WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN INSURANCE COVERAGE

Many employers provide insurance coverage. In the standard arrangement the employer pays a flat amount of the premium and the employee pays the rest. An employee who gets a skimpy plan pays nothing or even gets money back. If the worker gets a fat plan, he pays extra.

Before my accident I was seldom ill. I never saw a visible product or service in exchange for my insurance premium. I had a notion that someone was pocketing dollars I could have been putting in my own pocket. For this reason, I paid the lowest possible premium and got the lowest level of coverage. At the time, I was glad for the extra cash. I spent it on the usual stuff: groceries, house payments and my ever expanding collection of Lego toys. Then this series of bills from the hospital hit. Naturally, I kept track of the costs. I also figured how much I had saved over the last fifteen years by going with the cheap plan. When I added it all together, I found I had broken even.

To be able to work on an addition in reckless abandon with a degree of security, I now recommend the best coverage available. Health Maintenance Organizations are good. If possible, get a health rider that also covers anyone who comes on your property while you are working. In my case, I have coverage for anyone that comes within range of a nail gun.

Finally, the policy should provide for repaying neighbors who lend a helping hand while you are down and out. A helpful neighbor will refuse money; so the coverage should pay for a small token of your thanks: a set of screw drivers, Craftsman pliers or a case of 40-weight motor oil. (I have never known a man who could not use more screw drivers.)

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