Needlestick Insurance


According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), healthcare workers as well as first responders are at risk of needlestick injuries.  The CDC reports that about 385,000 needlestick injuries occur each year in the United States, and healthcare workers are among those most at risk.

Needlestick injuries are most commonly associated with the use of hollow-bore needles, which are used for injections, blood draws, and other medical procedures.  Unfortunately, needlestick injuries can lead to the transmission of bloodborne pathogens, such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

Healthcare workers who are most at risk of needlestick injuries include nurses, physicians, laboratory technicians and other healthcare professionals who handle needles and other sharps devices.  Typically, healthcare facilities implement engineering controls for such devices as well as administrative measures including education and training for use of such materials to reduce the risk of needlestick injury.  But carelessness and accidents do occur.

We are pleased to announce a new product designed by Petersen International Underwriters called Needlestick Insurance which has hit the employee benefits market.  This group benefit plan offers a significant cash lump sum to help compensate healthcare workers, emergency services workers and first responders who have been injured by a needlestick occurrence on the job and have contracted a bloodborne pathogen.  The purpose of the insurance is to help cover costs associated with testing, treatment and other expenses that may arise as a result of needlestick injury, such as lost wages and travel expenses.

The plan provides benefits up to $100,000 per employee and covers Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.  Also, the product offers census enrollment as an employer-paid group plan.

Needlestick insurance allows medical facilities, police departments and fire departments to financially protect their employees in the event of a needlestick injury or accidental exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

Please give us a call at (800) 345-8816 for more information about this exciting new employee benefits program.