When it comes to money, few topics trigger more frustration than insurance. We don't like paying for it, we don't like being told we have to buy it, and we especially don't like seeing our premiums rise year after year.
Yet, when disaster strikes—a car accident, a fire, or an unexpected illness—insurance becomes the one thing that can save us from financial ruin.
So why do we resent something that protects us? And how can we reframe that frustration into smarter financial thinking?
Insurance expert Karl Susman, host of The Insurance Hour, takes on this emotional tug-of-war head-on, explaining why our resentment toward mandatory coverage is both understandable—and misplaced.
At its core, resentment toward insurance comes down to a simple human truth: no one likes being forced to do anything.
Susman puts it bluntly:
"Being forced to do something is probably on my top ten list of least favorite things. It doesn't matter if it's good for me—I don't want it forced on me."
And yet, much of modern life involves mandatory insurance:
Homeowners insurance is required if you have a mortgage.
Auto insurance is required by law to drive.
Health insurance is practically unavoidable unless you're willing to risk six-figure medical bills.
These requirements aren't arbitrary—they exist because lenders, governments, and society at large have a vested interest in minimizing financial chaos. But psychologically, the experience of being told "you must" triggers resistance.
We equate freedom with choice. And when choice is removed, even a smart decision feels like a loss of autonomy.
Take the example of buying a home.
When a lender loans you hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy property, they want to be sure their collateral—your house—is protected.
If the home burns down and there's no insurance, they lose their investment. So they require you to carry fire insurance (and in some cases, flood insurance) for as long as you owe money on the loan.
From the homeowner's perspective, it feels like coercion: "I have to buy this policy just because the bank says so."
But from the lender's view, it's simple prudence: they're protecting their mon ...
