At some point, the question stops being can you afford it and becomes can you afford not to? The good news for consumers is there are many companies fighting for your health insurance business which brings prices down.
First Steps - What Do You Need?
What should you look for in individual health insurance? There are some basic questions you should ask before purchasing a policy. You want to find just the right mix of coverage for your personal situation.
If you are a young healthy person you are going to have a much easier time getting coverage. On the contrary, if you have a serious medical condition it may be excluded from the policy, yet you must be up-front about that information. It is better to let them know now rather than later when you could get you claim revoked.
Always ask what your premium will be, what your deductible is, the yearly limit of coverage and their policies on pre-existing conditions. It is much better to be armed with all this information, before you seek coverage and find out you do not have it. Go in informed and insist on straight answers.
What Health Individual Health Insurance Plans Are Available?
Individual health plans can be set up just like the group benefits that employers once provided. There are HMO's and PPO's to choose from and you should read all the information you can get from the companies you are reviewing. Get a live person on the phone and ask all the questions you can.
Take notes of everything you are told, to compare to the paperwork you will be signing. When selecting an individual health insurance plan remember that the more healthcare you require due in large part to age, the more you will pay.
Individual health insurance plans can vary up to 50% from one carrier to another. You may get two quotes that are close but looking at the coverage could show some major differences. You need to spend some serious time looking at your options.
This is too important to rush through. If you do not understand something, stay on the phone until the representative can adequately explain it.
Remember - YOU Are The Customer, So Get The Product You Need
You are their customer and you deserve to have all the information you need to make an informed decision. Individual health insurance is provided by many different companies and an online search should be a first step.
You also should ask around to any friends and family with individual health insurance and see how they handled the process. Find out whom they use and if they are satisfied.
Individual health insurance policies are mostly in place for catastrophic illness. If anything were to happen to you, this protection will usually save you from limited care or bankruptcy.
There are health insurance agents available who can review individual health insurance plans and answer your questions and help you find the most coverage for the least money.
You just have to ask!
