When It's Time To Renew Your Health Insurance

By Brian Richards

It is at the end of the year that many insurance policy come up for renewal. Before you automatically renew with the company you are dealing with it is a wise decision to shop around and see what other insurance companies are charging for the same type of coverage. While you are doing this you will want to look through each of these policies line by line, to ensure that it is the exact coverage you are looking for. IF you do not do so, you may end up switching to a plan that looks good and has a lower premium, but has higher out of pocket costs, co payments and deductibles.

When shopping for individual health insurance there are many ways to accomplish this task. You could start by utilize one of the many internet sites available. These sites are fast and simple to use, and they provide you with a lot of estimated quotes from various insurance companies. These quotes however are just an estimated and will only give you an idea on what your policy will cost. This is a great place to start as it will give you an idea of who is more affordable, but in order to receive an actual quote for the individual policies you will need to contact the insurance company directly. The estimates you receive is based on a small amount of information, and the insurance companies will require more detailed information in order to provide you with an accurate quote.

Your next option is to utilize the 800 numbers that are available for, just about, all of the major insurance companies. When you contact a company through their tool free numbers and customer service representative will ask you questions while filling out the required paper work for the Underwriting Department. Once the Underwriting Department reviews your application you will be provided a quote for a specific insurance policy.

Another means of shopping for health insurance is to contact either an insurance broker or an agent for a specific company. Either of these insurance professionals will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding the policies being offered and can advise you as to which policy best meets your needs, while still staying within your budget. It is often a good idea to deal face to face with someone so that you can obtain a comfort zone for relying on the information they are providing to you.

If you are not comfortable with the insurance agent or broker the you will want to switch to one that you can find comfort in. It is important that you are confident in your agent or broker, as they will be the one advise you on the best plan of action for your medical coverage.

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