The Importance of Securing Life in the City

Most people aspire to lead a glamourous life in the city. They hope to get into a good college or find a job at a large agency or MNC. The urban dream may seem like the ultimate goal, but it also comes with a few drawbacks that people don’t really talk about. Life in a big city can be dangerous. According to research conducted by Dr Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg in Germany, people living in cities are worse at handling stressful situations than their non-urban counterparts. In India, a study by Reuters Health found that the longer rural migrants live in urban cities, the more likely they are to develop health issues like diabetes or heart ailments. But poor health isn’t the only reason why life in big cities is dangerous. Let’s take a look at why it’s crucial to secure life in the city.

From January to November 2019, Mumbai roads witnessed 2,604 road accidents. This caused 2,679 injuries and 373 fatalities. In the capital city of Delhi, there were 5,601 accidents in 2019, which left 4,949 people injured and caused over 1,500 deaths. Even in cases of minor road accidents, the costs of repairing a car or two-wheeler can add up over time. In India, having a third-party [motor insurance](https://edelweissqa-ui.kellton.net/two-wheeler-insurance) policy is mandatory. But, a basic third-party policy will not help cover the cost of medical treatment required in case of an accident nor will it take care of the repair costs of the individual’s own vehicle. In Indian cities especially, it’s important to choose the right amount of coverage as getting a car or two-wheeler repaired can be quite costly. Motor insurance is just as important in rural India, but the cover required may not be as much!

Arcadis, an Amsterdam-based consultancy, found that the Indian cities of Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai ranked very low when it came to work-life balance. Of 100 cities studied in the 2016 Sustainable Cities Index, Mumbai ranked 86th while Delhi ranked 87th. Bengaluru, Kolkata and Chennai were ranked in the 70s. This should come as no surprise given that Indians work for an average of 2,195 hours per year. This is almost 50% more than individuals in Hamburg who work just 1,473 hours per year. The imbalance between work and home lives has led to bad lifestyle habits and increased stress – both of which contribute to India’s chronic heart disease and diabetes problems. Harvard conducted a study which showed that there were more cases of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in wealthy and urbanised states than other parts of the country.In September 2019, Nielsen surveyed 1,226 respondents across cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. They found that 63% of the population in top cities across India who get less than 7.5 hours of sleep per night are at the risk of developing serious heart conditions. Alarmingly, 58% of individuals between the ages of 30 and 40 who live in cities are prone to heart issues! Keeping this and the ever-rising cost of healthcare in mind, it’s important for individuals in cities to have good [health insurance](https://edelweissqa-ui.kellton.net/health-insurance-plan) coverage. A great health policy with adequate coverage will help city-dwellers deal with high medical bills as and when they arise.

In 2015, there were 3,217 house break-ins in Delhi, making up almost a third of the total 9,793 cases reported across India. Bengaluru reported 402 cases while Mumbai reported 432 cases. Conversely, smaller cities like Asansol, Indore and Kanpur reported 0 house break-ins during the same year. This clearly shows that people in larger cities are more likely to be the targets of house break-ins and robberies than those in smaller cities and rural areas. This makes securing homes in cities vital. Apart from secure locks and a great security system, it’s also important to have a good home insurance policy. Not only will the policy provide financial support after a break-in, but it will also help cover damage and repair costs after natural disasters like floods, bad weather, landslides and more!

Life in a big city isn’t easy. People are constantly hustling, trying to get their next big break and this can take a toll on their lives. From motor accidents to house break-ins and medical emergencies, city life can be quite expensive. With insurance, dealing with the monetary repercussions of city life is a little bit easier.

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/health-impacts-of-living-in-a-city/

https://in.reuters.com/article/us-india-health/in-india-poor-health-risks-rise-after-move-to-city-idUSTRE75E68C20110616

https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/road-accident-deaths-down-by-14-in-city/story-m1UOynx4pR9xie7vZ4HwqJ.html

https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/road-accidents-in-delhi-came-down-by-14-in-2019-report-2290044

https://thecsrjournal.in/csr-work-life-balance-in-india-v-s-the-western-countries/

https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/health/heart-disease-diabetes-world-heart-day-all-you-need-know-6038040/

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/india-heart-disease-risk/#:~:text=Men%20living%20in%20urban%20areas,Chan%20School%20of%20Public%20Health

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/64-per-cent-population-in-top-cities-have-poor-lifestyle-habits-are-at-risk-of-heart-disease-6029535/

https://ncrb.gov.in/sites/default/files/crime_in_india_table_additional_table_chapter_reports/Table%202.2_2015.pdf