Where to Get Low Cost Health Insurance for Individuals

As unemployment continues to rise, finding low cost health insurance for individuals becomes even more difficult - and more important.

The cheapest way to purchase a health insurance plan is still through an employer. But if this isn't an option for right now, what are your other choices?


Consider COBRA

If you've been laid off from a job where you had health insurance, you may be eligible to continue your coverage through COBRA for up to 18 months. You have to pay for the entire cost of the insurance yourself, so this is an expensive choice. However, you won't have to worry about changing health care providers or about your pre-existing conditions no longer being covered.


Look for Cheap Policies

If COBRA isn't an option, you need to start looking for the cheapest plan you can find that will still offer the coverage you need.

First, consider how much coverage you do need. For example, if you're young and in good health, you can save money by choosing a major medical plan rather than opting for full coverage. Major medical insurance covers larger expenses, such as surgery or injuries but you pay for smaller expenses such as routine office visits yourself.

Some other ways you can whittle down the cost of your health insurance for individuals include ...

* Choosing a PPO or HMO plan

* Selecting higher deductible and co-payment amounts

* Kicking bad habits like smoking and beginning new habits such as exercising regularly

Once you decide what type of coverage you want, go to an insurance comparison website and get some quotes. Quotes from these websites are from reputable A-rated companies, but they tend to be cheap because the companies are competing with each other.


Where to Get the Best Rates

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get low cost individual health insurance quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more tips and advice in their Articles section, and get answers to your questions from an insurance expert by using their online chat service.


The authors, Brian Stevens and Stacey Schifferdecker, have spent 30 years in the insurance and finance industries, and have written numerous articles on low cost health insurance for individuals.