Respectabiggle/Responsibiggle

I have shopped for and purchased car insurance for years, but somehow had never done so for my health insurance. The latter is a requirement for grad students here, and last year I just went with the university plan--handily, they deducted the amount directly from my paycheck every month.

Not-so-handily, it cost me around $800 for the year, which I'm told is a good deal, but basically amounted to $100 a month for an office visit or two, a brace for my ankle, and my annual exam. Apparently what it's actually good for is if you are dying--assuming you can schedule that between 8 and 5 on a weekday.

So since this coverage is expiring in a week, and since rates have gone up to $1350/year, I decided to shop around. If I'm going to have essentially useless insurance, I may as well pay less for it.

And I found it! I am now the proud owner of the "Saver 80" plan by United Health Care's Golden Rule. It costs me $36.32 a month. I think it's about the human equivalent of what I have on my car: liability. In any case, it should satisfy the university, and protect me in case of anything too bad.

And the nice man who sold it to me, Jerry, told me I was the happiest person he'd ever talked to.