In the United States, most companies provide health insurance coverage for all of their employees. If a person is self-employed or if he works for a small company that does not have that option, then he has to consider buying individual health insurance for his health needs.
The Kaiser Family Foundation says that the average cost of an individual health plan through the company you work for is $779 for an individual and $3,515 for a family. These prices are a calculated average so it stands to reason that many employees are paying more than that each year.
In order to find the best insurance coverage for the cheapest price, the best thing you can do is get quotes from a number of different health insurance companies. There are non-profit sites that will do this for free if you answer a few questions about your household. After reviewing your answers, they will send a list of state approved companies that have policies that will meet your specific health needs. They, also, include the website and phone number for each company.
In the United States, the average cost of a family program is $13,500 a year. Most smaller companies pay less than half of that cost for their employees. A worker in that situation may be able to save a considerable amount of money each year by purchasing his own health insurance plan.
The cost of health coverage depends on what part of the country the person lives in. For example, a person who lives in or near New York City will most likely not be able to find an individual plan that is less expensive than his company plan. If that same person lives in the state of Ohio, he might be able save several hundred dollars a month on an individual plan.
Choosing to purchase an individual plan instead of using the health coverage your job offers is a serious decision and needs to be given considerable thought. There are a number of things that company insurance offers that individual plans do not.
In a company plan, you and all of your co-workers must be accepted for insurance coverage regardless of any health problems you may have. Your health insurance cannot be canceled if you become sick. If the worker is laid off his job, according to law, he has the option of purchasing an extension on his health insurance from the company for at least eighteen months.
The length of time a worker was covered by health insurance in his previous job carries over into his new job and affects the waiting period for health coverage. For example, if a person worked ten months at his previous job, and the insurance at his new job requires a six month waiting period, that period is waived, and his new work insurance takes effect immediately.
Never cancel your job insurance until you know for sure that the new company has decided to insure you. Insurance companies have a number of reasons for refusing insurance to individuals and families. By waiting, your health needs will continue to be covered.
Comparing policies and quotes from various insurance companies is the wise way to go. Read over the policies, and if there is something you don’t understand, call them and ask about it. This is the only way you will be able to make a knowledgeable decision about buying individual health insurance.
Find your cheap health insurance plan today. Buying individual health insurance should not be something you put off for long. Head online today and shop!
