Globaleye.com

Most of us take our health for granted and if we hail from European origins we equally apply the same apathy for our healthcare providers too. Typically, those of us who have been used to state sponsored healthcare fail to realise the need to protect oneself when overseas. Moreover, the cost implications of healthcare are altogether overlooked.

The term “Insurance” conjures up all sorts of connotations in people’s mind but probably the best analogy I can offer is that it is a piece of paper that creates cash when you need it most. Clearly, none of us plan to be sick in the coming months or perhaps years but these eventualities do occur. With 1 in 3 of us contracting cancer before the age of 55, if I was a betting man then I am sure you would agree that these are pretty good odds. Leaving the trauma to one side, the cost consideration in treating an ailment of this nature can run from the tens to the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Without suitable cover, your options can be curtailed somewhat when your real consideration should be seeking the best medical care possible and promptly.

Think of the impact ill health would have on your life and how your decision processes/priorities alter. Unfortunately, there are many of us having to face this challenge each day. You are no longer concerned about the few hundred dollars it cost to get covered and whether this money could have been better spent on a nice pair of shoes. Your prime consideration is to get well again quickly; possibly at any cost. I stress quickly too, since your employer is not going to wait forever until you get well and the last thing you need is to lose your job too.

And here is the rub; money is everything when it comes to securing the best healthcare. Without cover, you may be rejected treatment unless you have alternative methods of payment. Without cover, you may be unable to secure the services of a specialist treatment provider. What if you need to look overseas for treatment, require an air ambulance, nursing care, screened blood, specialist ante natal, road accident trauma and so the list continues … it all requires money.

Short of getting some cover today, the intention is that this form of protection will become mandatory in Dubai in the not too distant future. Convince your employer it would be a sound investment in the personnel to offer medical cover in that the cost savings to the individuals/corporate is considerable. Convincing your employer to do anything on a corporate basis will save you money – medical cover, pension provision, life insurance to name but a few. That said, make sure the medical cover is comprehensive enough to deal with the eventualities I raise above and that the provider is a global player who can meet the demand for claims (no quibbling) whatever the market conditions.

If you are one of those who have medical cover and complain about the cost each year, look at it as an investment in your health and also wealth protection cover. In relation to the latter, if you do not have it and you do fall sick, what wealth you have will soon be decimated in a flurry of medical bills. Insurance allows you to face the challenges in life with the financial confidence backing you up when you need it most.