2020 “Protect, Save & Win” Contest Winners Announced!
2020 was a challenging year for us all. That’s why our team was happy to once again offer our grand contest as a chance to help spread some cheer over the winter season. We wholeheartedly congratulate the 10 winners of our insuremykids® “Protect, Save & Win” contest! Each winner received a prize of Apple Airpods Pro.
2020 Contest Winners:
Name City
Luis E. Scarborough, ON
Debbie W. Collingwood, ON
Carol-Lee H. Flinton, ON
Tara S. South Bruce Peninsula, ON
Allison Y. Hamilton, ON
Raj K. Scarborough, ON
Mehrdad S. Barrie, ON
Julie S. Shannonville, ON
Rajit N. Mississauga, ON
Kristen G. Brampton, ON
Keep watching our blog for future contest details!
Child Safety At Home
Due to the ongoing pandemic, you and your family are probably spending more time at home now than ever before. So, while you continue to live, work, play, or otherwise navigate your life at home, it’s important to review the safety of your living space and ask yourself if you and your family are protected from at-home accidents.
"Each year, emergency departments across Canada see more than 20,000 children with injuries that occurred at home. This means that, every day, approximately 55 young children suffer injuries in the home serious enough to be taken to the hospital."1
Luckily, many at-home injuries can be prevented.
What are the common causes of injuries for kids?
Falls, burns, poisoning, and choking are some of the most common causes, with falls representing more than half of all injuries!1
Falls
It could be a slippery spot in the kitchen or bathroom, toys or shoes left out in the hallway, or running down the stairs too quickly. These things can cause falls, but can you prevent them? Yes. Keep floors and surfaces clear of obstacles and consider installing guards, gates, handrails or other safety measures in certain areas of your home where you think a fall could happen.
"While most falls in children don’t cause serious injury, nearly 4,000 children from birth to 9 years were admitted to a hospital as a result of a fall in 2018/19. This makes falls the leading cause of hospital admissions from injury in those ages 0 to 9."2
Burns
Burns happen most often in the kitchen. Make sure to protect your child from any flames, hot surfaces or hot liquids. Other things to have caution around include fireplaces, heaters, candles, and heated hair tools.
Poisoning
Medications, cleaning supplies and other dangerous substances should be kept out of reach from kids. As they grow up, kids become able to reach higher cabinets and areas of the home, so keep in mind that you may need to change how you store these items. You may need to secure them with locks and latches.
Choking
Remind kids that eating too fast or too much can result in choking. For very young children, remember that dangling cords or strings of any kind, like from a window blind, can also be a choking threat.
Safety Resources
For some great tips and advice on how to keep your home safe, check out the links below:
- Holiday Safety: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/home-safety/tips-holiday-safety.html
- Home Safety: https://parachute.ca/en/injury-topic/home-safety/
- Preventing Falls: https://parachute.ca/en/injury-topic/fall-prevention-for-children/
- Furniture, Appliance and Television Safety: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/injury-prevention/furniture-appliances-televisions.html
To sum up, by establishing safety rules, staying prepared and reviewing safety tips like these, you can help stop accidents before they happen and enjoy your time with family at home sweet home.
References:
- https://parachute.ca/en/injury-topic/home-safety/
- https://parachute.ca/en/injury-topic/fall-prevention-for-children/
2020 Protect, Save & Win Contest
That’s right, our annual contest is back and it might just be music to your ears this winter!
You could be the winner of…
1 of 10
Apple Airpods Pro
If you’ve already purchased or plan to purchase an insuremykids® plan this year, you will be automatically entered in our draw!
Contest ends November 15th!
No purchase necessary. Enter our contest now or purchase any insuremykids® plan and you’ll be automatically entered! All prizes are subject to conditions, limitations and restrictions. Please see our contest rules and regulations for full details.
This contest is open to all Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory of residence, except:
- those residing in the provinces of Manitoba and Quebec
- employees (and members of the immediate families and households of employees) of Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada (Old Republic Canada)
- related companies, agents, the promotional agency and all of their respective affiliates, directors, officers, owners, partners, employees, agents, representatives, successors and assigns.
