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Earlier this summer, I caught a classic daycare disease from my kiddos — strep throat. I spent a solid week in bed, drinking mint tea and reading the Wall Street Journal. Not my finest moment, but I survived.

My husband, though? He likes to go the extra mile. So when it was his turn to be felled by daycare germs, he took things to the next level and caught pneumonia.

Of course.

But not just any pneumonia. Oh no. I'm talking full-on, multi-day hospital stay pneumonia.

(Side note: Why do the TODDLERS never get this sick? The boys will have a runny nose for three days, but we end up dealing with strep throat and pneumonia. I don't get it.)

After a few days of trying to just manage things at home, my husband looked at me and said, "I'm really struggling to breathe. I think this pneumonia is getting worse, not better."

When he said that, I didn't panic. Not because I'm a calm, relaxed person (I'm definitely not), but because I was prepared. I knew exactly which hospital to go to and that we'd be able to afford whatever treatment he needed. All because, months ago, I had taken the time to read through our health insurance policy so that I'd never feel caught off guard in case of an emergency.

Look, I get it. No one wants to spend their free time reading through insurance policies. It's not exactly fun (or riveting) stuff.

But you know what else isn't fun? Finding yourself in an emergency medical situation and not knowing where to go, how to get there, and is this going to tank our finances? Asking yourself, "Is that hospital I drive by every day in our network? Should we go to urgent care instead? Does our insurance even cover urgent care?"

I'm not even saying you need to know your entire policy inside and out. Really, there are only three or four things I recommend checking. But when you're in the middle of an actual medical situation, even that tiny bit of preparation can make all the difference.

So, before you're stuck in a situation where you're wondering what's covered, what's not, and how much this whole thing is going to cost, let's break it down.

Key Insurance Terms You Need to Know

Now, before we get into the five questions you should answer before you need emergency care, I want to review a few basic terms that are going to make navigating your insurance policy a whole lot easier. Consider this your insurance cheat sheet. (And if you're comfortable with all this already, feel free to skip to the next section.)

Deductible: This is the amount of money you have to pay before your insurance starts paying for your care. Let's say your deductible is $1,500. This means that you have to pay the full price for certain services or treatments until you've spent $1,500. After that, your insurance kicks in and starts paying part of your medical bills.

However, most insurance plans still cover a number of services before you meet your deductible; you just need to check your plan to find out. For example, even though our family hasn't hit our deductible this year, our health plan only charges a small copay for preventive care ($0), in-network doctors’ visits ($40), and even emergency room visits ($250), among others.

Copayment (Copay): A copay is a small amount you pay when you go to the doctor or need medical treatment or services. For example, you might pay $30 to see the doctor, and your insurance pays the rest of the bill. Copays are usually a fixed amount, so you always know what you'll owe for these visits.

Coinsurance: After you meet your deductible, you still might have to pay a part of your medical bill. This is called coinsurance. Let's say your coinsurance is 20%. If your bill is $100, you'll pay $20, and your insurance will cover the other $80. You split the bill with your insurance, but they cover the bigger part.

Out-of-Pocket Maximum: This is the most you'll have to pay in a year for your medical bills. Once you've paid this amount, your insurance will cover everything else for the rest of the year. For example, if your out-of-pocket maximum is $5,000, once you've paid that much, your insurance will take care of the rest.

In-Network vs. Out-of-Network: This is a big part of keeping your insurance costs down. Your insurance company has a group of doctors and hospitals they work with. These are called in-network providers, and they usually cost less. If you go to a doctor or hospital that isn't part of this group (out-of-network), it can be much more expensive. It's always best to check if your doctor or hospital is in-network.

Explanation of Benefits (EOB): After you visit a doctor or get treatment, your insurance sends you a paper or email called an Explanation of Benefits (EOB). This explains what your insurance covered and how much you still need to pay. It's not a bill, but it helps you see what your insurance paid for.

Where to Find This Information in Your Policy

You can usually find these details in the "Summary of Benefits" section of your insurance plan. You can also check your insurance provider's website or app, where you can see how much you've spent and which doctors are in-network.

When I go to my healthcare provider's website, I can search for specific services and see my benefits. Usually, the benefits will include the in-network price, the out-of-network price, and whether the annual deductible applies.

5 Questions to Answer Before You Need Emergency Car

Like I said, emergencies are stressful enough without having to worry about your insurance coverage. Preparing ahead of time by knowing the answers to these key questions can help you make quick, informed decisions when every minute counts.

Here are the most important questions to ask yourself — and your insurance provider — before an emergency arises.

1) Is My Preferred Hospital In-Network?

Knowing ahead of time whether that hospital only five minutes away from your house is actually in-network can save you a lot of money in an emergency. In-network providers offer lower rates because they have agreements with your insurance company, while out-of-network hospitals can be significantly more expensive.

Once you've identified the in-network hospitals, choose which one will be your "go to" choice in case of an emergency. (If you want, you can keep a list of all the in-network hospitals handy for quick reference.)

