Surviving the High Cost of Recovering from a Catastrophic Illness or Injury

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Dec. 29, 2012

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/53684-assurant-surviving-the-high-cost-of-recovering-from-catastrophic-illness

With the improved survival rate from catastrophic illnesses often comes the necessity of continuing medical care and related expenses. Today, the average cost of survival for a heart attack or stroke patient is $100,500.² Unfortunately, many of these costs are not covered by standard medical insurance.

"Despite having good insurance, I am many, many thousands of dollars in debt. It is not going to be easy to get out of," said Steve, a heart attack survivor. "Until you're older, you think you're bullet proof. You are 42-years-old. You don't expect to get a pacemaker. You don't expect your heart to stop. You don't expect to be in an emergency room with your wife thinking you are going to die."

Critical illness insurance and other voluntary insurance can help. These benefits cover out-of-pocket medical and non-medical expenses.

"A serious illness or injury is stressful enough to go through without the additional pressure caused by expensive medical bills," says Dr. Polly Galbraith, vice president and chief medical director at Assurant Employee Benefits, an employee benefits and services insurance provider. "Higher survival rates should be celebrated, not the cause of added anxiety."

Learn more about Steve's story and the benefits of critical illness and other voluntary insurance benefits through a series of videos highlighting the impact of a serious illness or injury and the importance of ensuring that your income is protected on Assurant Employee Benefits' YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/aebnews.