5 Ways to Raise Insurance-Savvy Kids
When you’re sending your 18-year-old off to college, you’ll probably worry about whether they’ll be eating healthy meals and getting enough sleep at night.
You may also wonder if you’ve prepared them with the tools they need to succeed. Do they have a good grasp of smart health and financial habits? Specifically, do they know how insurance works?
Before they head out on their own, make sure you help them get ready by covering these five basics:
How to Approach Health Insurance
Even younger children can understand that health insurance helps pay for doctor visits. Take it further by going over these essentials.
1. Establish the Vocab
Introduce young people to insurance by defining the most important terms. Make sure they know what deductibles, premiums and copays are.
2. Talk About the Value
Be sure to emphasize that having insurance is critical even if you’re healthy, especially as the cost of out-of-pocket medical care soars.
3. Teach Them the Difference in Care
Educate your college-aged kids about how to get care based on their needs, such as only using an emergency room when the situation is life-threatening. Talk about using urgent care for routine illness to keep costs affordable.
4. Prepare Them for When They Turn 26
Talk to young adults about how their coverage works and how long they can remain on your policy. Most often, they can stay on their parents’ coverage until they are 26, assuming they’re still in school.
5. Instill Healthy Habits
Discuss the importance of prevention. For example, staying active, eating a well-balanced diet and getting enough sleep are all critical. It’s also important to stop in to see their doctor for an annual checkup.
Have questions about anything? Reach out today to make sure your health insurance coverage is the best your family could have.