No matter how healthy you are, a serious accident can occur and change the course of your life. In this article, we explain how accident planning can cover any event in case something happens. Check it out:
An accident is the result of a chain of events in which something has gone wrong. It is unpredictable and can happen to anyone, even the fittest and the healthiest. That is why preparation is really important before an accident occurs – because one may happen unexpectedly occur. Some people are more prone to suffer from an accident than others, especially in the workplace.
According to ILO (International Labour Office) statistics, approximately 120 million occupational accidents occur annually in workplaces worldwide. Of these, 210,000 are fatal. Electricians that don’t wear personal protective equipment (PPE), for example, are exposed to risks involving lighting systems, explosion, and other electrical hazards.
To prevent that, some companies offer accident plans and accident prevention plans with methods that should make life safer. Life matters – and if your health and well-being matter for you the most, read our tips on how to prepare for accidents through accident planning:
Accident Plan and Accident Prevention Plan: what is the difference?
In an accident plan (also known as accident insurance), a person can pay out a lump sum for an insurance company in exchange for medical coverage in case of an injury (if it’s as a result of an accident). The “mechanics” of an accident plan are very similar to other kinds of insurance – such as health insurance or travel insurance – because there is a certain amount of money that must be paid monthly to the company. As a result, it covers the clients with benefit in case of an unpredictable event.
Different companies that provide an accident plan cover distinct types of injury. The most common ones are dislocation, laceration, concussion, fractures, eye injuries, burns, and even accidental death or dismemberment. In these cases, the client can be covered with emergency care, hospitalization, medical appliances, surgeries, and even supplemental benefit for lodging.
An accident prevention plan (APP), differs from an accident plan, not only covers medical expenses after an accident but also provides safety methods to prevent them. It can be applied in schools, police stations, and construction work sites, mostly. The goals and objectives of an APP meet in a common purpose: offer safety programs and equipment to different employees, contractors or vendors. It is focused on prevention prior to covering possible injuries.
The accident prevention plans offer training with informational procedures on how to act in case of an accident, increasing employee morale by knowing their work environment is maintained as free as possible from any kind of hazard.
The main reason for APPs to exist is to provide core health and safety guidelines that apply to all employees of a company. For it to be really effective, employees should know about, and become familiar with, the topics the document covers and offers. But first, in order to understand what kinds of hazards exist within a department, companies should conduct a job hazard analysis to identify what possible accidents are associated with the work process.
The most common industries that can acquire accident prevention plans are firefighting, biosafety, construction, and many others. However, they can also be created for any company, including educational workspaces (such as universities and high schools, for example), where there are large numbers of people.
How to prepare for accidents?
Accidents, as the name suggests, are unexpected events which can occur at any time or any place, causing injury and in some cases, death. People can’t control everything that happens around them, especially when it comes to situations which are out of our hands (such as responsible driving, for instance). And while accidents are not always avoidable, their significance can be greatly reduced by preparing in advance.
By investigating every incident, it is easier to learn about the causes and take actions towards mitigating or removing the possible causes of it.
But one thing we know for sure – even though you can’t predict accidents, you can take every precaution to make sure that you and your family can get your lives back on track in case something should happens. Learn more about how LifeExec can help you when unforeseen incidents occur.
Human Conduct
To be prepared for an accident means, firstly, to be aware of all types of risks. That includes potential hazards, elements of danger and also the consequences of those actions. In work environments, especially at construction sites, employees must wear personal protective equipment and also participate in safety programs or training courses provided by the companies.
The same applies to simple activities and places in daily life. Wearing your seatbelt when driving a vehicle or not driving a car after drinking alcohol can prevent accidents as well as safety equipment.
Personal Protect Equipment (PPE)
Personal Protect Equipment, also called PPE, is an equipment that protects users against health or safety risks at work. There are four standard categories of protective equipment that can be distributed among the employees of a company. For instance: respiratory protection, eye protection, hearing protection, and hand protection. In the work environment, especially for people that work directly with food, chemicals or corrosive substances, protective measures that protect the skin is unavoidable.
Along with Personal Protect Equipment (PPE), other safety methods can be applied in companies in order to protect their workers, such as appropriate training that sets the basic procedures in case of an accident, the distribution of instruction papers on how to operate machines safely and how to take care of specific body parts while working, as well as safety procedures in case of an accident.
Companies that operate in dangerous locations or have an environment that is more prone to hazardous events should also adhere to the instructions of the government and the division of workers department.
Also, when an accident happens in the workplace, supervisors are obligated to make a report of employee injury for investigation, as well as safe audits and inspections. To be prepared for an accident also means encouraging people to work safely and responsibly.
Keep documents centralized in one place
When an accident happens, what comes afterward needs to be quick. Calling an ambulance, going to the hospital, getting in touch with caregivers, lawyers, talking to loved ones, gathering important documentation – such as health or car insurance, medical records, medical bills or vehicle registration number… These tasks can be made easier if important documentation involving health, policies, and insurance is centralized in one specific platform or device.
