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A burn is an injury to the skin that can cause unimaginable pain and may take time to heal according to the degree of burn. Skin burns can cause pain, blisters, peeling skin, swelling, or white/charred skin if not treated promptly. Nearly 1.8L deaths are caused by burns globally, in India itself, over 1 million people are burnt every year. Most cases of burns are caused by to hot curling iron, oven, spilling of hot liquid, electricity, or contact with chemicals.
Does Health Insurance Cover Skin Burns?
No matter how cautious you are, you cannot prevent accidental burns, but you may protect yourself from the medical costs associated with them. So, here comes the Personal Accidental Insurance to your rescue! This insurance for burn coverage for skin burns ensures you are financially protected under such circumstances.
To begin with, let’s learn about the classification of burns and how important it is to be covered for Skin Burns under a Health Insurance plan.
Classification of Burns and What They Look Like
Depending on how deeply and severely a burn penetrates the skin's surface, it is categorised as a first, second, and third-degree burn.
What Does First-Degree Burn Look Like?
Only the epidermis, or top layer of skin, is impacted by 1st-degree burns. The burn site is painful, dry, and red; no blisters are present. For instance, a minor sunburn. Rare cases of long-lasting tissue injury typically involve changes in skin tone.
What Does Second-Degree Burn Look Like?
Skin's epidermis and a portion of its dermis are both affected by second-degree burns. The burn site looks red, has blisters, and may look unpleasant and swollen.
What Does Third-Degree Burn Look Like?
The epidermis and dermis are destroyed by third-degree burns. The underlying nerves, bones, muscles, and tendons may be injured by third-degree burns. The burnt area looks scorched or white as the nerve endings get damaged and may result in numbness.
Knowing the difference between types of burns will help you understand the severity of the burn more clearly.
Burns that cover 10% of a child's body or 15% to 20% of an adult's body are regarded as serious injuries that necessitate hospitalization and intensive rehabilitation.
Burn Treatment
Burn injuries require immediate attention and treatment as per the degree of burns. If the burns are minor they can be treated at home and can heal within a week or so. Here are a few treatments that you can follow to heal minor burns:
- Cooling the burn down: Immediately keep the burnt area under the cool water for a while or use a wet compress as needed. Don’t apply ice directly as it can further lead to damage to the skin area.
- Clean the burn: After keeping the burn under cold water make sure to clean the burnt area with a mid sopa to remove the dirt or any other impurities.
- Remove accessories: Immediately take off any tight accessories from the hands before they start swelling and lead to any further complications.
- Don’t pop the blisters: Blisters prevent the burn from infections and thus, you should not pop these. However, if somehow the fluid-filled blisters pop, clean the area with a mild soap and apply antibiotic ointment for relief.
- Apply natural moisturizers: To reduce the inflammation and pain of the burn, apply a soothing ointment or natural moisturizer such as aloe vera gel.
- Bandage the burn area: To protect the burn from any friction or pressure, cover the area with a sterile and non-stick bandage.
- Take painkillers: To alleviate pain, use over-the-counter pain relievers as prescribed by your doctor.
- Tetanus shots: If the burn is second-degree or from a dirty or rusty object, make sure your tetanus shot is up to date, else get the shot within the first two days of the burn.
- Avoid sun exposure: Burnt skin is more sensitive to UV rays, so make sure you keep the area protected from direct sunlight.
- Stay hydrated: For a speedy recovery, drink plenty of whatever and your skin will heal within a few weeks of the injury.
However, you should always be careful as the above burn treatments may not give you the expected results and could worsen the injury. So, it is suggested to consult the medical expert first if you get a burn. Your doctor will assess the burn’s size and depth before treating it. After examining, he would suggest the treatment for your burn injury depending upon the which could cost a fortune if you are health insurance does not cover skin burns.
Importance of Health Insurance Coverage for Accidental Burns
Medical or surgical treatment is available for certain skin burns. While some treatments might be inexpensive, others might burn a hole in your pocket. Financial hardship may result from expensive treatments for burn injuries. It seems sensible to buy health insurance that covers accidental skin burns and protects you financially in times of such contingency.
A cover explicitly for skin burns can help you deal with costly treatment with multiple inclusions. We at Care Insurance provide specialized Personal Accident Insurance, which prevents you from a financial crunch in case of any unexpected incidents like burns, fractures, disablements, and any other severe injuries. God forbid if something happens to you, this insurance helps to mitigate the financial burdens such accidents can bring. Ensuring that the policyholder’s family can cope with the financial impact of the event, 100% of the sum insured of the policy is paid to the family. The plan also includes benefits like coverage for accidental death, major diagnostic tests, accidental hospitalization expenses, child education, and more.
Wrapping Up!
It becomes unimaginably distressing to arrange finances when there is an emergency that needs immediate attention. In case of skin burn accidents, one has to be rushed to the hospital without any delay to avoid any infection, severe pain, or complexities. With a Personal Accidental Cover, you would at least have something to back you up financially while you are enduring the immense pain if there is an accidental burn that needs immediate hospitalization. So, don’t wait for the unexpected to happen, buy personal accident insurance and secure yourself and your family’s future today!
>> Also Read: Boost Health Care Cover without Additional Cost on Premium
Disclaimer: The above-mentioned information is for reference purposes only. Refer to your policy documents for more details on Burns.
