Rs 12,000 iPhone cover, designer clothes and premium gym membership but an essential thing missing. Bengaluru CA explains the mistake young professionals keep making

It’s easy to get caught up in looking rich. The latest iPhone, designer clothes, a premium gym membership—they make you feel successful, visible, and on top of your game. But appearances can be dangerously deceiving. What if all that lifestyle spending doesn’t protect you when life throws a curveball? In the pursuit of trending gadgets and Instagram-worthy outfits, many young professionals completely overlook the one financial tool that actually secures their future: health insurance.

Bengaluru-based CA Meenal Goel recently highlighted this issue on LinkedIn. She shared an eye-opening example of a 24-year-old with all the status symbols—a designer wardrobe, the newest iPhone case, and an expensive gym membership. Yet when asked about health insurance, the answer was a casual “my company covers it.” When the conversation shifted to what would happen after switching jobs or starting a business, there was only silence.

This is the harsh reality of relying solely on company-provided health coverage. Such insurance often covers you only while employed, with limited amounts—usually Rs 3–5 lakh, which may be insufficient for serious illnesses. Most plans exclude maternity, pre-existing conditions, or coverage for parents. In short, a single hospitalization could wipe out years of savings in one go.



Investing around Rs 15,000 per year in a proper health insurance plan at 25 can provide up to Rs 50 lakh coverage for life. Compare that to spending the same amount on trending gadgets, which depreciate to near zero in just a couple of years. One creates lasting financial protection; the other creates temporary status.


Meenal Goel’s example is a reminder that a flashy lifestyle doesn’t equal financial security. It’s not about how much you spend on visible luxuries—it’s about whether your money works for you when it matters most. The real wealth in young adulthood comes from choices that safeguard health, future income, and peace of mind, not the items you can show off on social media.