Your privacy is important to us. Entrants grant Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada the right to: (a) use their personal information for the purpose of administering the contest; (b) use their name, city and province of residence for publicity purposes, including in connection with the contest website, other related websites and / or any other media now known or hereafter devised. Personal information will not be provided to any third party other than as provided for in these Contest Rules. Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada and third party agents of the Company will use personal information only for purposes related to this contest and will be required to protect all personal information in a manner that is consistent with the Company’s Privacy Policy. View Old Republic Canada’s Privacy Policy.
Keep Kids Safe During COVID-19
During these challenging times, we understand that many Canadian parents/guardians are looking for ways to keep their families happy and healthy. We’ve gathered some online resources that we hope can help make your stay-at-home life a little easier.
Managing Anxiety
Anxiety Canada offers a wide variety of free resources and services on anxiety. They recently published a useful article to help parents talk with their children about COVID-19. Their site is designed to support both adults and youth.
Home Safety
There are a variety of hazards that exist in every home. The good news is that some accidents can be prevented. The Canadian Pediatric Society provides their top tips for preventing injuries to children of all ages.
Online Dangers
Children are bound to spend more time online these days. Whether they’re video chatting with friends or playing online games, there are always safety strategies you can put in place for their protection. The Canadian Centre for Child Protection provides an overview of the dangers to watch out for right now and a quick action plan for parents.
Resources For Persons With Disabilities
This Rick Hansen Foundation blog article provides an extensive list of resources to take advantage of. The article also provides people without disabilities some ideas for helping others during this time.
Keeping the Kids (And Yourself) Busy
Looking for new ways to keep the kids busy? Check out this 101+ list of things to do from Forbes.ca.
Or just need a good laugh right now? Scroll through Bored Panda’s funny pictures from real parents living their best quarantine life.
Student Accident Insurance – Do You Really Need It?
Is student accident insurance worth it?
Do you know what your family’s expenses are in a year? Do you keep a budget of your costs? Maybe your new year’s resolution was to manage your family’s finances better? Well the good news is that if you haven’t already started thinking about an annual budget, there’s still plenty of time to. And although we know that student accident insurance might not be one of the first things you consider for your budget, it’s one cost we hope you seriously consider this year!
What is student accident insurance anyway?
Has your child ever had an accident? Were they seriously injured? Did they need medical treatment from a doctor, nurse or dentist? Or maybe they needed prescription drugs, crutches or a ride to the hospital by ambulance? These types of scenarios are terrible to think about, but unfortunately, they can and do become real for some Canadian families. Student accident insurance can protect your family finances against the unexpected expenses that you might have to pay if your child is injured.
What does student accident insurance offer?
It fills in the gaps
You may be thinking, “I don’t need this type of insurance. My government health care provides benefits.” or “My work plan has me covered”. In both situations, you might be only half-right! That’s because when it comes to government and employer’s plans, there are expenses that you are covered for, and many expenses that you are not covered for! Expenses that are not covered can include casts, crutches, tensor bandages and other medical supplies, physiotherapy, dental care, and ambulance fees. What’s more, even when you are covered for a specific expense, it’s not always for the full amount you were expecting! That’s where student accident insurance comes in.
A student accident insurance plan can help cover remaining costs you’re left with after your primary insurance coverage has been applied. And it can be especially valuable for parents who are without any type of primary coverage, like entrepreneurs and contract workers.
Provides better peace of mind
Arguably the biggest benefit of this insurance is that it offers parents better peace of mind. And for parents who already have enough to worry about when their child is injured, this insurance is one small thing to help them keep calm and carry on.
Low cost
This type of insurance is usually offered at a cost that a family can afford. For example, an insuremykids® student accident insurance plan costs from $13 to $33 per year. Even a minor accident can cost more than that, so the plan usually pays for itself. And when you consider that accident costs can rise into the hundreds to thousands of dollars, especially if out of province travel is involved, a $33 plan is well worth it!
Doesn’t eat into savings
With the rest of the year ahead of us, it’s hard to say what other financial twists and turns life will throw our way. Purchasing insurance is a good way to protect your savings, letting you build them up or spend them on more important things!
So what’s our verdict? For a small price, student accident insurance can help parents have far less to worry about when their child is in most need of their attention!
Insuremykids® offers families three affordable plans to choose from. The Platinum Plan is the most comprehensive plan and is offered for $33/year! All plans provide 24/7 coverage, whether kids are at school, at home, or even travelling outside of the country.
