This post is sponsored by Aflac. I was compensated for writing it, but all opinions are 100% mine.

It’s been exactly five months and four days since I graduated college! Ahhh!! The amount of expenses that I’ve incurred since I walked across the stage has been unreal. I moved into a new apartment that is exactly double the rent I used to pay, I now have a washer and dryer which has pretty much doubled my light bill, my car has been acting crazy, and I’ve also had a few minor health problems. Chile, I still haven’t found that good post graduation job so I’ve been doing a lot of freelancing and temporary work.  I’m part of the 76% of Americans who live paycheck to paycheck. The reality is that since I’m in such a transitional point in life, I’m not yet fully prepared in case of an emergency.  That’s super scary to me!

In April of this year, I was in a car accident, the other driver had no insurance and has since disappeared off the face of the Earth.  I’m so glad that I was still on my parents insurance at the time. I was rear ended by this truck and hit my face on the steering wheel. My face was bleeding and I was  taken to the emergency room and my car was towed. Chile, I didn’t know the man didn’t have insurance at the time. I didn’t get that information until about 10 days later when the police report was available.  So all of a sudden I had to pay for all of this stuff…and this was like a month  before college graduation. I’m trying to prepare for my future and now I’m suddenly bombarded with bills. My parents insurance covered a good chunk of the cost but I think it’s important to know that insurance plans don’t cover everything. So you should always try to save a few coins for emergencies…this is separate from your rainy day fund too. I ended up paying $300 or so to get my car out of the towing facility, my hospital bill was about $4200 and I got a bill for my portion of $1000, then I got a $900 bill from the doctor, and a $99 bill from the city for my ambulance ride. Lawd, I’m still paying these bills off! 

I can’t imagine what these bills would look like if I didn’t have any healthcare coverage. It’s pretty scary to think about. As I get older, I have to be more involved in knowing what kind of insurance I have and what all is covered. I won’t always be on my parents plan and I wo’t always not have to pay for my own insurance….I learned that this summer. As a recent college graduate, I’ve had to look over a lot of different benefits for jobs and I have to weigh benefits in as a big factor when deciding where I’ll work. Does the employer offer insurance? Is it an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)  or a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)? Do they pay entirely for the employee? (Yes, some employers are super cool like that!)  If not how much does it cost if not? (No really…how much are they going to deduct out of my check?) Is there an option for the health care flex account? What is the copay for doctors visits? (If it’s more than $25…it’s not the plan for me.) What is the co-insurance percentage? (How much of services am I responsible for?) What is my maximum out of pocket cost for the year? Sooooo many questions! 

The 2014 Aflac WorkForces Report found that only 15% of millennial workers agree that managing health care expenses is an important part of their financial plan, and 19% say they don’t consider health care expenses a part of a financial plan at all. Guys…we can’t be this relaxed! It’s so important to know what your plan cost and what exactly you are getting with that healthcare plan and important to have a plan for how you will pay for expenses outside of what your insurance covers. Aflac can help! For years, Aflac has provided voluntary insurance that acts as a supplement to whatever insurance plan you already have. Aflac will pay you as the policy holder directly for unforeseen cost associated with a covered illness, injury, or loss. It’s really neat! The cash benefits can even be used to help pay for your basic car needs like rent and groceries. 

However, there is good news! Aflac can help you get covered. For nearly six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. The company’s voluntary insurance policies, which are designed to supplement major medical plans, pay policyholders directly for unexpected costs associated with a covered serious illness, injury or loss. In addition, the cash benefits can be used to help pay rent, gas, groceries, child care or any other out-of-pocket expenses a worker may have. Aflac has several different accident, dental, life, vision, cancer, hospital intensive care and other voluntary plans available. Call them and get more information because anything can happen at any time and it’s important to have a plan (and aback-up plan for that plan.) As a young person transitioning in life, I know that I have SO much other stuff to worry about. I don’t time to be worried about what’s covered on my insurance and what I would do if something happened.

Photo Credit: Sidney Mori Photography

 Oh yeah, I got fixed up after my accident just in time for graduation. I was able to walk across the stage without looking a bruised up mess.  UH Class of 2014… Go Coogs! 🙂

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.