Dental Dillema

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I used to love going to the Dentist when I was a kid. The stickers, the free kids toothpaste, the lollipop... it was ace. Unfortunately I eventually grew up and saw the flipside after I had my first of many run-ins with 'The Drill'...

My biggest whammy came after a 3-year exile from Dentistry. 6 fillings and a few hundred quid lighter, my wariness of the profession began. But I thought I had the beating of him this time around, yes Siree...

After my latest 3-year stay of execution from a check-up, I prepared myself by taking out a Dental Insurance policy. £184 smackers down, I'd hedged my bets against the huge bill I was anticipating. Brimming with confidence, ready for anything, I came away sorely dissapointed from the surgery yesterday.

He didn't fill a chuffing thing.. Not even a bit of root canal or the odd crown. No replacement teeth.

What the hell had I wasted my cash on?

It got me thinking about Insurance and the philosphy behind it. Effectively, whenever you take out an insurance policy you're betting against yourself. Be it loss from a result of your stupidity, bad luck or otherwise, your hedging your bets against a positive outcome.

Isn't that behaviour frowned upon in betting circles? I got a lot of stick only last month for betting on a Croatia victory, how is insurance any different?

Then you consider how the setup works. You only ever get 'odds' (payout figures) for when you are at a personal loss - many of which cash alone cannot repair. At that point you have to go though all the hurdles of a claims process in the hope that the result of your misery can be turned around with a payout.

Personally, I think the whole insurance concept should change, or at least offer the odds the other way around for fairness. Why can't you take out a policy that rewards you for not getting in trouble? I'd like to take out a bet that I don't end up with a life threatening disease, don't get mugged, or my house doesn't get burgled or water damaged.

Why should the Insurance companies have all the fun setting the terms? We always know the bookie always wins, yet we've let them get away with it all these years! Why should we stand for this scam any longer?

My suggestion - Car Insurance excepted, sod the lot of it. Don't take any. I spend something like £600 on various policies, I'd rather take control of the odds and take it down William Hill's instead.

Think different, bet on a positive outcome - it's much more fun isn't it?