Health Insurance

• 1). Determine your budget for health insurance. Consider what type of coverage you will need. Factor in how much you can spend each month, the length of time you will need coverage and how often you visit the doctor. Thinking through this information will make your online search more focused.
  
  
• 2). Go to a website such as ehealthinsurance.com or healthinsurance.com. These websites can provide quotes from multiple health insurance plans after you answer a few basic questions.
  
  
• 3). Enter basic information such as your birth date, ZIP code and desired coverage start date for you and your dependents. The information you provide on these websites is confidential and not sold to third parties. After you have completed the questionnaire, the website will display several health insurance quotes with associated costs including monthly premium, deductible and co-payments.
  
  
• 4). Select the plan or plans that best meet your needs by clicking "Apply." This will take you to a more in-depth questionnaire. Answer all the questions online and submit the application. The insurance company will complete processing of the application and notify you with either approval or denial of coverage. If approved, you can complete any additional paperwork online.
  
  
• 5). Visit the websites of major national health insurance carriers, such as United Healthcare and Aetna, to obtain a quote directly from the insurer. You will also follow similar steps of completing a preliminary questionnaire and be given the opportunity to apply online with follow-up directly from the insurer.
  
  

Auto and Homeowners Insurance

• 1). Decide what type and how much auto and homeowners insurance coverage you will need. Consider your budget, the value and age of your car and home and if you need flexibility to pay monthly, quarterly, annually or (for homeowners insurance) through an escrow account on your mortgage.
  
  
• 2). Visit websites such as netquote.com and insweb.com. These websites can provide quotes from multiple carriers for automobile and homeowner's insurance.
  
  
• 3). Answer questions online about your vehicles and home. Questions about your car will include make, model, miles and condition. Questions about your home will include structural, age, property features. Quotes will display upon completion with an option to apply for insurance online.
  
  
• 4). Click the appropriate buttons to apply for insurance coverage. The insurer will contact you directly via a phone call or online to complete the process.
  
  
• 5). Visit the website of insurance carriers such as Geico, Liberty Mutual and State Farm. They will also offer the ability to apply online after answering their questionnaire. If applying for both auto and homeowners insurance, you might be eligible for additional discounts by using one company for multiple types of insurance.