Does your Student insurance plan really cover sports injuries? THINK AGAIN!!

There is a misconception among many Indian students who go to study in the US that health plans that cover sickness and injury, also cover those injuries sustained while playing a sport. This however is only partially true. While most student health plans do cover injuries while playing sport, there are certain exceptions to it.

In this blog, Student Cover highlights certain exclusions in coverage of student health insurance plans with regard to injuries sustained while playing a sport. This will help them understand the limitations of their student health plan so that students can take informed decision.

What are sports injuries?

Sports injuries refer to those injuries sustained during a sporting event. They may range from slight concussion to serious injuries involving injury to vital body parts requiring specialist care. At times, a seemingly harmless sport injury could create complications in future. Health insurance companies make a clear distinction between different types of injuries based on the nature of the sport as well as the chain of events that lead to such injuries. Some health insurance plans categorized sports injuries arising out of involvement in high-risk (extreme or hazardous sports) versus ordinary or common sports. Others may categorize them based on the nature of sporting event such as professional, amateur, interscholastic, intercollegiate, recreational sporting events etc.

Why some student health plans do not cover sports injuries?

Several health insurance plans exclude sports injuries from their covered injuries list due to the fact that a person participating in a sporting event has a higher probability of getting injured. This is because sports, especially high risk sports, require body to bear the stress and strain of extreme physical activity.

In fact, in sports like boxing, wrestling, rugby etc. physical injury of participants is quite frequent. Even less risk sports such as Basketball or Football (Soccer) sometimes witness instances of severe injury. That is the reason why health insurance plans do not cover sports injuries.

What sports injuries are covered by normal health plans?

General health plans that cover sports injuries often make a distinction between competitive and non-competitive sporting event. For example, general health plan may cover the injuries sustained by a student who gets injured while playing intramural sports like basketball with friends as a recreational or leisure sport. However, if the student gets injured while taking part in an interscholastic, intercollegiate or professional sport, contest or competition; traveling to and from such competition as participant; or during practice or conditioning program for such sporting event, his or her injury might not be covered.

How to insure oneself against such injuries?

Many health insurance providers offer supplementary insurance plans that cover sports injuries during interscholastic, intercollegiate, professional sporting events or hazardous sports even when played leisurely or competitively. These are specific plans aimed to provide insurance cover to those who might get injured during sports. Naturally, the premiums for such plans are much higher than normal health plans due to high injury risk associated with sports.

Their coverage may include medical expenses incurred while treating the injury as well as those complications that may in future due to injury sustained at present. However, the coverage as well as the premium depends on individual plan and one should go through each and every such plan in detail before purchasing it.

Student Cover’s Student Insurance plans for Sports Injuries

For students who are already pursuing higher education in the US or are traveling to the US in near future for higher studies, Student Cover offers comprehensive student health insurance plans that provide cover against sports injuries – both competitive as well as non-competitive. Those students who wish to purchase such plans can email to info@studentcover.in

Let’s Wrap Up!

Injuries during sports are quite common. Universities and colleges in the US have some of the best infrastructure in the world when it comes to sports. However, due to high cost of treatment in the US, medical expenses for treating those injuries could be very high. Most student insurance cover sports injuries sustained while playing a sport as leisure or fun activity and do not cover those sustained while participating in a competition. Students can get themselves covered by purchasing supplementary insurance for sports injuries.

Disclaimer: The content of this blog is based on personal research of the writer. Readers’ discretion is advised. Neither Student Cover nor the writer will be held responsible for any wrongful interpretation of the content of this blog.