Congratulations to our “Protect, Save & Win” 2019 Contest Winners!
Another insuremykids® “Protect, Save & Win” Contest has wrapped up! And we’d once again like to congratulate our 10 lucky winners of Beats by Dr. Dre Solo3 Headphones. Our team is always thrilled to provide this contest to families each year!
2019 Contest Winners:
Name City
Vishal V. Brampton, ON
Megan W. Blenheim, ON
Sarah M. Innisfil, ON
Mary S. Kitchener, ON
Elisabeth T. Mississauga, ON
Penny P. Welland, ON
Tony Y. Severn, ON
Isabelito O. Mississauga, ON
Tracy C.S. Brampton, ON
Winnie C. Surrey, BC
Our next contest for the 2020 year will begin on August 1st. Watch our blog for more details to come!
How Can You Protect Your Family this Winter?
During the winter, there can be an endless number of activities to keep kids busy. Many kids are eager to get outside and enjoy the season, especially when there’s snow on the ground - all kinds of fun things like sledding, snow fort building, and skiing are possible then! Even when kids are not outside, there are plenty of activities to keep them busy indoors too. This can include helping with holiday cooking or starting a new arts and crafts project. But with all of these activities, it’s important to remember safety. Make sure your child is prepared for the weather and protected against the dangers of the season!
Don’t be shy with layers!
Consider water-resistant clothing and don’t be afraid to layer up! In fact, if your child is very young, try to dress them in one more layer than you would an adult. (Save the Children, 2019). Layers will help keep your child warm and dry, and prevent frostbite. Ensure that your child’s hands, feet, ears, and neck are all covered.
Keep an eye on the clock!
Be mindful of how much time your child spends outdoors and have them set breaks every now and then where they come indoors – this allows them to dry off, warm up and rehydrate. You can also check in on their warmth during this time:
‘Signs of frostbite are pale, grey or blistered skin on the fingers, ears, nose, and toes. If you think your child has frostbite bring the child indoors and put the affected area in warm (not hot) water. Signs of hypothermia are shivering, slurred speech, and unusual clumsiness. If you think your child has hypothermia call 9-1-1 immediately.’ (Save the Children, 2019)
Practice Safe Sporting
Sledding and tobogganing can be popular winter activities for kids. But they do come with some risks for accidents. Kids can bump into one another while racing down a hill, or hit other obstacles like trees and fences! That’s why it’s a good idea to be familiar with the hill your child will be playing on, have them wear a helmet, and have them play either during daylight or in an area that is well lit. (Caringforkids.ca, 2017).
Skiing and snowboarding are also high-impact sports that come with safety risks. A bad fall could result in anything from a broken tooth to a broken leg. Make sure your child has received the proper training for their sport and plays on slopes that match their skills and experience.
Check out this great article by Caringforkids.cps.ca for more winter sport safety tips.
Do Some Home Safety Checks
Does your child know your home fire safety drill? Do they know not to hang wet clothes on any space heaters? What about the hazards that are present in a kitchen? The winter is always a great time to talk to your kids about home and fire safety.
Consider Purchasing Accident Insurance
The winter season can be a busy time of year for parents and kids alike. With all the hubbub of the season including winter sports, shopping, decorating, and cooking in the kitchen, your child could be at a higher risk of accidental injury. And unfortunately some injuries come with unexpected costs that are not covered by government health care or even employer’s health plans. So at a time of year when budgets can be tighter, accident insurance can be an excellent way to protect your family’s finances.
Looking for a stocking stuffer for the whole family? Consider insuremykids® student accident insurance. Our most popular plan, the Platinum Plan, is available for only $33/year and can provide your child with 24/7 coverage during this season and into the new year!
Sources:
- 10 Tips for Keeping Children Safe in Winter. Retrieved November 20, 2019, from https://www.savethechildren.org/us/what-we-do/us-programs/disaster-relief-in-america/cold-weather-tips
- (2017, November) Winter safety: Advice for parents and kids. Retrieved November 20, 2019, from https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/winter_safety
The Hidden Costs of Your Child’s Sport
Is your child involved in one or more organized sports? Or maybe just starting a new one? As a parent/guardian, you might be happy to see them involved with something they love, but are you as thrilled when it comes to covering the costs of their play?
