[tluyben2]

I felt invincible at that age and I did not feel the need to have insurance really; in NL insurance is mandatory but I had the cheapest of the cheapest. After a major event like a stroke, you usually cannot move, ever, from your insurance (at least not 'up'). Also, you cannot get income protection insurance after that, which, of course, now you will see the use of.

I wish I had forked out the cash for international health insurance, the largest package, before I had a stroke, but I did not as I felt nothing would happen to me. Now that I live in another country and I travel a lot, I get bitten by that naivity a lot. I would recommend, if you are healthy and have enough $ to take an international health insurance package as you will never know what happens.