Several years ago, a gentleman told me he had a heart attack and the hospital bill was quite expensive.  He did not have insurance and was too young for Medicare so he didn't pay the bill.  He was keeping whatever money he had out of any type of account that might be legally attached.  Hopefully he lived in a "safe" neighborhood.  Another lady didn't want long-term care insurance as she thought it was a waste of money.  One day a member of her golf foursome ran over her foot with the golf cart and she was unable to care for herself.  She needed an aide to help with daily living functions.  She soon realized how quickly this expense ate into her resources and wanted to get insurance.  Unfortunately, although the incident was an accident, she wasn't able to get insurance while she was using a 3-prong cane.  I find as I age I tend to forget that I'm really getting older.  I also think tomorrow will be much like today and often it is, then one day life changes forever.  The cost of various types of insurance help to shift risk from me to the insurance company.  But I'm as guilty as anyone in thinking an insurance agent is just trying to "sell" me something.  I'm also guilty of not taking the time to understand insurance products and seriously consider those that might facilitate a better quality of life in the long-run.  I guess that's why us older folks can be called curmudgeons.