Many college students fore-go student health care insurance simply because they believe it is too expensive. While health insurance coverage can be very expensive, student health care insurance plans are generally less expensive than traditional plans. Students 18-24 are among the healthiest in the population and health care rates are favorable for students because of this.The importance of student health care insurance is often overlooked. While most college students are saddled with large amounts of education debt and housing costs, they often overlook student health care insurance as an investment in their future.Many college students do not understand the need for some type of health insurance coverage to protect themselves in the event of an accident or illness. The rising costs of medical care can take a simple illness that at one time cost hundreds of dollars to treat and turn it into thousands of dollars in medical bills. Diagnostic test and lab work are very expensive and quickly add up. Becoming overburdened with medical bills and education costs could lead to a financial disaster that could have been avoided.College is an investment into the future of the person attending school, and the health of the student is an asset that should have some protection from unexpected events. While many students are covered on their parents health care plans, an alarming number of people are losing their benefits because of a parents job loss.So what should college students do to protect themselves from a health crisis? First, find out if there is an affordable student health care insurance plan by comparing rates and costs. Most insurance companies or agencies allow real time quoting and plan comparison side by side on line. Comparing plans is easy and there is no obligation to buy any insurance. While you will have to enter in personal information to get plan prices, the information is well worth the fifteen or twenty minutes that it will take. Plan costs will vary by State, the amount of coverage, coverage type, and plan options. There are many affordable plans for less than $100.00 per month, with a higher deductible. Picking a higher deductible will dramatically decrease the cost of the plan that you pick.If student health care insurance is just not in your budget, consider buying a catastrophic accident and illness plan that will cover you in the event of a major medical crisis. Catastrophic health insurance plans are very affordable and will give you good coverage, should you have a major health care event. While catastrophic plans do not offer general coverage, prescription benefits, and the other services offered by a traditional plan, the value in the plan is the protection you will get should you ever need it.If you find yourself without the ability to buy any type of student health care insurance, many college campuses offer free or lost cost health clinics to help their students. Many prescriptions can also be purchased from some of the major drug store chains in the generic variety at a very low cost. If you find yourself in need of medical care and do not have any type of coverage, speaking with your campus counselor will help you to find local resources to assist you.