How to Check: Log in to your insurance provider's website or mobile app and use the "Find a Provider" tool. Alternatively, call your insurance company's customer service line to confirm whether your nearest or preferred hospital is in-network.

2) How Much Will a Trip to the Emergency Room Cost?

Understanding your potential out-of-pocket costs for an emergency room visit is crucial. Depending on your plan, you may be responsible for a copayment, coinsurance, or the full cost until you meet your deductible. Emergency care is often more expensive than regular visits, so knowing these details ahead of time can help you budget for unexpected situations.

For example, any time my insurance policy has changed, I always look up the price for "Emergency Room Visit - Outpatient" and whether the service is covered before my deductible is met. With our current policy, the annual deductible does not apply, so all we'll have to pay is the $250 copay.

You can take this a step further and check your policy benefits for inpatient care as well, but I personally don't go that far. If the situation is so severe that I have to be admitted to the hospital for inpatient care, that's that. As bad as it is, there's not much I can do.

How to Find Out:Review the "Emergency Services" section of your insurance policy or contact your insurance provider. They can explain what your copayment, coinsurance, or deductible responsibility would be for an ER visit.

3) What Is Covered Under My Emergency Room Visit?

It sounds wild, but not every visit to the emergency room may be considered "necessary" under your insurance plan. It's important to know what your insurer defines as an emergency, as this will affect what services they cover. In some cases, a condition that seems urgent to you may not meet your plan's criteria for full coverage.

How to Find Out:Check the emergency care section of your policy or contact your insurer to ask what situations are considered emergency care.

4) What Are My Options for Urgent Care? And How Much Will It Cost?

Urgent care centers are a great alternative to emergency rooms for non-life-threatening conditions. They typically have shorter wait times and lower costs. Knowing the locations of the nearest in-network urgent care centers can help you avoid an unnecessary (and expensive) ER visit.

When my husband was on his third day of a high fever with severe coughing, we knew urgent care could handle the initial visit (and pneumonia-confirming x-ray), which we knew had a copay of only $40 – much more manageable compared to a $250 ER visit. But when his condition worsened and his oxygen levels dropped into the mid-80s, we knew that a hospital visit was unavoidable.

How to Plan:Use your insurance provider's website or app to find in-network urgent care centers close to you. Note their addresses and hours of operation so you have the information ready in case you or a family member needs care.

5) Do I Need Prior Authorization for Certain Services?

Some insurance plans require prior authorization before you can receive certain treatments or services, especially for non-emergency procedures. While emergency care doesn't usually require prior authorization, it's still a good idea to know if your insurer has any specific rules for follow-up care or hospital stays after the initial emergency.

How to Check:Review your insurance policy's section on authorizations, or contact your insurance company to confirm whether prior authorization is needed for any services related to emergency treatment.

How to Create a Plan

Once you've answered these questions, it's time to create an emergency plan. This takes just a few minutes and can help you avoid scrambling in a stressful moment:

Review your insurance policy, especially if it changes. Bookmark your insurer's website and app for quick access to in-network providers and coverage details. Your benefits and coverage details should be defined in the "Summary of Benefits" section of your policy.

Know what's covered and what the basics will cost. Familiarize yourself with your deductible, copays, and out-of-pocket maximum for emergency care (as well as if your deductible applies to ER visits) so you're not caught off guard by unexpected costs. Again, these details should be defined in the "Summary of Benefits" section of your policy. If you can't find what you're looking for, try the website's search function or even give your provider a call.

Pick your nearest/preferred hospital that's in-network. Do the same for urgent care. Use your insurer's website or app to find in-network providers near you. You can usually search by ZIP code to locate the closest hospitals and urgent care centers. If you don't have a great memory or are one to freeze in emergencies, you can even write down the name and contact information for your "go to" hospital or urgent care facility. Keep this list in an easily accessible place, such as on your phone or in your wallet.

Make sure you can access your insurance information in an emergency. I like to keep my insurance card in my wallet, as well as a digital copy that I can access on my phone. This card should have the contact information for your provider so you can ask any questions you have as they arise.

Know that all of this is complicated, and you have rights to protect you in emergencies. While you'll want to use in-network providers whenever possible, there may be times when you need to go to the nearest available hospital, regardless of network status. The No Surprises Act protects you from surprise bills in these situations by ensuring that out-of-network emergency care is billed at in-network rates. (Even so, I still prefer to stick with actual in-network providers, given the opportunity, because then I know my care will be billed at that rate, rather than potentially having to fight it out with my insurance provider.)

You're also protected by the "Prudent Layperson Standard," which requires insurance companies to base their coverage for emergency care on symptoms, not the final diagnosis. That means insurance should still cover your treatment even if your appendicitis symptoms turn out to be just a really bad stomach bug.

With a little preparation, you can have an emergency plan in place that helps you navigate healthcare costs without stress. By knowing your insurance coverage, identifying in-network providers, and understanding your financial responsibility, you'll be ready for whatever comes your way. Emergencies are unpredictable, but how you handle them doesn't have to be.