Learn me about American insurance

a)Where to get it
b)How much it will (vaguely) cost
c)Dos and Donts
d)Do I REALLY need it?

Kenan-I'm still here. It's cold. Now tell me about insurance.

And yes, you do need insurance. That is, if you plan to get sick. Doctors are about 80 bucks a visit, prescriptions can run into the hundreds.

I have a very dim, pessimistic view of American healthcare, as I am uninsured and pretty bitter about that. If I so much as sprained my ankle, the cost of medical care would put me on the streets.

Most Americans get health insurance as a benefit of their work. If you were to try to purchase it on your own, it would be so ridiculously expensive you would cry (part of this is because companies get group rates, since the number crunchers figure that the more people in a plan, the more spread out the risk is). You don't REALLY need it per se. If it's something relatively minor, you can usually find a clinic -- dodgy, but cheap -- or at the very worst, just never pay your bill like most of my uninsured friends do.

The danger is when you get to catastrophic problems which cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. You can purchase a catastrophic plan, which obviously is slightly less expensive but still by no means cheap.

Nordic, are you planning to be here for an extended time? Or just on vacation?

Right now? I hate to say it, but, um, NO. The entire insurance industry in America is in a crunch right now, because re-insurers (who essentially insure the primary insurance carrier's money-with-which-they-pay-out-claims) going insolvent and having to raise their rates to make up the deficit, and then the primary insurers raising their rates so that they themselves don't got insolvent.

However, health insurance is probably in the least trouble of all branches of the bidness...their rates are just traditionally extremely shitty; it's cuz the American health industry is BIG FUCKIN MONEY (ever wonder why some Americans are hell bent on not socializing the health care system?). Depending on your pre-existing condition, there may be quite a few health insurance providers who just won't write your coverage, but fear not, someone will cover you. If you are to get health insurance, it is ABSURDLY HIGHLY INTENSELY recommended you get your employer to provide it, which is pretty standard procedure for American employers.

Insurance laws do vary from state to state, but there is a national council that sets nationwide regulations and writes nationwide coverage forms; TEXAS however...I don't know exactly how to explain it, but it's like, for the purposes of insurance laws, they might as well be their own nation altogether.

I'm really not sure what else to tell you about. Most states in America have mandatory auto insurance laws; meaning it's illegal to drive a car without insurance. I'm not sure if you drive and if this would be an issue...

Um...what state are you moving to?

Oh! Chances are, if you find a halfway decent job, that health insurance will come with it. You might even make that one of the things you look for from an employer.

Oh god, we'll get to that later...

Make me feel like a loser, why dontcha.

Yes, I have thought about this. S'true.

Not going to do postgrad until next year, Ed.

I didn't mean to be all "only cool people with cool jobs get insurance." Heh. I was just saying that's one way around the problem.

As for your health insurance querry, I'd need to do a little research on California rates, but my guess is that it's not gonna be particularly affordable...health insurance, out of pocket, rarely is (When I paid for it myself, it was $145 a month here in KY, and then had to pay $20 co-pays on all doctor visits & prescription fillings...that was 2 years ago).

I'll see if I can get a more definite answer for ya.

I also, if it helps, have fully comprehensive car insurance in the UK.

Thanks again, and sorry for boring everyone else.

nickalicious - much appreciated!

http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/personal/hat-doff.gif

Can you do this on a temporary (say, three-monthly) basis, Mandee?

Do people get away with that?

As an alternative to marriage, California (I believe) allows even breeding-capable couples the option to register their "domestic partnership" in a simple but bloodless legal formality. That would qualify one of you for the other's benefits.

(But maybe you're already married. I can't recall.)

I am! This August! Woooh!

Then maybe you should investigate coverage for medical catastrophies (e.g., serious illness, horrible accidents) for three months, and not a standard medical policy. These sorts of policies do exist, and they're a bit cheaper.

renter's insurance? what's it all aboot then?

among my friends in the uk, maybe half of them would have the equivalent (contents insurance), but afaict no one has renter's insurance here. do people have it? i'm getting quotes around $10-20/month. seems cheap? is that reasonable? or is there a reason why no one has it?

I pay $16/month for $15k. I've never shopped around to see if I can get more coverage or a cheaper price.

I don't know why more people don't have it - I didn't until five or six years ago just because I'd never heard of it.

thanks that sounds about right