Personal Finance For Dummies, 7th Edition

Chapter 16

Insurance on You: Life, Disability, and Health

In This Chapter

Looking into life insurance

Debating disability insurance

Selecting the best health insurance

During your working years, multiplying your typical annual income by the number of years you plan to continue working produces a pretty big number. That dollar amount equals what is probably your most valuable asset — your ability to earn an income. You need to protect this asset by purchasing some insurance on you.

This chapter explains the ins and outs of buying insurance to protect your income: life insurance in case of death, and disability insurance in case of an accident or severe medical condition that prevents you from working. I tell you what coverage you should have, where to look for it, and what to avoid.

In addition to protecting your income, you also need to insure against financially catastrophic expenses. I’m not talking about January’s credit-card bill — you’re on your own with that one. I’m talking about the type of bills that are racked up from a major surgery and a multi-week stay in the hospital. To protect yourself from potentially astronomical medical bills, you need to have comprehensive health ...