There are applications for devices that can centralize this kind of information in one single device and send them quickly to specific contacts in case of an accident. It could be a wife, husband, family member, or even a lawyer. They make safe and wide document storage possible and also facilitate communication between people in situations of panic and despair.
What kind of accident plans are recommended?
Before getting an accident plan, remember that it doesn’t replace any kind of health, dental or life insurance plan. The main reason why accident plans exist is that they cover most of the expenses that may add up after an accidental injury, like, for instance, hospital stays, medical exams, transportation, lodging, and other related needs.
Each accident plan differs from company to company. Before deciding on what kind of accident plan is more profitable to you, think of what you do on a daily basis that could become an unpredictable event:
- Do you drive?
- Do you practice risky sports (such as Rafting or Climbing)?
- Do you work in a hazardous environment?
- Do you have children at home that may need your help if you suffer from an accident?
- Do you live in a new house or apartment that has good physical conditions?
- Does your family has a history of medical conditions?
Think of Everything.
To give you some insights, we have prepared a list of the most important aspects of an accident plan and what you must look for before getting one:
Complementing medical insurance
If you’re looking to complement your existing medical insurance, make sure you get an accident plan that provides financial support in the event of an accident, injury, disability… or even death. Companies like AIA, for example, help its clients by paying everything related to hospitalization by a daily cash payout. It normally reimburses the cost of emergency medical evacuation and repatriation in the worst case scenario.
Covering unexpected medical expenses is an excellent way to stay prepared. Unexpected medical expenses – and the ones that medical insurance doesn’t cover – can potentially increase anxiety and cause damage to savings. This is when accident protection plans step in and provide a valuable peace of mind by taking care of the financial implications.
Disability protection
Most of the times, accidents cause serious injuries or even sicknesses that change lives completely. With disability, people can lose their jobs, habits and the monthly income that maintains a certain lifestyle. Accident plans that offer disability protection are a plus for whom are afraid to suffer from it in the future.
Accident plans with the benefit of disability protection can help a person who became physically disabled in a recent event to manage the transition between an old reality and a new one. When people experience permanent damage and lose the ability to work or earn a living because of their disability, accident plans can cover the expenses of these lifestyle adjustments. For instance, lump sums or monthly payouts can provide financial assistance when you’re unable to collect a paycheck, and help a person to maintain their home even if they are unable to work.
For businesses
In specific companies, managers are obligated to provide safety equipment to their employees, since their work environments are very dangerous. It is also important for them to contract an accident plan and make every single person in the company safer (especially after an accident, while an employee is in the hospital or in need of medical attention).
Accident plans are the ideal solution for businesses because group insurance services manage the employee’s benefits and solutions for employees in a comprehensive way. They also provide rehabilitation if the employee is off work due to a traumatic event, developing a real partnership with medical practitioners to help the members to return to work.
Life coverage
In many cases, accidents can lead to death. That is why many companies include life coverage in accident plans. When someone passes away, it can place extreme pressure and duress on a family and their loved ones. To help them to deal with loss and grief, this kind of plan provides a lump sum benefit in case you pass away.
There are companies that also cover diseases resulting from accidents. If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness or any illness caused by an accident, your family would receive a lump sum benefit just after the diagnoses, as well as complementary expenses to help dependent children or the elderly.
It’s not easy to make plans after a death, but accidents happen and when life events occur, even if unpredictable, your lump sum can be insured without having to provide health evidence. Also, your family wouldn’t have to worry about financial matters as soon, giving them time to grieve.
Recovery from the crisis
Heart attacks and strokes can be considered accidents. They are fully unpredictable and have serious physical and emotional effects on people’s lives at any age. They are traumatic, capable of causing anxiety and also life threatening in many cases.
That is why crisis recovery can be included in accident plans that are customizable, too. While in a crisis, the last thing that people want to deal with is bills. People that are suffering need a break from money and business worries. In this scenario, an accident plan with crisis recovery can cover any kind of expense for their client, especially medical ones.
As well as life coverage, most companies that offer this benefit also provide a sum to the families, especially the ones with dependent children and elderly relatives, so they have temporary coverage while getting back on their feet.
What is the ideal accident plan for me?
Planning for your future is important. As important as living healthy and experiencing every moment of life to the fullest. There is no recipe to prescribe when it comes to your own life and your own experiences.
Think of your own daily life, what your priorities are and what would happen to you or your family if you were to suffer from an accident. It’s up to you to decide which accident plan fits your needs best and how it can benefit your life in the most meaningful way.
LifeExec: life planning is easy.
If you could predict the future, would you gather all the information that is relevant for yourself (and your family) like life plans, testimonials, house, dental or medical insurance in one single device?
With LifeExec, you don’t need to. LifeExec is an application that manages your most essential documents in one single, secure location. Through an educative platform, it helps you to store any information that your loved ones would need to know in case of an accident or any unforeseen event.
Do you want to start planning the next steps of life with LifeExec through a 30-day risk-free trial that is actually free? Click here and start right now!
