Individual health insurance can be expensive and restrictive. But if you are not covered by a group plan, it may be your only choice. If you need individual health coverage, the Internet can help you find free health quotes from some of the nation's leading insurers.
Some of the reasons you may need to find individual health insurance include:
- You’re self-employed.
- Your employer doesn’t offer coverage.
- You’re a new hire and have to wait six months or a year before you can join a plan.
- You’re not working and therefore don’t have access to group insurance.
Unfortunately individual health insurance policies are harder to qualify for, are more expensive then group health insurance and have more restrictions on coverage than their group counterparts. But finding a low cost plan is a necessity. Here are some tips in getting the best deal on finding low cost individual health insurance.
Determine whether you need permanent coverage or only limited coverage for a certain period of time (such as six months until your group insurance starts, for example). If you only need temporary coverage there are a number of private companies that will provide you with quotes and that sell policies for periods of up to one year.
If you need permanent coverage, make a list of all the business, professional and fraternal organizations and associations to which you belong. Call each one and see if it offers some kind of group medical plan. This is technically group insurance, but you’ll be evaluated based on your own individual medical situation. However, the terms of the policy are likely to be more advantageous than if you go out and get coverage on your own.
When you have found a couple of individual insurance options, it’s time to choose a policy. Consider these factors:
- What is the deductible?
- What is the lifetime cap – how much coverage will the policy provide?
- Does the coverage exempt pre-existing conditions?
- Do you have any special coverage requirements?
