Finding affordable health insurance doesn't have to be so difficult.
If your employer does not offer group health insurance, if you are between jobs, or if you're self-employed, finding affordable individual health insurance can be extremely challenging. With the vast number of misleading health care policies advertised on the Internet, it's often difficult to separate the legitimate and appropriate policies from the ineffective, or even fraudulent, products. By using safe and secure methods, you can quickly and easily find personal health insurance you can afford, and avoid the possibility of being scammed or left without adequate insurance protection.
Instructions
1. Contact your state's Insurance Department. Health insurance is regulated at the state level, and any legitimate insurance company that wants to conduct business and sell policies must be registered with your state's Insurance Department. By calling the Insurance Department, you can obtain a list of approved insurance carriers, as well as additional information about identifying misleading or fraudulent organizations.
2. Contact insurance carriers. Using the list of approved health insurance companies provided by your Insurance Department, contact each carrier's sales division. Many health insurance companies will accept information requests via email as well as telephone, so be sure to visit the carriers' websites as well. If telephone numbers are not available on the list of approved insurance companies, Directory Assistance can provide main telephone numbers.
3. Obtain quotes. Explain your situation to the sales representative, or describe it in an email. By providing the company with specific information about yourself, your family, your financial capabilities and an overview of your health status, representatives will be better able to structure and recommend health insurance plans that would be most appropriate and advantageous for your specific situation. Request quotes for every available individual health insurance policy sold by that carrier. Provide the method in which you want quotes returned by giving the representative your email address or fax number.
4. Examine and compare policies. When quotes have been returned, review the information and benefits summaries and compare them to the other quotes you have received. Pay specific attention to any limitations, exclusions or prohibitions contained in the policy. Some plans have limited benefits and will only pay specified amounts for certain procedures, leaving you responsible for any remaining balance. Plans with deductibles may be less expensive, but require you to pay the entire cost of any treatment before the carrier will begin to contribute. Co-insurance plans may be inexpensive compared to other policies, but only because the price for treatment is split between you and the insurance company based on a pre-defined percentage of cost-sharing. You must also consider the financial impact that the monthly premium may have on your ability to remain financially solvent. Choose a health insurance plan with a monthly premium that is within your capabilities, and out-of-pocket expenses that you can realistically afford to pay if you need treatment.
5. Request an application. When you have examined all available personal health insurance quotes and chosen the best one you can afford, request an application packet from the carrier. Call or email the sales department, or download the forms from the insurance company's website.
6. Complete and return the paperwork. Fill out the health insurance application in as much detail as possible and provide all required information. Answering relevant questions will help avoid potential delays in processing your paperwork. When you have completed the personal health insurance application, mail it to the insurance carrier along with a check for the first month's premium.
Tags: health insurance, Insurance Department, health insurance, insurance companies, insurance company, list approved
