The reminders made by doctors and the mass media each summer to be careful when spending time near and on water still remain unheard by many water fans. No exception this year, in its warmer months, BTA Baltic Insurance Company (hereinafter – BTA) keeps receiving many Personal Accident Insurance claims requesting reimbursement of costs of treatment of injuries sustained in bathing areas.

Injuries are most often sustained just the way that doctors have warned against people for years – by jumping into the water or diving. Both children and adults have hit their head against an unnoticed stone in the water or injured their feet on a sharp object at the bottom of the body of water, such as an edge of a stone or glass. At the end of June, a customer got a broken leg by slipping on the footbridge, while in May, another one slipped into a boat, fell and got knock on the head.

A number of accidents have also occurred during recreation. A customer, attempting a wakeboard jump over an obstacle, crashed into it and injured his knee, while another one fell flat on the face into the water, which resulted in a retinal detachment and required surgery.

“The insurance claims received this summer lead us to a conclusion that part of public, at least some, during relaxation take the relaxation too far and completely forget to take care of safety of their own and their children. Many accidents could have been easily prevented if people followed some basic precautions – swimming in well-known places, avoiding jumping into water bodies and overestimating their abilities. Fans of water sports as well are advised to use the available safety equipment and think twice whether the benefits from showing off make up for the prospects of injury and spending the rest of the summer in hospital,” says BTA Insurance Claims Handling Department Director Kārlis Liepiņš.

Despite countless warnings, similar injuries are recorded every year. Last summer as well, although it was colder and people were less likely to seek refuge from the heat of the water, BTA mostly received insurance claims for bruises, fractures and cut wounds sustained in the sea and lakes.

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. The largest shareholder of BTA is Vienna Insurance Group AG with 190 years of experience in the insurance business. With about 50 companies in 30 countries and more than 24,000 employees, Vienna Insurance Group is a clear market leader in its European markets of presence, with a rating of A+ with stable outlook from Standard & Poor’s; its share is also listed on the stock exchanges of Vienna and Prague.

Additional information:
Elīna Rasmane
Marketing and Public Relations Department Director
BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS
e-mail elina.rasmane@bta.lv