When Did Health Insurance Originate? 
That is a great question ! There were some types of travelers insurances offered in the 1840 's that covered you if your train crashed or steamboat sank , but other than that , there really was n't much until the late 1800 's when disability policies became popular . Britain passed a law in the early 1900 's that created a `` National Health Insurance '' , and most of Europe kind of adopted similar laws , but we did n't catch on until 1929 when us Texans -LRB- Baylor University Hospital , and some local teachers , I think -RRB- created a system of standardized costs for hospital stays . Shortly thereafter came Blue Cross/Blue Shield , and then all kinds of competing companies . The history of insurance is interesting stuff . Thanks for asking ! 