How would your family cope financially if your child had to spend time in hospital? Q&A with a child insurance expert.

[EllieSmumsnet]

If your child breaks a bone, or has to stay overnight at a hospital there are a number of unexpected costs that might pile on the stress, from long parking fees to hospital food, travel or even additional childcare. But how would that impact your household income? Would you be covered by your employer or would you need to rely on savings or other support? We know this is a scary thing to think about but child protection insurance like ChildShield by MetLife is designed to offer peace of mind by helping cover costs when you need it most.

We’re joined by Phil Jeynes, Head of Individual Protection at MetLife, for a Q&A on child insurance. Whether you're unsure how it works, what it covers, or if it’s right for your family, we want to hear your questions. Phil will be back over the next few weeks to respond to some of your queries.

If you would like to get financial advice on any of the issues raised here, please speak to your own financial adviser, or find one at unbiased.co.uk.

• Ask your questions below by 11/06/2025 to be entered into our prize draw for the chance to win a £200 voucher of your choice.
• Phil Jeynes will be back soon to answer some of your questions.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

The policy doesn’t cover physio specifically although the lump sum payment could be used to help towards costs including physio. Broken bones from a skiing or snowboarding accident would be covered, as well as hospital stays in the UK for treatment of the injuries. It also comes with access to a virtual GP service at no extra cost, which you can use 24/7 from anywhere in the world to book an appointment by phone or online video call with a GP in the UK.

Our product isn't an income protection one so you're right that it wouldn't give you ongoing cover but would give a lump sum payment, which may help take the pressure off your finances. ChildShield covers all your children (including adopted children or stepchildren) until they turn 23, under one policy. They don't even need to live with you to be covered, as long as they live in the UK. There is no limit to the number of separate accidents you can claim for, and claiming has no impact on your premiums.

Hi TomatoSandwiches, I'm sorry to hear about your experience and we take all feedback very seriously.

If you would like to share more on this with us, we can best support you on
the next steps and respond to your concerns. You can contact us on 0800 917
0100 (open 9am – 5pm, Monday-Friday), or email us on
[email protected]

Thank you again for bringing this to my attention.

Typically, a major bone is one that is key to structure of the body, e.g. our legs, arms, back, hands, feet, skull (apart from facial bones or ear bones - broken nose is excluded). The detail is laid out in our T&Cs which you can find here on page 9 - https://www.metlife.co.uk/content/dam/metlifecom/uk/pdf/childshield/3026-metlife-childshield-t-cs.pdf

You will also see here what is not covered, which will help answer your question on the type of break. This product has been designed for people who may not have the savings to support should some unexpected expenses come up, but it is not designed to replace income.

Hi DanBenandBud - yes a parent can take a ChildShield policy, as long as they have at least one eligible child aged under 18 at the start date. The ChildShield policy would cover all the policyholder's children aged under 23 (not just the under-18). There is no underwriting or medical history needed as part of the application process so no proof required. After 12 months from the start date, the policy covers hospital stays of 24 hours or more due to illness, regardless of when that illness was diagnosed. ChildShield includes cover for Cancer, Type 1 Diabetes, Bacterial Meningitis, Benign brain tumour, Rheumatic fever, so long as the diagnosis (and the medical investigations which led to the diagnosis) is dated at least 90 days after the policy started. We'll only pay out once for each serious condition for each child, but that doesn't affect the cover for your other children or for other conditions.

Hi Fancyquickthinker - it sounds like what you're talking about here is an income protection product which isn't what ChildShield is. There is no employment requirements as part of our eligibility. ChildShield covers your children, not you the parent/policyholder. It pays a lump sum payment if your child suffers a broken bone, has to stay in hospital, or is diagnosed with one of a list of serious conditions. The policy benefit payment can help take the pressure off your finances in the short term.

Libracat - sorry to hear about your son's accident but I am pleased you have benefited from the policy - the virtual GP service is really useful isn't it!

Hi pushchairprincess - as part of a claim we may require copies of medical records, statements or medical reports from your eligible child’s qualified medical practitioner, and we will pay any costs of obtaining these records. There's no need for us to speak to schools and if your child were to have an accident while skiing, they would be covered.

Most of our protection products have been built for people like you in order to provide a financial cushion. I do want to stress that our ChildShield product isn't an income protection product so it isn't designed to pay out a regular amount; it's just a one off payment. Regarding pay outs - as long as the claim meets the criteria clearly and simply outlined in our terms and conditions, then there shouldn't be any issue with payments!

ChildShield covers all your children under 23, and it pays you a lump sum payment if your child suffers a broken bone, has to stay in hospital, or is diagnosed with one of a list of serious conditions.

Our policy isn't an income protection product so earnings are not taken into account during the application process. Following a successful claim, we pay out a lump sum regardless of salary. If you are claiming on multiple policies from different insurers for the same incident, you can still claim under your ChildShield policy. You mention costs but there are no costs due as part of the claims process. It is also possible for both parents to take a policy out each for the children (e.g. perhaps if the parents are no longer together).

Thanks for the great question benjaminjamesandgraham

As the policy is non-underwritten, no previous accidents or incidents would be taken into account when your claim is processed. This would also be the case if your child broke multiple bones while you had the policy in place as there is no limit to the amount of claims you can make with ChildShield. Thanks obecalp12 :)

Hidden costs? That's car parking! To anyone considering this pointless insurance policy, just have £1000 on standby.

You've mentioned medical costs, but here in GB we have the NHS. You're clearly not British.

For many families, a child’s unexpected hospitalization can cause not only emotional stress but also serious financial strain. While public healthcare may cover some medical expenses, there are often hidden or additional costs—such as transportation, meals, accommodation if the hospital is far from home, and loss of income if a parent needs to take time off work.
If your child is hospitalized for an extended period, you may face tough choices:

• Can you afford to stop working temporarily?
• Do you have savings to cover everyday bills while you care for your child?
• What about costs not covered by standard health insurance, like specialist treatments or therapies?

