There are many things that affect the rate quotes you get. Thankfully, many are things you can easily do something about. Some, however, may require a long term commitment on your part. Here are things that will help you enjoy affordable health insurance…
1. Smokers have rates that are double or more that of individuals who do not smoke. It’s a well known fact that smokers are susceptible to many health conditions and that they don’t live long. If smoking results to specific health conditions, then it makes an individual a high risk and that attracts higher rates. If you can quit smoking you’ll attract rates that are dramatically more affordable when you reapply after twelve months.
2. You’ll save more by joining a PPO or Preferred Provider Organization. This alternative is slightly more expensive than an HMO but also offers more choices. It’s up to you to check the value you will get with what you will save to choose whether you prefer it to regular health insurance. If saving is your main concern, you will almost always make more savings by using a PPO instead of purchasing normal health insurance.
3. Married folks can save by being a single policy. You have to compare though to see which gives you more savings. It might not be the best for you depending on your different health conditions as individuals.
4. There’s a special kind of savings account called the Flexible Spending Account. You can keep tax-free dollars to take care of your health needs. The selling point about this account is that it allows you to carry over unused funds into the subsequent year tax free. This offers you a tax free method of building considerable reserves of funds for your health needs.
5. Some states offer home business owners an opportunity to reduce their health insurance rate. Such states require that insurance companies offer home based businesses similar rates with other (larger) businesses. And all it takes for your home business to qualify is just one employed worker.
Always remember that a member of your family who works for you in a home business qualifies as a staff. The interesting thing is that such a worker mustn’t work full time to qualify you.
Group health insurance rates are generally lower so ensure that you take advantage of this if you are a home business owner. You can find out home businesses that are eligible for group rates in your state by visiting your state’s department of insurance or its equivalent.
6. Get and compare many quotes and you’ll get the best rates for your profile. I advise that you visit at least five quotes sites since it will make it less likely that you’ll miss out better quotes not carried by the other sites. This provides you a broader basis for doing more extensive comparisons thus increasing your chances of better quotes.