How To Shop For Individual Health Insurance
|
If you find yourself in the position of shopping for anindividual health insurance policy, there are certain thingsyou'll want to keep in mind. Whether you are coming out of a job that covered you before, or are at the end of yourCOBRA benefits, or simply have never had coverage beforethere are things you can do to get coverage on yourself andyour loved ones.
The basic thing to know is that if you have a shot a grouphealth insurance, whether through a job or an association you're a member of, that is usually much more affordablethan buying individual health insurance on your own. Firstyou need to figure out your health insurance goals; in otherwords, what are you after? If you're young, healthy as ahorse, no dependents and not attempting Mt. Everest nextweek, you may want to opt for a policy that covers only thecatastrophes, and cover the rest out-of-pocket. On the flipside of that, if you're the sole bread winner with a familyto support, the scenario is different.
The basic choices you'll have are Fee-for-Service, ManagedCare Plans, and Association-based health insurance. Fee-for-service is the traditional indemnity plan, harder toacquire, more expensive, but usually great coverage.Managed care plans include most HMO's and PPO's. These offerlower costs but your choices are somewhat limited. Anotherway to get insured is through a group or association youmay already be a member of, such as professional, religiousor trade organizations. Often they may offer healthinsurance. It's worth checking out, as sometimes you canstrike gold in this vein.
Things to consider when you're looking for any policy arewhat's covered on this plan, how much are the monthlypremiums, what is the yearly out-of-pocket, what is thedeductible, how much are office visits, does it coverpreventative medicine, vision, dental? And I'm sure you cancome up with many of your own. Sit down before you goshopping and make a list of your needs and wants, and decidein advance what you're willing to give to get. Be aware thatonce you start getting quotes they can vary as much as 50%for the same person! Remember, you're shopping, and nobody'smaking you do anything. If one insurer isn't cutting it,move on to another. If you're coming at this cold and haveno good recommendations it may be wise to use a broker whorepresents several companies, as he or she wil be morelikely to find the best policy for you, as opposed toselling the company they work for.
Shopping for individual health insurance can befrustrating and time-consuming, but if you come armed withfacts you'll be able to navigate this highly competitive andever-changing field.
Keith Thompson is the webmaster at health Insurance Plans, asite geared toward helping you find great individual healthinsurance!
|
|
|
Medical Insurance Overseas
Thousands of people have work related commitments and in order to fulfill those commitments they have to travel abroad. Have you ever realized that most of the insurance company's provide only domestic medical coverage? So, whenever you are leaving your home country, do check up with your current Insurance Company whether they have Medical Insurance Overseas.The purpose of taking medical insurance is that you should be covered under all circumstances and to get the medical cover where it is required. So, "Do not postpone for tomorrow; there maybe law against it" and try to get the Medical Insurance Overseas benefits as soon as possible.Things like medicines, fees charged by the doctors, evacuation if required and all other hospitalization fees are incl...(related: Insurance)
Sleep-at-night Coverage With A Private Health Insurance ( Affordable Health Insurance )
Health Insurance: a sense of dissatisfactionThe three C's, customization, consumerization and customer-satisfaction, seem to be at the core of the business mantra for every service provider. The health insurance provider industry is no exception to this rule. With an increasing concern among the tax payers of US regarding the...(related: Insurance)
Inexpensive Life Insurance To Protect What You?ve Earned
Adequate life insurance to cover your income producing ability is a product that is really needed today to give peace of mind. Life insurance was originally conceived to protect a man's family when his death left them without income. Over time is has developed into a variety of policy plans. In a "whole life" policy, fixed premiums are paid throughout the insured's lifetime; this accumulated amount, augmented by compound interest, is paid to a beneficiary in a lump sum upon the insured's death; the benefit is paid even if the insured had terminated the policy. Under "universal life," the insured can vary the amount and timing of the premiums; the funds compound to create the death benefit.With "variable life," the fixed premiums are invested in a portfolio (with earning reinvested), and the death bene...(related: Insurance)
5 Strategies To Reduce Your Car Insurance Premiums
Your latest car insurance bill has arrived and it is not a pretty site. In fact, it is downright ugly! What can you do? Must you remain hostage to the ever spiraling rate increases foisted upon you when your policy renews? In a word, no. Let's examine five strategies you can practice today to help reduce your car insurance premiums immediately.1. Shop For A New Policy. Even with "loyalty discounts" in place, many consumers will find that a competing company will offer significant savings over your current plan. This especially holds true if your state recently opened up the market to invite more competition in.2. Change Your Coverage. If your vehicle is old, you many want to consider dropping collision coverage. Your comprehensive coverage may also be due for reexamination. Fin...(related: Insurance)
Finding California Truck Insurance
It's very easy to find California truck insurance on the internet today. No longer does your search require numerous phone calls, faxes, brochures, going to the office and placing calls to (10) or so agents to find a decent California Truck Insurance quote.There is a certain amount of knowledge needed to properly provide accurate quotes and most agents don't develop the commercial insurance knowledge to comfortably work in that market segment.There are also a limited amount of companies that write commercial vehicle coverage so it does take a small additional effor...(related: Insurance)
Health Savings Account (hsa): Helpful For Older People?
