As I attended a cancer seminar at a private hospital last month, the overriding concern among patients was not just health, but the looming financial burden of treatment after a serious diagnosis. It’s a well-known fact that deadly diseases don’t just take lives – they can also bankrupt affected families. Cancer is not the only culprit.

Many illnesses are both fatal and financially devastating.

I remember a friend whose mother suffered from renal failure. For three gruelling years, she required dialysis costing Rs 25,000-30,000 monthly, draining the family’s resources. They desperately sold gold, borrowed money – any means to cover her treatment.

This was before the SEHAT health insurance scheme began providing free coverage up to Rs 5 lakh per family in Kashmir.

This begs the question: why don’t more Kashmiri families proactively secure health insurance? When purchasing a mid cap car, it’s common to pay an insurance premium exceeding Rs 25,000 per annum.

Yet there are numerous affordable health insurance packages available in the market which can provide coverage up to Rs 10 lakh for a family of four, with annual premiums above Rs 20,000.

Breaking this down monthly for a family, it equates to around Rs 500 per person – a nominal amount for most. While this may seem unnecessary when healthy, it can save families financially and provide security if illness arises. Health insurance means the difference between accessing treatment or accruing debt. For a small monthly investment, Kashmiris can safeguard against the high costs of medical care.

While this modest monthly investment may seem unnecessary when healthy, it can rescue families financially if misfortune arises. Health insurance can mean the difference between receiving life-saving treatment or accruing devastating debt.

With reasonable options available, Kashmiris must start viewing health insurance as essential, not just for peace of mind but for financial protection. A small preventative measure now can save families from later financial ruin.

Since launching, the SEHAT scheme has enabled over 10 lakh patients to access treatment, saving an expenditure of Rs 1,844 crore. Though this government program provides free insurance, its upper limit is Rs 5 lakh per family annually. This coverage cap further underscores the need for supplemental private health insurance.

When I asked a doctor friend why more Kashmiris don’t secure insurance, he wryly replied that people here invest in their happy days but fail to prepare for rainy times ahead.

I also discussed this with Dr Jatinder Arora, Zonal Director at Paras Hospital chain, who shared that in New Delhi, above 60% of patients tap insurance claims to pay for treatment in private hospitals, while the concept is still novel in Kashmir.

Kashmiris must recognise that illness and accidents happen unpredictably. Having insurance means access to quality care without financial fear.

As costs soar, health insurance has become as vital as auto and home coverage. Kashmir’s culture emphasizes helping others – we must also help protect our own families.

Just as savings provide security for the future, health insurance offers stability when health falters. It’s time Kashmiris embrace this essential financial safeguard.