Being the son of an insurance agent, I have this view on protective devices:
The initial cost of the protection will outweigh the cost of damage when it happens. I only say "when" because I know that in this sport, more than likely, it will happen. It's not so much the actual cost of getting yourself fixed, but the cost of a long term, perhaps for life, pain or disability type situation. Sacrificing your bodily abilities for dollars is not really worth it, in my opinion. I don't buy the less approved helmets, and I look long and hard at other devices to make sure they are better built and have better support, both hardware and consumer wise.
Asterisk has a great product, and they have great customer support. My wife has them, and my best friend has them. I WILL have them in the near future, I am sold on the performance of this product.
Roost