Reply #18: It's a good idea in theory.

[SmokingJacket]

But too many people are like me: I'm healthy, knock on wood, and so is my family, but I dread the day someone comes down with something major... without coverage, we could die AND lose our house. The chances are small, but real.

My family has a catastrophic policy: if we get sick we pay up to -- gulp -- $10K, which we have stashed away as untouchable savings. As it is, I lie awake at night worrying. Without that policy, I'd never sleep soundly again.

So far, we might as well NOT have had insurance, because we pay for everything out of pocket.

But we need to keep what we have for peace of mind, in case the unthinkable happens.

(I would consider a strike for a short time... except that once we drop this policy we will never get it back again. They're trying to do away with individual policies like ours.)