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