POWER OF ATTORNEY
FOR EXECUTING FORMS 3, 4 AND 5

KNOW ALL MEN BY
THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each
of Glenn W. Reed and Peggy G. Simpson signing singly, his/her true and
lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1)  execute for and on behalf of the
undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity as an officer and/or director of
UICI (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Act"), and the rules thereunder;


(2)  do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any
such Forms 3, 4 or 5, complete and execute any amendments thereto, and
timely file such form with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

(3)  take
any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing
which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in
the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf
of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form
and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may
approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby
grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and
perform all and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary and
proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein
granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution and
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact,
or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights and
powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing
attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the
undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Act.


This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to
the undersigned's holdings or and transactions in securities issued by the
Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing
delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
undersigned has executed this Power of Attorney as of this 8th day of
August, 2002.

/s/ Glenn W. Reed