Where can I get affordable health insurance quotes for free?

You can get affordable health insurance quotes for free from a number of sources via the telephone or the Internet. The only question is which method you would prefer to use. The Internet affords you the opportunity to find free health insurance quotes online whenever it’s most convenient for you. The telephone method requires you to contact companies during regular business hours, but many people prefer to talk to another human being directly.

Enter your ZIP code into our FREE quote tool to receive and compare health insurance plan quotes for your area in just minutes!

When you’re looking for an affordable health plan you can use websites like the one you’re on now to get pointed in the right direction. Or you can use a generic search engine to find insurance companies offering policies in your state. When you have developed a list of health insurance companies you’re interested in, contact each one directly and ask for a quote.

Information Required for Quotes

What information do I give for a quote?  An agent will ask you whether you need an individual or family policy, who needs coverage, and generic information about subscriber health, age, sex, and so on. With just a few minutes of your time the agent should be able to offer you several different plans to choose from. The process is similar, albeit automated, when you search online.

By and large, obtaining health insurance quote is relatively simple, if time-consuming. Regardless of the companies you deal with, the process will be nearly identical across the board. Getting a health insurance quote from a single company can usually be completed in a matter of minutes.

When you eventually do decide on a plan that’s best for you and your circumstances, keep in mind that the quoted price may change slightly pending verification of the information you provided.

Unlike auto or homeowners insurance, any changes in the health insurance premium will be minimal in most cases. Once you complete the paperwork and make your first premium payment you will be fully covered under your new health plan.

Employer Health Plan

What if my employer provides a health plan?  If your employer offers health insurance you will choose from the options the company offers. It won’t do you any good to ask for quotes due to the fact that the price they offer your company is based on the entire employee group as a whole. Everyone in that health insurance group is going to pay the same price regardless of their individual insurance needs. The only time you’ll need to get health insurance quotes is if you’re buying your own private health insurance plan.

According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, just under 10% of all adults with health insurance in 2010 purchased an individual plan. Statistics show that the primary users of individual health insurance are the self-employed, who make up about 45% of the total number.

The remaining 55% of people who purchase their own health insurance do so for various reasons. Their employers offer inadequate plans or no coverage at all; they are retirees who are not comfortable relying solely on Medicaid; they are religious workers whose organizations provide no health insurance; they are executives who want a better health plan than what they’re offered through their workplace.

Stability of Price Quotes

Will the price I’m quoted remain the same for years?  The tricky part about getting health insurance quotes that are affordable is the time of year you plan to purchase your insurance. More often than not health insurance plans are priced on an annual basis. Premium increases are implemented at the start of the new calendar year rather than at policy renewal. So if you begin a new health insurance plan in October it is quite likely you’ll only enjoy three months at the quoted rate before your premiums go up the following January.

A New York Times article published in September 2011 noted that the average annual rate increase over the course of the last few years was about 5%. This is in sharp contrast to double digit increases, commonly seen prior to the start of the recession. The average rate increases in 2011 were closer to 9%, significantly more than what analysts were expecting. The point is that your health insurance rates are likely to go up significantly every year.

Unfortunately health insurance is not cheap in the United States. In order to find the most affordable plan consumers must do some diligent research and request as many free quotes possible.

To get the health insurance policy quotes you need quickly and easily, enter your ZIP code in the FREE search tool right now!