Do Realtors® Need Health Insurance?

Cheryl - That's a nice perk.  Disability insurance is something most people overlook -- but it can come through in a pinch.  Do they offer medical insurance as well?

Loreena- Thank you so much for commenting on this post.  Reading about your brother also got me thinking about this issue again -- even though he is not a Realtor.  I see so many Realtors taking chances and not having medical insurance.  I think we may be one of the most uninsured professions -- probably because we are independent contractors and many people cut corners on themselves.  It is helpful if a person has a spouse who has an employer plan but not everyone has that (I don't) and it is important to know that there are alternatives that will not completely break the bank especially if they only cover catastrophic care.  A HSA high deductible plan is a great alternative and in fact that was the first plan I had when I became a full time real estate agent.

Barbara- $1500 a month.  Wow.  That is expensive.  It does add up when there is no employer there to make a contribution.  But as Loreena said it is important to be responsible for yourself and have some type of insurance.  I wonder why then do so many Realtors skip it?

Bill- Yes, health care kept me with a day job for many years.  It's hard to give up those employer paid perks, but the thought of not having medical insurance is/was scary to me.  I am glad that our state association gives Realtors options for a group plan.  It helped me make my dream come true so that I could do this full time.  An engineer, huh?  Uh-oh, I heard they know how to do everything!  LOL.

Dorie - I agree it does come down to an issue of responsibility.  You have to be responsible for yourself and part of that is having insurance.

Anita - You are fortunate.  Good benefits are hard to come by!

Debbe - Yes, I think Glenn #3 focused the issue and Linda #5 brought it home for me.  The way the system is right now you just better have insurance.  The reality is you will be denied non-emergency care if you don't have insurance, and if it is something major you will not be able to afford to pay for it. I have no idea why our system is organized this way -- and if you ask me we get very little for all we pay -- but I guess that can turn into a whole other post.  Yes, I've worked for insurance before too and I know MANY people who do that too.  So many Realtors are skating on the issue though.  I was shocked to find out that someone as successful as Laurie Manny didn't have health insurance!

Sonja- LOL re: skateboarding.  Yes, I want the option of going to the doctor if I want or if I need to.   I also want to be able to get the treatment I need if something catastrophic happens.  I know my family would be reaching to try to help me no matter what so the burden would fall on them.

Good point Bill!  Not many people make it through their life without need of some type of health care.  In our society, health insurance is a must.

Frank & Karen- Thanks!  I would say that if you can't afford to pay the cost of your health insurance -- even just some basic coverage -- that you might not want to do real estate.  It really should be a part of what you estimate as a business cost.  So many people jump into the business without understanding the real costs and think that insurance is just something they can forgo to keep their expenses down.

Dr. Maya - That is a sad story indeed.  I'm not one for suing everyone, but I do hope that hospital was sued and held accountable for the role they played.  Very sad.  Yes, we do need insurance.

David - Yes peace of mind.  At least if you have it you know you've done all you can.  And chances are even if the insurance isn't great you'll still be able to get basic care.  Thanks for the tip on supplemental disability insurance.

Steven and Jan - Yes, it is a sore spot.  You're right health insurance ties a lot of people to jobs they don't want.  I too think we need a bigger solution.  Compared to what some others are saying, $1100 for two people sounds cheap.  I'm really amazed at the numbers that are being thrown out there.  I guess that is why so many Realtors are out there taking chances.

Conrad - Well I think Linda made a good point when she said that not having insurance may mean you won't get treatment at all.  Dr. Maya's comment (#33) also detailed how even a perceived lack of insurance can work to your disadvatage in receiving the care you need.  After all, you can only worry about your assets if you're still breathing.

Thanks Conrad.  It's true isn't it?

Corinne - Yes dental insurance can come in handy too.  I thought about getting some recently but my dentist told me it wasn't worth it.  I'm glad you got that bonus too!

Brian - I also think this is an important issue.  So many people taking chances with their health -- they do believe that if they get sick that they will be able to get treatment but that is not always the case.  You will be in a tight spot.

Justin- Me too...only I don't know if I would be able to learn the language.  LOL.  I really think we need to make some improvement in this country.  In addition to being expensive in my opinion the service kinda sucks.  What ever happened to house calls?  They still do those in other countries.