Finding Health Insurance Quotes

• 1). To get quick health insurance, try getting quotes for health insurance policies online. Look for Web sites that allow you to compare quotes from different policies to make sure you are getting the best possible value.
  
  
• 2). Compare quotes to see what different companies are offering. Although it's tempting to choose the company that offers the lowest monthly payment, don't choose your insurer based on price alone. Look at the deductible, the amount you have to pay out of pocket for health care in a given plan year. Is it affordable? If the plan has a high deductible, would you be eligible to have a tax-advantaged health savings account? Does the policy have coinsurance, a certain percentage of costs you have to pay even after the deductible? An affordable monthly payment is meaningless if you can't afford treatment when you are sick.
  
  
• 3). Look at what the policy covers. If you are applying for individual health insurance, you may be surprised at what is excluded. For example, many individual health plans do not offer maternity care in their basic policies.
  
  
• 4). Once you have found a policy you can afford and that offers enough coverage to meet your needs, you can apply online for coverage with that company. This is where your medical records come in handy, as most insurance companies demand an extensive health history from applicants who are applying on their own instead of through an employer.
  
  
• 5). After you have applied for coverage, the company will usually follow up with you in person to confirm they have all your correct information. If you were not able to get a copy of your medical records from your previous carrier, expect to be asked about every time you visited a doctor or were prescribed drugs in the past 5 to 10 years.
  
  
• 6). If the health insurance company decides you are eligible for a policy with them, you can then make a payment to get the coverage started. Using a credit card and paying online or over the phone allows you to get your policy started quickly--often only a week or so from the time you applied for coverage.