Attn: Self Employed Warriors: How did you get your health insurance?

[flamingleaf8]

i suggest you talk to someone who has one. and research on the available companies, and compare their rates, and coverage, before you take a plunge.
i have a current insurance from my company, but they offer the option to stay with them even if you are not connected with the company anymore.

[NicoleH]

One suggestion I can offer is to price out individual policies for you, your wife and your children. Often times it is less expensive to insure each family member individually w/their own policy rather than a "family policy". As a man you will never need maternity coverage and your children will not either. As somebody said, maternity coverage can add an additional 80.00 (+/-) per month.

I live in NY and found this to be true with Blue Cross & Blue Shield.

Thankfully I am covered under my soon to be exH's excellent health insurance for the next 3 years but I did check around just in case (and I have a pre existing condition).

The Internet is a good place to start but talking to somebody is the best way to go. IMO this is the sort of purchase where price matching and some negotiations might very well be possible. People negotiate major purchases all the time (homes, cars) and health insurance certainly qualifies as a major purchase. Especially if you purchase or have existing multiple types of policies through the same agent or broker (auto, home, life). If you are giving all your insurance business to one company or broker a discount should be part of the package.

If you belong to an alumni group you may consider making a contact. I have never really investigated it but I get mailers all the time offering health, auto and life insurance through my alumni association.

[TyBrown]

I actually get a pretty good health insurance for about $400 a month for my whole family. We get it through the same insurance provider that a lot of employees at various businesses around the state get theirs.

[joshril]

While buying individual policies in many cases will be cheaper, you'll lose the advantage of a family deductible. Let's say you have a health plan with a $1,000 deductible. Well, the family deductible will be either $2,000 or $3,000. So obviously, if you have a family of 4 or more, there is a great advantage here. Many plans also have a feature that requires only 1 deductible be met if the family were involved in a car accident or something like that.

As far as discounting, most states have rebating laws. This means that agents cannot give you any type of discount or anything of value to induce the sale of health insurance. The rates for the insurance plans are filed by the insurance companies with the Department of Insurance in each state. These rates are set in stone. The only thing that change the rates is your health classification.

Of course, check with an agent in your area as all states have different laws and regulations concerning insurance.

Originally Posted by NicoleH

One suggestion I can offer is to price out individual policies for you, your wife and your children. Often times it is less expensive to insure each family member individually w/their own policy rather than a "family policy". As a man you will never need maternity coverage and your children will not either. As somebody said, maternity coverage can add an additional 80.00 (+/-) per month.

I live in NY and found this to be true with Blue Cross & Blue Shield.

Thankfully I am covered under my soon to be exH's excellent health insurance for the next 3 years but I did check around just in case (and I have a pre existing condition).

The Internet is a good place to start but talking to somebody is the best way to go. IMO this is the sort of purchase where price matching and some negotiations might very well be possible. People negotiate major purchases all the time (homes, cars) and health insurance certainly qualifies as a major purchase. Especially if you purchase or have existing multiple types of policies through the same agent or broker (auto, home, life). If you are giving all your insurance business to one company or broker a discount should be part of the package.

If you belong to an alumni group you may consider making a contact. I have never really investigated it but I get mailers all the time offering health, auto and life insurance through my alumni association.

[NicoleH]

Originally Posted by joshril

While buying individual policies in many cases will be cheaper, you'll lose the advantage of a family deductible. Let's say you have a health plan with a $1,000 deductible. Well, the family deductible will be either $2,000 or $3,000. So obviously, if you have a family of 4 or more, there is a great advantage here. Many plans also have a feature that requires only 1 deductible be met if the family were involved in a car accident or something like that.

As far as discounting, most states have rebating laws. This means that agents cannot give you any type of discount or anything of value to induce the sale of health insurance. The rates for the insurance plans are filed by the insurance companies with the Department of Insurance in each state. These rates are set in stone. The only thing that change the rates is your health classification.

Of course, check with an agent in your area as all states have different laws and regulations concerning insurance.

