It's that time of year again. Flyers for school supplies are arriving and many of us have an urge to buy shoes for the new school year – even if our classroom days are far behind us.
For many families, back-to-school also means that organized school activities and sports are gearing up. These activities may even begin in August, before the official start of classes. And with most activities comes the risk of accidental injury. While we hope that our youngsters ride out the season with winning records and without more than a few minor bumps, bruises and scrapes, bigger accidents do happen, unfortunately.
When I hear about any student's sports-related accident, big or small, I often wonder about whether the family has accident insurance coverage in place to help out. Call it an occupational hazard, but I can't help jumping to thoughts about the difference this coverage could make for a family dealing with their soccer-star daughter's ACL tear or son's football concussion.
Here are a few basics on accident coverage for those who don't live and breathe it like I do. Accident coverage is most often available through an employer and provides a payment for injuries such as fractures, dislocations and even concussions or emergency dental work. Health insurance is not going to cover all the co-pays and costs of care as a result of an accident – a trend that is only becoming more accentuated – and accident insurance payments can cover those out-of-pocket, unplanned expenses. To cover a family dealing with a child's sports injury, a parent would elect a spouse and child rider on their accident coverage during an employer's annual benefits enrollment.