The Benefits of Medical Insurance

The biggest benefit to having medical insurance is peace of mind. Without insurance, something as common as the flu or a household injury can place you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in debt if you choose to seek out medical care. Medical insurance takes this burden off your shoulders and frees you from worry about how you'll pay for care if something happens.

Emergency Care

• Most health insurance policies include some form of emergency coverage in case you become sick or injured. This usually includes visits to the emergency room, urgent care and emergency hospitalization. It's possible to obtain low-cost emergency-only coverage, which is a good idea if you're young and healthy and don't require regular office visits or prescription medications, or if you're on a tight budget.

Regular Checkups and Preventive Care

• Medical insurance makes regular check-ups with your doctor more affordable. Some policies allow for a certain number of visits per year at no additional cost, while others require a small co-pay amount at the time of your visit. Health insurance policies also often make a provision for preventive health care, such as annual mammograms or prostate exams, at no extra charge.

Prescription Coverage

• Prescription coverage is one of the major benefits of health insurance. Some commonly used prescription medications run hundreds of dollars per month without insurance. With insurance, that price could be reduced to a fraction of the cost. Depending on the policy, it might even be free.