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Comment on Why is it apparently cool and fine for insurance companies to spend countless billions, trillions of our money constantly buying ad time?

dustyData@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago

Well, it’s not your money. You’re gambling with them, your bet is that you’ll get sick or have an accident within X period of time, they’re gambling that you won’t. At the same time, to uphold your gamble, you have to do everything any sane person would do to avoid illness or accidents.

You pay the ante up-front, just like on gambling tables, that’s no longer your money. You’re down that money.

But, if your gamble gets an out, you get payed big time. Hopefully in the form of them covering a portion or a totality of your healthcare expenses. It’s a big dangerous casino, and as usual, the house always has the edge.

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Kiosade@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Except some people don’t get paid big time. A lot of people actually. Because they like to waste all the ante’d money on stuff like these stupid ads.

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WheeGeetheCat@sh.itjust.works ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Except the casino can refuse to pay out for any reason at all

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MonsiuerPatEBrown@reddthat.com ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Gambling required by the government to operate a vehicle seems like a bad analogy.

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- dustyData@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  I know, but that’s what literally it is. It’s even the historical origin of insurance as a concept. If you win, they have to pay your liabilities, if insurance wins, that means there hasn’t been any major accident or harm done. Either way, for the government, it’s a win-win. Either all it’s fine, or someone is ready to pay up the costs. The problem is, of course, scummy insurers who refuse to pony up their end of the bargain because they blew the money on ads, cocaine and hookers.
  
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HessiaNerd@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Insurance company are subject to regulations. They are lots of different regulations for different types of insurance and different states. The goals are to ensure that they are able to pay out when things go wrong, and to ensure a fair consumer practice. Generally all of the premiums they collect are supposed to be payed out and a large percent of the money is supposed to be held in reserve. They are supposed to be making money on investing the premiums.

It’s not about them winning the bet that they won’t have to pay. If they won that bet too much, it would be reflected in too high premiums, and competitors would just under cut them.

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- dustyData@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  Ahhh, the Free Market™ in action. When human suffering is the only economically viable option.
  
  /s
  
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