The Perils of a Hong Kong BBQ

With the July 1st Celebrations and a public holiday just around the corner, you may be considering a BBQ this long weekend. But as you’re buying meats to throw on the grill and getting in some beers for your guests you should take a second to consider the risks associated with a barbeque in Hong Kong and how insurance can help.

For example, in the USA more than 40 percent of adults admit to grilling out while drunk – which carries with it a degree of danger. If you’re cooking on the BBQ then you’re probably playing with fire, which doesn’t generally mix well with alcohol. This turns out to be proven by the whopping 13 percent of American grillers who have experienced an accident or injury in front of the BBQ. Accidents are more common in men, and much higher amongst those who grill while drunk.

But even beyond the risk of burning yourself and requiring a trip to the emergency room, Barbeques may be responsible for up to 22 percent of all American food poisoning cases – its not just the obvious risks that put you in danger over BBQ’s this summer.

With that in mind, here are some of the best insurance products for dealing with the risks you face while hosting a cookout in Hong Kong this summer.

Hong Kong Home Insurance

A fairly obvious place to start when looking at your BBQ risks is the location where you’re most likely to hold a cookout- your home. From burning charcoal indoors, to your LPG or Butane tank exploding and burning down your property, using the barbeque caries with it a degree of danger.

An inherent risk of holding a barbeque in your own home is the issue of fire damage. If the grill gets out of control, fire could quickly spread depriving you of a place to live and causing you to lose your valuable possessions. There are two types of Home Insurance which can help alleviate any BBQ fire related losses you experience at home.

Fire Insurance

While Fire insurance may seem the most applicable type of product, as it covers the rebuilding costs for a property following fire damage, this type of insurance policy is generally only purchased by the property owner. So unless, you own your home in Hong Kong, fire insurance (or fire insurance and allied perils cover) is likely not the correct product for you due to the nature of insurable interest.

However, as a landlord holding a fire insurance policy ensures that you are able to rebuild your property should fire have caused a loss.

Home Contents Insurance

Hong Kong Home Contents insurance plans can provide “worldwide all risks” protection to you and your possessions both in and outside of your home. That means if the apartment you’re renting goes up in flames because of a barbeque accident you will be able to receive compensation for the possessions you’ve lost.

This also includes barbeque accidents on the beach, or at your friend's house where your property (like a camera or Bluetooth speaker) may be lost or destroyed.

Hong Kong Health Insurance

More important that the loss of your property is the risk of your person suffering an accident or injury. Things can be replaced, but you are irreplaceable as an individual. Burn injuries, food poisoning, and smoke inhalation are all serious concerns with any BBQ, and can leave you requiring serious medical treatment depending on what, exactly has occurred.

While Hong Kong has an excellent low-cost Public Medical System, it is often quicker and more efficient to receive care at one of the city’s more expensive private facilities. In fact, saying “more expensive” is an understatement as Hong Kong ranks second in the world for the average cost of private medical treatment, just behind the USA.

This means that going to hospital in Hong Kong can be extremely expensive – inpatient stays at a private hospital like the Adventist can run into hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars, and possibly even millions in worst case situations. While this is not an issue at a public facility like Queen Mary, if you would like to use a private hospital in emergency situations (like a BBQ accident) then a quality Hong Kong health insurance policy is the best way to ensure that you are able to cover the costs of any treatment you receive.

Health insurance products in Hong Kong, whether they are underwritten on a local or international basis, all include inpatient coverage – this protects you against the costs of your healthcare treatment when an overnight stay in a medical facility is required. From there you can build a policy based on your ideal coverage benefits and considerations above and beyond accidents you may receive while in front of the grill.

But while health insurance covers you against the costs of medical treatment you receive, what protection can you receive if you permanently disable yourself due to a BBQ injury?

Hong Kong Personal Accident Insurance

If a burn you receive in the course of a BBQ accident leaves you permanently or partially disabled, if you hold a Hong Kong Personal Accident Insurance policy then you may be entitled for compensation. Under most Personal Accident options offered in Hong Kong claims are paid on a sliding scale depending on the severity of an injury.

Under a personal accident plan the policyholder will generally receive a portion of the policy’s value in a claims situation. Compensation provided will be on a sliding scale but can include benefits such as:

• Paralysis – 100%
• Loss of, or loss of use of two or more limbs – 100%
• Loss of, or loss of use of one limb – 50%
• Extreme Disfigurement of Face – 15%

While the costs of receiving medical treatment can be high, the costs associated with recovering from a serious accident or injury can be higher – you may not be able to work or earn an income.

It might seem silly to think about Personal Accident insurance in relation to a fun summer activity like a family barbeque, but if you haven’t used your gas grill in a while then an exploding LPG tank or corroded gas lines can be a very real worry.

Hong Kong Insurance Advice from CCW Global

If you would like to learn more about how to best protect against the many risks you face, both this summer and for the rest of your life, or if you want more information about your Hong Kong Insurance options, please Contact Us and arrange a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with an expert advisor today.

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