Against catastrophe

Ammar Yacoub failed to see the point of insurance — why regularly spend cash on something you might never use? So when money got tight in early 2008, he needed to cut expenses and decided not to renew his family’s health insurance, due to expire on May 1. Then, 11 days before the family’s coverage ran out, Yacoub’s son, Mamoun, was diagnosed with leukemia. Fortunately, Yacoub was able to renew the family policy, and their insurance has since covered most of the $35,000 their son’s treatment has cost to date. “Without coverage, I would have had to sell my house or take a loan,” said Yacoub. “I realize now that insurance, especially health insurance, is a necessity, not a luxury.” Yacoub, however, is a minority in this country: most Syrians come in contact with insurance only when they buy a car and discover that it needs to be covered for