My sister has bladder
cancer. It appears curable. She does not have critical illness
insurance. I wish she did. She was not able to purchase coverage
because of her age.
She does not have it as
tough as many of those being treated for cancer. Once every two weeks she
must go through a "bladder wash." It involves radioactive
material being introduced to the organ via a catheter. She must keep the
catheter in for two days following.
This makes for an
uncomfortable couple of days. The family will provide her meals and do
some light house work.
If she had critical
illness coverage, a claim would have been paid. She could have taken that
money to provide her with some "comfort items." She could have
hired a maid to clean her house rather than having to rely on her daughter who
is raising her own family as a single parent. She could have hired
someone to get her groceries, not because she's incapacitated, but because
"she just doesn't want to go." Heck, she could have hired
someone to give her a manicure or pedicure while convalescing to make her feel
at least a little better about herself.
She doesn't do that
now. She's on short-term disability when the "wash" is
administered and for the days she's recovering. She's afraid to spend the
money. First, it's not there as it was as if she was fully working - the
DI only pays a percentage of her income. And, she's so scared that she
will not recover and have to dip into savings in order to make ends meet.
Think of someone you
know who has had cancer. Perhaps a more invasive kind than my sister is
dealing with. Think of how having extra funds to provide comfort would
have been for them. Something to take off a burden; something to
provide a little frivolity. Think of how much more at ease they would
feel with the lump sum being in the bank than just their savings.
National Healthcare may lead to more purchases of Critical Illness coverage. It has in other countries. But with or without it, you owe it to yourself to consider offering this insurance to your clients; your friends... and your sister.
