Back to Insurance and Risk Protection
11+financial-independence

Cost of NOT insuring

Understand why the expected value calculation: if a 2,000,000 in local currency medical event has a 5% annual probability, expected annual cost = 100,000.

In this lesson

Cost of NOT insuring is part of Insurance and Risk Protection. This preview shows how financial-independence connects to everyday family decisions such as earning, saving, spending choices, goals, approvals, or parent-guided money conversations inside Progress Penguin.

Today’s money mission

Imagine this situation: You skip health insurance at 80000 in local currency/year for 5 years (400000 in local currency saved). In year 6, you have a medical emergency costing 2000000 in local currency.

What you need to know

The expected value calculation: if a 2,000,000 in local currency medical event has a 5% annual probability, expected annual cost = 100,000. Insurance at 80,000 in local currency/year costs less than the expected loss — and removes all uncertainty. Even if the event never occurs, you bought rational protection against a real risk. The 'wasted' premiums bought genuine risk reduction.

Real-life example

Real-life money moment: Design a minimum insurance portfolio for a 19-year-old local starting their first job, earning 150000 in local currency/month, with aging parents who depend partially on their income. — Minimum coverage rationale: health insurance (critical — one hospitalisation could cost more than a year's savings). Life insurance (necessary — parents depend on your income; term life at 19 is very cheap). Emergency fund (the self-insurance layer for smaller risks). Total 10,000 in local currency/month is manageable at 150,000 in local currency income. Without it: one major health or life event devastates both you and your parents financially.

Progress Penguin connection

In Progress Penguin, complete or review one practical action connected to “Cost of NOT insuring.” Use this lesson objective: Understand the key principle behind cost of not insuring. Record what you checked, the evidence you used, and your next step.

Activity preview

Choose the best money move

Use what you just learned. Choose the option you can explain.

Quiz preview

The real cost of skipping insurance is:

Catastrophic exposure to rare big losses
Save premiums for the typical person
Nothing given the circumstances
Random as a reliable approach

You skip health insurance at 80000 in local currency/year for 5 years (400000 in local currency saved). In year 6, you have a medical emergency costing 2000000 in local currency. Net outcome?

You saved 400000 in local currency and now owe 2000000 in local currency — good overall
Net cost of not insuring: −2000000 in local currency emergency +400000 in local currency saved = net loss of 1600000 in local currency compared to having insured.
The emergency cost is just bad luck — insurance would not have changed the financial analysis
You should have self-insured for 5 years and bought insurance in year 6