It is impossible to say universally whether a child should take out health insurance or not. By listing one’s own worries and considering the probability of their realization, one can find an answer with which one does not feel stupid, writes Merta Mähkä, a columnist at Iltalehti.
Taking or not taking out child insurance is perhaps the most disgusting consideration a parent has to make. AOP
Few things have made me feel so miserable in financial matters when my company understands whether or not a child should take out health insurance.
I was discussing the topic recently on Instagram. My inbox exploded. After reading hundreds of posts on the subject, I came to the conclusion that there is a molten impossibility to find a universal answer to the question. The factors that influence the decision are endless and you have to choose from them the ones that are important to you.
There are almost half a million insured children in Finland. It’s big money, as health insurance costs several hundred a year. That’s so much that the amount goes to privately treat ailments a few times a year without even insurance.
Clearly, those with healthy children and no insurance are happy to save money.
It is equally clear that those whose children have been ill a lot and who have insurance are even happier with their insurance. They have been able to treat the ailments quickly and have had their medicines reimbursed.
The challenge for the person considering insurance, of course, is that he or she does not yet know if the child will get sick or not. It is entirely up to you whether the insurance becomes financially viable or a cash hole.
On average, taking out insurance is not financially viable. Because insurance is a business, it is priced so that the insurance company will most often make a profit. But the average doesn’t weigh much when your own child gets sick.
It doesn’t matter how or where a child gets sick.
Think of ear infections, a typical ailment in children.
My own family lives in Helsinki, a tram ride from the New Children’s Hospital, which has an excellent emergency room. The nearest health center is within walking distance of the home. It has always been there with a toddler on the same day that it has been.
Not everyone has this situation. The children’s own emergency room, where no drunk is treated behind the screen, is quite a luxury. On the other hand, it can also be a luxury to be able to choose between private and public – public is the only option available in some places.
Then there are also different perceptions of luxury. Where I consider a call-back arrangement with a delay of a few hours at the health center to be a luxury, the only thing that is good for another is that the doctor can be booked directly online when it suits them best.
The more difficult ailments than ear infections require a comparison of its own. A good example is the various neuropsychological challenges. They have long queues in the public, regardless of where they live. The therapies they require also cost thousands of euros when treated privately. On the other hand, they are rare. All children suffer from vague flu, but the likelihood of nepsy challenges is very low. Then the question is, is it worth paying a lot of money to prepare for it?
There are still endless details between smaller and more difficult ailments, such as the fact that the insurance may replace medicines that are not reimbursed by Kela. Or the fact that the insurance can be useful even as an adult.
Taking or not taking out child insurance is perhaps the most disgusting consideration a parent has to make. It is frightening and distressing to think about what adversities a child may face. On the other hand, there is usually other use for money in a family with children. Maybe they could even invest in and secure the child’s future through it?
However, it is worth considering that there is no need to regret after paying for nothing.
I was going to run the insurance with a pen and paper. What are the things you want to prepare for? How likely are they? What kind of help would we get from the public in our municipality? What do I appreciate? Save time or money?
Then, after answering these questions, you can start comparing insurance: deductibles, centralization benefits, indemnity amounts…