We all know that sports can get pricey, especially if a child is involved in more than one a season. In fact, did you know that youth sports in Canada has become a whopping $8.7 billion* industry? Special equipment, team fees, and travel expenses are just a few of the costs that can add up over the years. Plus, there’s one more set of costs that parents can often overlook – the cost of sports injuries.
Although it’s not pleasant to think about, accidents can and do happen to kids. And when they’re active in sports, the risk of injuries is even higher. Here are just a few of the accident expenses to consider:
Dental injury expenses
Tooth and mouth injuries are some of the most common youth sports injuries, especially for high-impact ones like hockey and football. Whether it’s a few teeth that have been knocked out, or just a crack in one tooth, that emergency visit to the dentist or hospital isn’t likely to be cheap. And unfortunately healthcare and work insurance plans only go so far to cover dental costs.
Paramedical expenses
Depending on your child’s injury, they could need the help of a chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist, athletic therapist or registered nurse. These kinds of services are not covered under most government health care plans.
Fractures/dislocations
Fractures or dislocations can unfortunately happen even when your child isn’t playing a high-impact sport. If your child has this type of injury, there are many costs you’ll have to consider including hospital expenses, prescription drugs, and medical equipment.
Medical equipment
As part of your child’s treatment, they may have to be given certain medical devices and items to help them heal. This can include casts, crutches, and splints. These expenses are not normally covered under government healthcare plans.
So what can you do to prepare for these costs, especially if so many of them aren’t covered under your government or employer’s health plan?
Consider purchasing an accident insurance plan for your child. These plans are specifically designed to help protect you against expenses like these. Our insuremykids® student accident plans could be a great choice to keep your child covered 24/7, whether they’re playing soccer on school time or at that evening swim practice.
P.S. - Does your child travel nationally or even internationally for their sports?
A student accident plan like our insuremykids® Platinum Plan can even help you save on unexpected travel expenses, including: trip cancellation costs, emergency medical treatment, hospital room costs, and emergency flights back home.
*Westhead, Rick (2019) Canadian youth sports industry worth $8.7 billion, company says. Retrieved from https://www.ctvnews.ca/w5/canadian-youth-sports-industry-worth-8-7-billion-company-says-1.4316678
Back to School Facebook Contest
School’s back!
Did you capture the moment?
What better way to celebrate the start of this new school year than by sharing your favourite back-to-school photo with us! Whether it’s an embarassing throwback picture of yourself or a cute picture of your child on their first day, we want to see what back-to-school looks like to you!
You could win a $25 gift card!
Our Back-to-School Facebook Contest runs from September 12 to October 11! We’ll be watching entries and selecting 40 random winners on October 15th!
How to Enter?
-
- Visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/InsureMyKids
- Click on our Contest photo and post your photo in the “Comment” section
There is NO PURCHASE NECESSARY for contest entry. See below for complete contest rules.
Official Contest Rules:
Eligibility: This Contest is open to all Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in his/her province or territory of residence.*Online entries received after 11:59 PM ET on October 11th, 2019 will not be eligible for the prize draw. Entry posts shall be subject to verification and shall be null and void if they are found to not have been submitted in accordance with these contest rules.
*Except those residing in the provinces of Manitoba and Quebec, employees of insuremykids® and members of their immediate families and households of such employees, as well as employees of related companies, agents, the promotional agency and all of their respective affiliates, directors, owners, partners, employees, agents, representatives, successors and assigns.
How to Enter:
- Visit facebook.com/InsureMyKids
- Click on our Contest photo and post your photo in the “Comment” section
Your entry will be entered into the Contest draw. Limit one (1) entry per person. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM ET on October 11th, 2019. There is NO PURCHASE NECESSARY for contest entry.
This online Contest starts on September 12th, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET and ends on October 11th, 2019 at 11:59 PM ET (the “Contest Period”), at which time no further entries will be accepted.
Prize:
Each winner will receive one $25 gift card for one of the following stores: Chapters Indigo, Cineplex, Amazon.ca, Starbucks, and Canadian Tire.
How to Win:
A random draw from the entries received will be conducted on October 15th, 2019. 40 winners will be chosen. We will announce the names of the winners (as they appear on Facebook) on our insuremykids® Facebook page.
