Private Health Insurance
Buying private health insurance is a costly business but for some it is something that can’t, or shouldn’t, be avoided. If you are temporarily unemployed, working for a small company that doesn’t offer health coverage, retired or starting up in business for yourself then you need to shop around for a private health insurance policy to suit your needs.
There are plenty of private health insurance companies to choose from however they tend to differ widely with regards to their underwriting criteria. It is worth remembering that the private health insurance companies in some US States aren’t obliged to offer applicants a policy at all. This means that in some states you may be turned down for private health insurance if you don’t match the criteria of the insuring companies.
Where most group insurance plans that are offered through an employer are indiscriminate, private health insurance policies aren’t. A potential insurer will take into account your age, weight, medical history, fitness level (assessed by a medical exam), and your smoking status. In addition they will consider the severity of any pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, and the probability of you developing any serious conditions in the future.
Before making a final decision on an insurance policy you should check closely that the policy includes everything you need it to include. At the very least your private health insurance should cover emergency room costs and hospital bills, GP visits and maternity coverage if you think you may become pregnant within the term of the policy. Depending on the cost of the premiums you may also want to include vision and dental as well.
Once you find a policy that meets your needs do a final shop around to make sure you can’t get the same coverage elsewhere for less money. If you don’t feel confident doing this yourself then consider consulting an insurance broker.