WHY JOIN A BIG GROUP? Big groups are formed through various means :- large companies or coporation, usually having at least few hundred or even few thousand employees. large associations, coperatives and unions. insurance brokers' corporate client base. financial institutions like banks, finance companies, credit card companies, etc. managed care organisations. The above large groups would have the ability to negotiate and arrange for better benefits from insurers at a lower premium rate...MINIMUM PREMIUM, MAXIMUM PROTECTION. The reason for this is BULK PURCHASING. An individual can never enjoy such benefits if he were to purchase an insurance policy direct with the insurer or through an agent. The advantages (for the insurers) of the above big groups are :- READY MARKET...there is already an existing member base. MINIMUM GUARANTEED PREMIUM BASE...for the insurers because there is usually a minimum group size requirements for the scheme. LOW BUSINESS ACQUISITION COSTS...business acquisition costs for such business is much lower compared to the traditional mode of marketing making it one of the MOST LUCRATIVE CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION for insurance companies today. HOWEVER...there are also restrictions for ordinary members of the public, just like you and me, to join such big groups in order to take advantage of this mode of policy arrangement. Examples 1-3 above have quite a restritive "membership" requirements. Those who belong there are usually employees of such groups or they have some common professional tie-ups with them. NOT EVERYONE CAN BE PART OF SUCH GROUPS. Example 4 has very little restritions, everyone can be a customer of a bank, finance company or a credit card holder but they usually do not deal with comprehensive medical insurance products especially those that offer the "Hassle-free Cashless Payment System". BUT EVERYONE CAN BE A MEMBER OF A MANAGED CARE ORGANISATION OR MCO BY PAYING A NOMINAL MEMBERSHIP FEE.