Regular readers know I dedicate every July article to the topic of freedom as applied to insurance coverages. In the past, these have included freedom from conflicting policy language, freedom from bad coverage requirements, and freedom from overbearing certificate demands. This year I'd like to consider how much better our industry might be if we gave insureds the freedom to be stupid.

First, let me be clear. I'm using “stupid” not as an insult based upon lack of mental ability, but to describe a deliberate, knowing choice others who consider themselves more “professional” might deem ill-advised or even dangerous.

Freedom to be stupid

This idea arose while reading Atul Gawande's highly enlightening book on how we treat our elderly, “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End.” His study reveals many accepted elder-care procedures to actually be detrimental. One of his key take-aways? True freedom must include the freedom to be stupid.

For example, if a diabetic 84-year-old wants to share some ice cream at her great-granddaughter's birthday party, should she be allowed a momentary pleasure or stopped by her nursing home attendants for violating her dietary restrictions? If a gentleman in his 90s decides he's enjoying his latest library book so much he stays up till 4 a.m. to finish the last chapter, doesn't he have the right to sleep in the next morning, rather than be awaked precisely at 9 a.m. because that's when his attendants have scheduled his morning medication?