This is where child insurance can make a real difference. A child health or critical illness policy often pays out a lump sum or daily benefit if your child is hospitalized or diagnosed with a serious illness. This money gives families breathing room—to take unpaid leave, focus on recovery, and avoid going into debt. In my experience, the families who cope best financially during a child’s illness are those who planned ahead. Even a small monthly premium can offer significant support when it matters most. It’s about peace of mind, so you can focus on your child’s health—not on money.

If my child was hospitalised today, how long would it take to receive the money?

ChildShield is not a disability or private medical product; it pays a lump sum if your child suffers a broken bone (for each broken bone), or is hospitalised for more than 24 hours due to an accident (after 12 months, it covers hospitalisation due to illness or self-inflicted injury too). From 90 days after the policy start date, it covers your children if they are diagnosed with one of 7 serious conditions diagnosed/experienced in childhood, such as cancer/leukaemia or Type 1 Diabetes. There are exclusions for pre-existing serious conditions, and those discovered by tests prior to the start of the cover. You can find the detail in our terms and conditions. No medical questions or family history is required as part of our application process and you only need one policy to cover all your children aged under 23. ChildShield is available exclusively through financial advisers, so please talk to yours about whether it would meet your needs.

Lots of great questions to unpack here :) I'll unpack them in my response!

ChildShield pays out certain lump sum amounts, depending on the insured event - e.g. per broken bone, per day in hospital, per day in an Intensive Care Unit in hospital, or for the diagnosis of one of the 7 serious conditions. At claim, we'd normally need to see confirmation from a qualified doctor in the UK of the injury/diagnosis; and for claims for hospitalisation, confirmation from the hospital of the admission and discharge dates.

ChildShield does cover some illnesses: Cancer, Type 1 Diabetes, Bacterial
Meningitis, Benign brain tumor, Rheumatic fever. It also covers serious
burns or paralysis as a result of an accident. The cover pays out a lump sum
if the diagnosis meets the relevant definition in the policy terms and
conditions available here: https://www.metlife.co.uk/content/dam/metlifecom/uk/pdf/childshield/3026-metlife-childshield-t-cs.pdf.

However, it doesn't provide further payouts for the same diagnosis; or cover convalescence once the child has left hospital.

Claims: For our ChildShield policies, you are eligible to make a claim for broken bones or hospitalisation due to accidents from Day 1. Hospitalisation due to illness is covered after 12 months of holding the policy. We pay an average of 108 accident and illness claims every day and paid over £27 million individual protection claims last year.

Premiums: These don't go up regardless the number of claims you make.

Competitive sports: The child would be covered for the eligible event. The only things we don't cover are accidents or injuries from participation in a contest of speed, mountaineering, outdoor cliff or rock climbing, or potholing. We also don't cover injuries whilst participating in any sport as a professional.

Hi HobNobAddict, our policy isn't an income or mortgage protection product so earnings are not taken into account during the application process and there's no requirement for you to have other policies in place in order to qualify - that's why it's a good complementary insurance to other more traditional products such as income protection. It only covers your children, so it makes no difference what cover you already have/don't have for yourself. ChildShield pays out a lump sum for broken bones, admission to a hospital or certain serious conditions.

Hi Britanniaa, we do have a product for adults and families called 'EverydayProtect'. It provides financial support for broken bones, hospital stays, and a range of accidental injuries - you can find out more here: https://www.metlife.co.uk/customer/accident-illness/accident-hospitalisation-insurance/

Plus you can add on optional 'Child cover' too (though it has different benefits to ChildShield).

Hi youareonlyhereonce - If your child has an illness which needs a stay in hospital, the ChildShield policy wouldn't cover the hospital stays during the first 12 months. But any hospital admissions after the 12-month waiting period would be covered, even if it is for the same condition. Also, you would still be eligible to claim for broken bones and hospitalisation due to accidents right from the policy start date. Regarding the cover for diagnosis of the listed serious illnesses (cancer, type 1 diabetes, benign brain tumour, bacterial meningitis and rheumatic fever), the waiting period for those is only 90 days from the start date - i.e. a new diagnosis of one of the above happening from Day 91 onwards. Great question :)

Hi chickenpotnoodle, no previous claims with other insurers would impact your application or ability to claim. Premiums are the same for every policyholder, no matter your circumstances. Premiums begin from as little as £6 per month.

Hi ohdannyboy - our claims philosophy is built on the trust that one day when you need it we will pay your claim in a timely manner. Last year, we paid over 27,000 claims on our Accident & Health policies, including over 6,500 for children. Typical claim payment time is within a week of receiving all the information/evidence we have asked for to be able to accept it. The main reason a claim would not be accepted would be if it is not covered in your policy terms and conditions. For example, broken bones are covered, but microfractures and soft tissue injuries are not. You can read more about what is and isn't covered with a ChildShield policy here: https://www.metlife.co.uk/customer/accident-illness/child-cover-insurance/

Hi lovemyflipflops. (I love mine too, btw!). Fractures and breaks are covered. Tiny fissures usually referred to as 'microfractures' are not covered, nor are 'bruised bones'. Broken nose is excluded, but all other bones are covered.

Hi Gorondola, there are no medical checks required or medical history questions to answer before you take out a policy. Any parent can take out a ChildShield policy to cover their children aged under 23, as long as at least one of them is under 18 at the start of the policy. If a child requires a stay in hospital related to sickness or illness, they will be covered once the policy has been in place for 12 months. Hospital stays for accidents are covered from the policy start date. Hope this helps!