Christians and Insurance?

[Turpius]

Not sure if this is the right place for this thread, but here goes.....

Should Christians carry insurance? Life, health, etc.... or should we rely on the our brothers and sisters in the Lord when we have the sort of needs that insurance normally covers?

How does this refect on our trust in the Lord to care for us? For the record, I do currently carry life and health insurance, as well as car (mandatory in Ohio), but I have been thinking is this right or not?

 

[LadyEagle]

God expects us to be good stewards of our money. Making sure our home is covered in the event of a natural disaster or man-made disaster (insurance is required by the bank), making sure our car is covered so we can abide by state laws, making sure we don't leave our loved ones penniless should the Lord call us home or we be incapacitated by sickness or accident (Life and Health insurance) - Having insurance is just being good stewards of what God has given us.

Our church would probably help out with food should we need it. I seriously doubt they would pay to bury us or pay off thousands of dollars in hospital and doctor bills.

It is not lack of faith to have insurance. It is using the brain the good Lord gave us, IMO.

 

[gb93433]

Try to get into a hospital if you don't have insurance. The only folks who will take you are the county hospitals.

In fact if you do have insurance and are paying the premium it means you are living on less than if you did not have to pay. That takes more discipline.

 

[2Timothy4:1-5]

>>.... or should we rely on the our brothers and sisters in the Lord when we have the sort of needs that insurance normally covers?<<

Yeah, good luck on that happening. I've been in churches where the 'brothers & sisters' don't even notice you're missing a Sunday or two. With a church like that, how're you gonna get any financial help outta them? You ain't, that's how.

You're better off taking your chances with the big coporate insurance companies.

Have a nice day

Kenneth

 

[billwald]

A hospital can't refuse anyone treatment who NEEDS it.

Medical "insurance" is pre-paid medical service, not insurance. A young, healthy person would be better to put the money in the bank or wherever.

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by billwald:
A hospital can't refuse anyone treatment who NEEDS it.

Medical "insurance" is pre-paid medical service, not insurance. A young, healthy person would be better to put the money in the bank or wherever.

You are right to a point. Who decides if you need treatment? The hospital who has to pay their bills too.

About 10 years ago I was in great shape and exercising a lot until one day I unexpectedly ended up in the hospital and after three weeks they discharged me without a needed operation. Even some of the doctors told me I should have gone to the county hospital I eventually did and got the surgery. But I am paying it today for the problems I incurred at the time.

The run around I got was incredible. I don't wish that on anyone.

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by 2Timothy4:1-5:

Yeah, good luck on that happening. I've been in churches where the 'brothers & sisters' don't even notice you're missing a Sunday or two. With a church like that, how're you gonna get any financial help outta them? You ain't, that's how.

You are absolutely right. The majority are like that. But there are excepetions though. When I was a young Christian I went to a Bible church that if anyone had a need they took up a collection before we left the building. The church was started right after the depression by a young man who came there to visit his aunt at the age of 22. When the church reached 1200 it was still doing the same thing. God had always blessed that church with money to give away. They would send out about 20 missionaries each year to the mission field. About 100 per year were coming to Christ each year at the time.

 

[exscentric]

In my mind you should trust God to supply, not the brothers and sisters. God is the focus.

Home and car are normally required these days so we need to stay within the law set over us unless you feel insurance is unbiblical. If it is unbiblical in your mind, don't have home or car but even renting, you are responsible for replacement if you burn an apartment down so insurance might still be wise. Tents are cheap to replace

Health: That is a tough one to me. Till I was in my fifties we carried none for us or the three kids and seldom needed it. When the sixties hit, look out for the landslide of bills. We were on Company health programs or we would be on welfare with a mountain of debt.

I think someone suggested being a good steward - I'd add common sense as well. There are catastrophic policies that cover the big stuff but you catch the first thousand or two. Not an easy catch but you can dig out from under it. Now, 50,000, that is too much digging

Life: We had some in our twenties but dropped it. Life insurance usually covers any bills you leave and a little extra for the kids - our kids know there is little coming, but we keep the debt balanced with house value etc. so there shouldn't be any debt.

We do get some company subsidized - very low cost life insur. now (Term) so we do that - pretty good investment cuz we know we'se goin and its gunna cost em

I don't feel what we have done is not trusting God in later years - just wise steward ship with the little we have.

First fifty years God took very good care of us and we even saw brothers and sisters kick in now and then to help carry us through a break in income. When we hit fifties we suddenly were working for a great company with great benefits that were low cost so we took them. Had we not had them available we wouldn't have had insurance and would now be in big debt - I feel that is God's way of taking care of us right now.

As to funeral expenses which are also a part of all this. Cremation is realatively cheap 6-900 in many places and if you have been in the military they will plant you free in the national cemetaries. The person is gone - the funeral is for the living, which don't really need it so why spend 15,000 on it?

We don't even plan on having funerals - a word at the grave when they take the post hole digger out and drop us in, if someone wants it.

 

[Pastor Larry]

Insurance is definitely wise stewardship and a biblical approach to life.

Health insurance is not prepaid medical. Chances are, the cost of major medical bills far exceeds the premiums you have paid. But when or your family gets sick, you can wipe out your whole life savings.

To say that a hospital has to treat you in need misses the mark on several counts. First, it amounts to stealing, since you are taking some of value that you are not paying for. Second, it amounts to "Robin Hood-ism" since you are taking from the wealthy to treat the poor. The cost of unisured medical treatment drives everyone's cost up. Third, it does not provide for preventative medical care, which may be the single most important factor in keeping long term health care costs down. Problems found early can be treated much less expensively than problems found late.

It is, in most cases, very poor stewardship to not have insurance. It is not trusting God; it is presumption upon God. And you should not expect the church to bail you out because you don't spend your money wisely.

 

[Johnv]

Insurance is healthy stewardship. I have health insurance, auto insurance, homeowner's insurance, and life insurance.

I'm in the process of purchasing a "final resting place" and will also prepay my funeral needs.

I also have a life insurance policy on my children, since I would be unable to pay for their funeral expenses if something happenned to them. I've gotten some flack from other church folk on this one. But I reply "I have health insurance for my kids, so why is life insurance different?"

BTW, health insurance is NOT prepaid medical. I broke a thing or two in my college-sports days, and would not have been able to pay for the medical bills on my own. I was hospitalized in my early 20's which ran up a medical bill of $50,000. Had I taken the advice of some, I should have eschewed medical insurance and banked the $10 a month. Had I done that, I likely would still be paying for those medical bills today.

 

[billwald]

Christians are people who talke about Heaven but fight like hell to keep from going there.