While pupils are excited about the end of the school year and parents are racking their brains over summer jobs, medical workers are preparing to treat injured children and teenagers more frequently than during the rest of the year. Considering the workload of medical institutions, parents should expect that the availability of free medical services may be limited this summer, so they may have to use paid services. Or use insurance policies.

The information published last year by the Children’s Clinical University Hospital (BKUS) shows that 800-900 children need medical help every month during the warmest season. The smaller ones fall from furniture and the bigger ones from stairs and trees. About 100 children a month are injured while jumping on a trampoline, and the most at risk are those who enjoy the joys of jumping several at the same time and whose trampoline does not have a safety net. About 200 injuries a month are related to vehicles – bicycles, electric scooters and kick scooters, and another 100 are caused in playgrounds and amusement parks.

Since medical services to minors are free of charge, the state budget covers the treatment of careless children and reckless teenagers. So, they are paid for by the entire public. Insurance policies are seldom purchased for children. According to the data of the insurance joint-stock company “BTA Baltic Insurance Company” (hereinafter BTA), insurance indemnities for children’s injuries sustained in the summer are paid out to approximately one hundred clients. In the three summer months of 2020, the total number of such cases was 334, in 2021 – 339 and last year – 287. Injuries most often occur during sports activities, in domestic conditions and road traffic.

“Many parents live with the notion that their children are prudent enough not to get into trouble and also trust that in unpleasant cases they will be able to use the free medical care available to children. However, the situation in the medical industry is severe at the moment, and you may have to experience a situation where free care is not immediately available, or you have to wait too long for rehabilitation activities. On the other hand, private clinics can immediately provide both services. The parents can avoid the unpleasant blow to their wallets by purchasing an insurance policy in good time,” advises Kārlis Liepiņš, director of BTA’s Insurance Claims Department.

BTA data show that the treatment of even minor injuries, such as abrasions and sprains, costs around 40 euros. However, the compensation paid for casting broken arms or legs reaches hundred euros.

Insurance specialists call on parents to keep an eye on their children during the holidays and not to leave them unattended for a long time. It is crucial to discuss behaviour near water – do not swim alone, do not jump headlong into the water and do not overestimate your swimming skills. These recommendations will be equally useful for adults.

About BTA
BTA Baltic Insurance Company is one of the leading insurance companies in the Baltics, offering the broadest range of non-life insurance services in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. BTA employs more than 1,000 employees in the Baltics. The sole shareholder of BTA is Vienna Insurance Group AG (VIG), the leading insurance group both in Austria and in the entire Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. Around 50 insurance companies in 30 countries form a Group with a long-standing tradition, strong brands and close customer relations. The more than 25,000 employees in the VIG take care of the day-to-day needs of more than 22 million customers. VIG shares have been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 1994. The VIG Group has an A+ rating with stable outlook by the internationally recognised rating agency Standard & Poor's. VIG cooperates closely with the Erste Group, the largest retail bank in Central and Eastern Europe.

Additional information:
Elīna Zvejniece
Marketing and Public Relations Department Director
BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS
e-mail elina.zvejniece@bta.lv
phone: +371 66936074, mobile: +371 29374827