The most common injuries in winter are sprains, with the most expensive claim exceeding €3,500

Data from the insurance company BTA Baltic Insurance Company (hereinafter – BTA) shows that the most common injuries during the winter period are various ligament sprains, while the highest average insurance claim is for femur fractures – €550. In the most serious insurance cases involving severe injuries, insurance claims exceed €3,000. According to Ivo Danče, Director of the Insurance Claims Department at BTA, the impact of injuries on a person's daily life tends to be much greater than it seems at first glance – treatment and recovery change the usual rhythm of life. This creates an additional burden for both the victim and their loved ones – from practical concerns to the financial strain caused by a long recovery. 

The number of injuries in Latvia has increased significantly in recent years, as evidenced by statistics compiled by the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) – from 17,281 cases in 2022 to 26,457 cases in 2024, which is an increase of 53%. The most common types of injuries are fractures, sprains, and bruises, which most often occur because of slipping or falling. 

The most common injuries in winter are ligament sprains, soft tissue contusions, upper arm fractures, and shoulder joint injuries. 

According to BTA compensation data, the most common injuries over the last four winters have been ligament sprains and soft tissue contusions causing functional impairment – 89 cases, forearm fractures – 73 cases, and shoulder joint injuries – 70 cases. The most expensive injuries last winter were bone fractures – the average claim for a femur fracture was €550, for an upper arm fracture – €450, and €375 for the treatment of vertebral fractures. 

"If we consider most common injuries last winter, they were most often caused by slipping on ice. Both sprains and fractures can require long-term treatment, including surgery and rehabilitation, as well as additional recovery time, and it is precisely these consequences that people tend to underestimate. Accidents are sudden – they happen without warning, when getting out of a car, going for a walk or pursuing a hobby, but if accidents are not insured, the costs of treating various injuries tend to be very high and must be covered out of pocket," explains Ivo Danče. 

The largest accident insurance claims have been for people who have slipped and fallen badly 

In recent years, the largest accident insurance claims at BTA have reached several thousand euros. For example, an insurance claim of €3,690 was paid to a man in the Saldus district who slipped and fell while getting out of his car, suffering a serious head injury, including a skull base fracture, which resulted in a Group II disability. 

While in Riga, a man suffered a serious knee injury when he fell while skating with his family – in this case, the BTA insurance claim amounted to €3,460. Meanwhile, €2,710 was paid to a woman who fell on the street in Riga, suffering a femoral bone fracture, and more than €2,000 was paid out in two cases – to a woman who fell while walking her dog and broke her leg on a slippery path, and to a man who suffered a very complicated arm fracture when he slipped and fell while going to the shed to fetch firewood. 

This year, the average daily allowance paid for accidents that prevent people from working is €426. 

According to BTA data, the highest proportion of insurance claim payments is for daily allowances in cases where people are unable to work – in the last four years, this has reached around €400. In turn, in claims paid out during the last winter season from November 2024 to March 2025, the average daily allowance per case was €426. 

In these cases, people were unable to perform their work duties due to injuries sustained while slipping on the street, riding a bicycle on a slippery road, riding down a hill, or skating. 

"Very often, people do not realize that a single fall or injury can significantly affect their ability to work and, consequently, their financial stability. These cases are even more painful when the injury is sustained by the family's main or sole breadwinner, who not only provides for the basic needs of the household on a daily basis, but also makes payments and takes care of credit obligations. This means that, in an instant, not only must the means for daily living be found, but also additional funds to cover medical expenses, which are by no means small, as the cost of timely healthcare is increasing every year. That is why accident insurance provides crucial support when serious injuries or even disability occur," emphasizes Ivo Danče.