General Rules:
All decisions regarding this online contest and the selection of a winner remain with the Company and are final. The decision of the Company in respect of all matters pertaining to the contest, including without limitation, eligibility, validity, contents, and/or disqualification of an entry, shall be final and legally binding without right of appeal. Awarding of the prizes is subject to verification and compliance with these Official Contest Rules. Prizes are not transferable and must be accepted as awarded. No prize substitution will be made, but the Company reserves the right to make a prize substitution of equivalent or greater value in the event the contest prize is unavailable for reasons beyond the control of the Company. The Company reserves the right to reschedule, cancel or modify this online contest for any reason, including in the event of technical corruption due to virus or other technical problems. Proof of transmission (screenshots or captures of game play, etc.) does not constitute proof of delivery. The Company reserves the right to prohibit an entrant from participating in the contest and/or winning the contest prize, if, in the sole discretion of the Company, it determines that the entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the contest by cheating, hacking, deception, or other unfair playing practices (including the use of automated quick entry programs) or intending to annoy, abuse or threaten or harass any other entrants or the Company. The Company reserves the right to disqualify any entrant failing to comply with these Official Contest Rules or cooperate in any investigation or inquiry concerning such compliance. Any attempt, by an entrant or other individual, to deliberately damage any website or to undermine the legitimate operation of this contest, including but not limited to any fraudulent claims, is a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, the Company reserves the right to seek remedies and damages from any such individual to the fullest extent permitted by law. Participants engaging in any of the foregoing activities may be disqualified and will forfeit the prize won. The Company reserves the unfettered right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify any entries that it suspects were generated by script, macro, robotic, programmed, or any other automated means, or otherwise violate the Official Contest Rules.
By participating in this contest, all entrants and/or winners accept and agree to these Official Contest Rules and assume liability for injuries caused, or claimed to be caused by participating in the contest, by the acceptance, possession, or use of any prize awarded, including but not limited to claims/damages for personal injury, or property damage. No liability or responsibility is assumed by the Company for lost, late, misdirected or incomplete entries, notifications, responses, replies or any computer, online, telephone hardware, software or technical malfunctions that my occur, including but not limited to malfunctions that may affect the transmission or non-transmission of an entry. The Company is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest or by any technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Contest. The Company assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. The Company is not responsible for any injury or damage to an entrant or to any computer related to or resulting from participating or downloading materials in this Contest. Entrants grant the Company the right to use his or her personal information for the purpose of administering the Contest. Personal information will not be provided to any third party other than as provided for in these Contest Rules. The Company will protect all personal information in a manner that is consistent with the Privacy Policy of the Company.
These are the official Contest Rules. This Contest is subject to applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws and regulations. These Contest Rules are subject to change without notice in order to comply with any applicable federal, provincial or municipal laws or the policy of any other entity having jurisdiction over the Company.
Protect, Save & Win Contest
Protect, Save & Win Contest
Our annual contest is back!
Purchase any insuremykids® plan to be automatically entered in our draw!
You could be the winner of…
1 of 10
Beats by Dr. Dre
Solo3 wireless headphones!
(Colour of final prize may differ)
No purchase necessary. Enter our contest now or purchase any insuremykids® plan and you’ll be automatically entered! All prizes are subject to conditions, limitations and restrictions. Please see our contest rules and regulations for full details.
This contest is open to all Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in his/her province or territory of residence, except:
- those residing in the provinces of Manitoba and Quebec
- employees (and members of the immediate families and households of employees) of Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada (Old Republic Canada)
- related companies, agents, the promotional agency and all of their respective affiliates, directors, officers, owners, partners, employees, agents, representatives, successors and assigns.
Your privacy is important to us. Entrants grant Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada the right to: (a) use his or her personal information for the purpose of administering the contest; (b) use his or her name and his or her city and province of residence for publicity purposes, including in connection with the contest website, other related websites and / or any other media now known or hereafter devised. Personal information will not be provided to any third party other than as provided for in these Contest Rules. Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada and third party agents of the Company will use personal information only for purposes related to this contest and will be required to protect all personal information in a manner that is consistent with the Company’s Privacy Policy. View Old Republic Canada’s Privacy Policy.