Boyfriend's insurance?

My boyfriend is now eligible for insurance through his job. He is 27 and hasn't gone to the doc since he hasn't had insurance (almost a year) and probably wouldn't have gone even had he had insurance. The only thing he really wants/needs is a cleaning at the dentist. And the dentist down the street will do discounts for him since he is a recent graduate and not getting paid much.

Well we are already struggling to pay bills and I'm fronting more of our expenses than he is. So he brought home this insurance packet and starts talking about all this insurance he is going to get. And in my head I'm thinking "you already can't pay me half of all our bills and now you want even more taken out of your paycheck for something you most likely will never use?"

I don't know how to say this though. I feel like right now it's kind of pointless. He is 27 and has never been diagnosed with anything that requires consistent check ups. He has never even had a cavity. Since I have known him (a couple years now) he hasn't needed to go to the doc once. So I feel like, with the situation we are in, it's not necessary or financially responsible to have insurance taken out. If I weren't still in school and allowed to be on my mom's insurance, I probably wouldn't have it either. My brother, who is 30, hasn't had insurance for years.

I just don't want to have to put up even more money for something he will never use. Am I a terrible human being or what?

Not a terrible human being but one can't see the future; you would feel horrible if, like me, he fell (Christmas Eve) and had to go to the ER with a broken his nose, needed stitches, and has an appointment with the orthopedist on Tuesday and may have to have physical therapy. It was a simple fall, anyone could have done it, it wasn't because I was stupid, clumsy, or old It will cost us, even with good insurance, several thousand dollars. Without insurance, it would cost you higher expenses to pay for me because I need help and didn't buy insurance. My premiums are higher because of people who don't "choose" to get insurance, valuing something else instead.

I don't know why he's excited about getting "more" insurance though? If he's relatively healthy and has been, I'd get the same amount or less if I didn't feel I could afford it. But I would let him make his own choices about what he wants to buy with his money? If his gross salary is X and yours is Y then it needs to add up to 100% on joint needs (food, rent, transportation) based on gross or whatever you two both decide. I would buy insurance though for my money if it were offered and good instead of depending on whatever shows up when I do become injured or ill, just like one has to have car insurance even though one doesn't get into accidents! It's "insurance" not an extra "given" expense one can do without. Tell him if he wants to buy more than the basic insurance for himself he needs to put an equal amount to the difference on the rent!

It sounds like it is important to him. Having insurance can provide a feeling of security and accomplishment, of providing for oneself.
Insurance is for the possibility of needing medical/dental care, so it is there when needed. It can't be bought when a person is sick or in need, so it makes perfect sense to obtain it when it is offered.

Thanks guys. That makes sense. I guess all I was thinking was "crap now I have to shell out even more money". I felt really insensitive thinking that way but couldn't help it.

He has been talking about going back to school for a PhD which would give him really good insurance through a university so who knows. We'll see.

Keep in mind that many employers pay a large percentage of the insurance premium, and in a few cases, 100% of the premium (not that many, but some do). Also, the employee portion of the premium is taken out pre-taxes...so his actual take home amount may not be all that different.

Just how much is this premium we're talking about? In some cases it's fairly cheap, other cases it can be expensive.

If you truly are struggling financially, it could be the breaking point between making it and bankruptcy if he were to ever have a major accident or illness and wind up in the hospital. Do you have $100,000 laying around? A million? Not to mention the fact that other than immediate life-saving treatments, doctors aren't required to provide care if you can't pay.

Depending on just how much the premium will stretch your budget, I say get it.

Are you insured?