The Health Savings Account (HSA) is an amazing tool that a lot of people have been talking about. It is meant to help you save money on insurance and make your life simpler, maybe even help you be healthier.But do HSAs work just as well for older Americans? The answer depends on your age.Let's start with someone older than 65. Once you turn 65, you are eligible ...(related: Insurance)
Will Online Automobile Insurance Quotes Really Save Me Money?
If you're looking to save money on your auto insurance then online automobile insurance quotes are definitely something you want to look into. But there are more benefits to shopping online besides saving money. Receiving you car insurance quote online is fast, extremely easy, and exceptionally convenient. Generally speaking the quotes you qualify for are generated with...(related: Insurance)
Insurance In Northern Ireland: Historic Difficulties
No doubt most readers will have heard of the Northern Ireland "troubles" or possibly seen some of those ghastly images from the seventies, eighties and early nineties on your television screens. Thankfully the worst of those dark days seem to be over. Unless you are a Northern Ireland resident you probably won't be aware of the impact the "troubles" has had on insurance premiums in that part of the world, especially on motor vehicle insurance rates.The lawless activities of those times saw a huge increase in vehicle theft for use in criminal activities or to build hastily erected roadblocks, usually resulting in cars, vans and buses being burnt out. So called "joyriding" was then and still is a big ...(related: Insurance)
Should You Have Higher Deductibles On Your Coverage?
What is a deductible? A deductible is the amount you pay before your insurance carrier pays any claim. Insur...(related: Insurance)
The Surety Bond Domino Effect
I have written many articles about the hard surety bond market. To my surprise many want to know more details as to how we got to where we are at. Like all industries the surety bond industry is heavily influenced by the economy. We can all remember the strength of the US economy at the end of the millennium; it seemed that businesses were flourishing with prosperity everywhere you turned. By the end of 2000 the economy began to slow down. The success of any contractor is directly...(related: Insurance)
Underinsurance Can Spell Disaster For Homeowners
Insurance is meant to give homeowners peace of mind, but an increasing number of policy holders are putting themselves at risk by neglecting to insure their home and conten...(related: Insurance)
Why Do You Need Homeowners Insurance?
The biggest single investment most people make in their lifetime is buying a home, condominium or townhouse. What you want to do is protect your home, personal property and any type of liability with a homeowner's insurance policy.Homeowner's insurance just does not cover homes, but it will cover those who rent homes, apartments, condos, and townhouses. These homeowner's policy are referred to at renter's homeowner policies. If you are a renter, you will not need protection against damage to the building itself, but you will need protection against damage or theft of your personal property and any type of liability just in case so...(related: Insurance)
Everything You Need To Know About Life Insurance
Life insurance is a type of protection that can be bought and insures the buyer in the event of death. The risk that is assumed by the insurer is the risk of death of the insured. Life insurance is a very good purchase in order to protect a family, especially if you are the sole breadwinner. Additionally, life insurance can help pay for funeral costs and therefore ensure that your death will not be a financial burden for your family.It is important to understand the process of life insurance in order to truly grasp its value. A life insurance transaction has three parties: the insured, the insurer, and the owner of the p...(related: Insurance)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 Insurance | All Rights Reserved. | Insurance