood injuries and deaths.
In a study done on 2322 children, it was found that 19.5% of them had injuries in the past year with falls being the leading cause of injuries, and the home was the most common place where injuries occurred3. If that’s not enough to give parents a headache, there are also potentially severe illnesses like dengue fever, Covid-19, and so on to worry about.
It may sound rather alarming but as we know, it’s part of childhood and growing up! Children are rather accident-prone, and things do happen, often at the most inopportune times!
Impact of Common Childhood Injuries and Illnesses
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Laurice, a mum of three, shared her experience when her son had a laceration just above his eye.
“We were visiting my aunt to celebrate Hari Raya. As we approached her home, my then 5-year-old son suddenly let go of my hand and dashed ahead for no reason. He did not see that the ground was uneven. Next thing I knew, he had tripped, fallen, and was bleeding profusely. There was a gaping wound, and it was so close to the eye.
I felt terrified at the sight of so much blood. I rushed him to a private hospital to assess the wound. It didn’t help that it was a public holiday and most of the doctors were not around.
I was then told that calling in a surgeon to have him stitched would cost me about a thousand dollars. If I wanted a plastic surgeon to ensure a more cosmetic stitching, it would set me back by a few thousand dollars.
On top of it all, I still had to worry about my two younger kids. My parents had to rush over to care for them. The worst part of it was feeling engorged and not being able to breastfeed or express milk for many hours. My youngest child was still a baby at that point in time!
It was a terrible night and an expensive lesson. I did not have any accident plan for my son and his life insurance did not cover the accident. It was also exhausting and kept me away from work for two days.”
From this experience, we can see that a child’s injury or illness takes its toll on the family. The cost varies greatly, depending on where you choose to bring your child for treatment, and the severity of the injury. In some cases, the financial impact is even greater if you have to take unpaid leave.
| Impact of Childhood Accidents on the Family | ||
| Stress | Disruption | Cost |
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Every parent’s worst nightmare is to see their child ill, distressed or in pain. The worst part is the helplessness you feel just looking at your child writhing in pain. It’s almost impossible to work or focus on anything else knowing that your child is suffering. |
You may need to take urgent leave from work or call in a sitter to look after other children or elderly parents at home while you tend to the sick or injured child. Even with a sitter, it’s likely that you won’t stay for long meetings or work beyond regular hours because family calls! This can be rather disruptive especially during busy periods at work. |
Falling ill or getting injured can be pricey affairs. The cost can vary depending on the severity of the situation, and things like ambulance fees, A&E charges, x-rays, medications, transportation costs for follow-up visits to the doctor and even physiotherapy can all add up. If you’re a gig worker, you may also suffer income loss when you don’t work in order to mind your child. |
Coverage Against Childhood Injuries and Illness
As such, it is always necessary to have sufficient coverage for your child so that you can focus on giving your child the care they need instead of the bill when accidents happen.
Getting a Personal Accident (PA) plan helps to ease the emotional and financial strain when the unexpected happens. Medical bills, ambulance services, and even disablement payouts are covered when you take on a PA plan. This is important for every family member.
Singlife Personal Accident Insurance
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Mums and Dads, as important as it is to get proper coverage for your family, we do understand that insurance premiums can get quite costly. Singlife Personal Accident Insurance plans help to bridge this gap. These plans will ensure that your whole family is well protected at the same time. Here’s how Singlife offers your entire family coverage with good value for money:
- Both you and your spouse can enjoy 10% off premiums
- If you or your spouse is a policyholder, your children automatically get free coverage for up to 30% of the applicable limits detailed in your Summary of Cover
Do refer to the Summary of Cover for the full table of benefits and payouts.
So you see, you can get your entire family covered at a good value. Better still, you can now enjoy 50% off* Singlife Personal Accident plans. Click here to get a quote now!
The year is winding down and good times are approaching. Consider getting PA coverage so you can go forth and enjoy the holidays, the fun, the festivities and embrace all that life has to offer knowing well that in the event that accidents happen, your family is well taken care of!
*T&Cs apply. This policy is underwritten by Singapore Life Ltd. The Asian Parent is not an insurance agent/intermediary and cannot solicit any insurance business, give advice, recommend any product or arrange any insurance contract. Please direct all enquiries to Singapore Life Ltd. Protected up to specified limits by SDIC.