Yes, I understand the deductible issue. When I was married and my H considered changing jobs we had priced out the difference between individual policies vs. "family plans". I suppose I didnt put two and two together that the OP has FOUR people to insure, not just two. In our case it was okay for him to have a very high decutable because he was healthy and usually only went to the dr. once per year for a physical. I would have needed a much lower deductible due to my health condition as I see a specialist and need labs every 6 weeks. I guess it all evened out in the end for our situation.

I simply was making a few suggestions. For example, I know my sister and bil get a discount on their insurance as they have their home and two vehicles insured with the same company. Its not an outstanding discount, I think around 5% but it does add up. I suppose my line of thought was if a discount was not offered on the health insurance, perhaps a discount could be offered on other policies (home, auto) as that is not uncommon when all your insurance is bundled with one agency or broker. I dont know all the rules and regulations per state. Just brainstorming!

I know in NY every two years you can take a defensive driving course that costs around 20.00 and a few hours of your time. My H's company actually offers the courses at a discount so he only paid 10.00. In return for taking the course you save a certain percent on your auto insurance premiums for two years. IIRC when my H took the course it knocked about 130.00 per year off our auto policy (we only had one car). If both spouses took the course (and each spouse has their own vehicle) both are eligible for the discount. I guess if you look at it that way (using my numbers as an example) that frees up 260.00 per year to apply to health insurance. Its not a huge amount but its sort of "free money" for a few hours of your time once every two years. It wont make a huge dent but with the high cost of health insurance anything helps!

Good luck finding a plan!

[Jesus Perez]

Check this out:

Health Insurance for Freelancers – FreelanceSwitch

[David Hooper]

Try professional organizations or an alumni association. They may have something that will work for you.

[joshril]

Originally Posted by NicoleH

Yes, I understand the deductible issue. When I was married and my H considered changing jobs we had priced out the difference between individual policies vs. "family plans".

Agreed. With a husband and wife it can definitely be cheaper to go with separate plans.

[LilBlackDress]

I recently had to find insurance for myself and one of my daughters when the insurance available from my husbands company shot through the roof price wise with little to offer in benefits.

I went to einsurance and got quotes from all the different providers.

After evaluating them all, I found GoldenRule to be the most cost effective with good coverage. It is a group policy. You are required to join FACT for a few dollars a year. One caveat. The do put a rider on almost any pre-exisiting condition you have and do not cover it. So if you go in with good health you are good to go but if you have any issues at all assume it will not be covered.

[joshril]

GoldenRule does offer some great plans and the pricing is good depending on your geographic location. Ehealthinsurance or esurance or any of those online sites offer the exact same rates an insurance agent offers. Using an agent, you could tell the agent what is important to you and what your health background is. Each company treats health conditions differently.

Take asthma for example. One company will be a decline, one will place an exclusion rider on it (if you're in a state that allows riders), and another will offer a preferred rate. Shopping on your own online makes it hard to know how each company will underwrite. An agent is free and can assist with this.

The FACT membership you are referring to is an association. You bought an association plan, not a group plan. Two very different things. Your coverage is still medically underwritten and your application can be declined and conditions ridered (if in a state that allows for this) with an individual health plan.

Not sure what state you are in, but GoldenRule typically requires you to meet your deductible before it will pay for x-rays, ER, or labs. Even if you bought a copay plan, many individual plans do not cover labs, x-rays, or ER without meeting the policy deductible. This is something that many people assume is covered by a copay, but when looking at a full outline of coverage and reading the fine print, you will find many things most policies don't pay for. Another reason why involving an agent is crucial and the cost is absolutely nothing...

Originally Posted by LilBlackDress

I recently had to find insurance for myself and one of my daughters when the insurance available from my husbands company shot through the roof price wise with little to offer in benefits.

I went to einsurance and got quotes from all the different providers.

After evaluating them all, I found GoldenRule to be the most cost effective with good coverage. It is a group policy. You are required to join FACT for a few dollars a year. One caveat. The do put a rider on almost any pre-exisiting condition you have and do not cover it. So if you go in with good health you are good to go but if you have any issues at all assume it will not be covered.