The common decency of socialized medicine

[Peter Presland]

That's another thing I have NEVER understood about insurance - copayments.

Excess's - that's what we call them over here.

The theory, justification, sales-pitch - whatever - is that making the insured pay for the first $xxx of a claim discourages frivolous claims and makes for reduced premiums. It's just one of a whole raft of carefully crafted insurance industry scams designed to increase profitability. Things like the provision of life insurance or 'payments protection' insurance with a loan (often compulsory), so-called 'warranty insurance' on durable goods purchases. If you've ever wondered why the Electrical store cashier always offers some kind of 'insurance' with your new purchase (ernestly and with a come-on smile), it's because the commissions paid often generate more profit for the retailer than the goods themselves. Same applies to the provision of credit for large purchases like motor cars. Until the glorious crash, the profit bookable on the the loan provided for the purchase, together with payment protection insurance on it, far exceeded that on the car itself (Think GM and GMAC) - which explains why cash purchasers became persona-non-grata for an extended period from about the mid-nineties (over here anyway). Discounts for cash somehow morphed into paying a premium if you insisted on paying cash.

Oops - I'm rambling / ranting again.

But yes Orlov's humour is a real tonic.