>The only thing I can tell you is to go and get health insurance ASAP. Both for yourself and your dependents.

I am not too sure about that. I think medical insurance hasn't yet become all pervasive in India, and thankfully so.

Insurance companies are there to make profit, and so will tend to exploit fear to maximize their profits. Leading to inflated costs, as it has happened in US.

So I am against insurance in this form, unless it works like a non-profit cooperative. In fact Dr. Devi Shetty has also innovated here, with a scheme which costs as little as Re. 5 per month (1/60 USD per month) and provides heart coverage to rural Indians. It works as a cooperative scheme of course.

I am surprised, Insurance companies, even exist. As they should be the first thing to be replaced by Software (as in 'Software eating the world' by Marc Andressen)... It should happen, will just take some time, I guess.

So, I think, India can still save itself from corporate medical insurance. As seen in some countries like Canada, a fully public health care system, works as good, if not better.

On a personal note, after having, earlier, taken medical insurance for me and family by paying some 9000/- Rs per annum and getting a cover of 300000/- Rs. I decided this year to not renew it.

But of course, I won't dare to prescribe it generally, each person must take his own decision.

Appendix: 1) http://arachnoid.com/wrong/index.html (ctrl-f 'Insurance is a wise investment')

Well I have a few doctors in my family so I know the intricacies. There are several hospitals/clinics in India which still provide affordable care. No one in my family has a medical insurance. We have had a few health emergencies,in metros too, but the cost was always managed. We only have Life Insurances.It doesnt make sense to pay someone else a hefty insurance premium every year, which may or may not pay back, when the best insurance you can have is a family who shares. You get sick, I pay and vice-versa. I think instead of an inflated health insurance plan we can have a friends or family plan where you get together put some money and use it whenever a situation arises. Hey! I have a startup idea.

Umm, most policies have caps of Rs500k per year (or is it incident). Am I mistaken? That's laughably low even by Indian standards for a serious illness.

I'm assuming the the HN-India audience can hustle Rs500k. My two cents is that you shouldn't sweat it in India if you don't have health insurance.

However, if you get something like cancer in India, not insurance policy will help: the cost of treatment is just too high. You will go bankrupt.

Agree. The last time I bought health insurance in India, it cost me Rs 2600 ~ $50 for a year for $10000 worth of coverage.

That cant be right/Probably has a thesis of prohibitive clauses where you dont get the monies