Shopping For Health Insurance When You Are Self-Employed
The group health insurance rates at my day job increased 33% this year, after rising just over 30% last year. I have a family of three, and the new health insurance rates are now 11% of my salary, which in my opinion, is too high (while I won’t disclose my actual salary, I will state that I earn a fair amount). The new health insurance rates made me think about getting individual health insurance for my family.
Group vs. individual health insurance? Before we go further, it is important to understand the difference between individual health insurance and group health insurance. Basically, group health insurance plans guarantee all members of the group coverage, regardless of their health risk. Because coverage is guaranteed with group plans, they can be more expensive for relatively healthy individuals than an individual plan, which is priced based on your specific health history. In my case, my family and I are healthy, so it is a good idea to investigate individual health insurance options.
Determine your health insurance needs to find the best plan
When comparing health insurance plans, it’s important to make sure you are not only comparing apples to apples, but also getting the best plan for your needs. Make sure you get the best health insurance plan for your needs, whether that is an HMO plan, PPO plan, high deductible health insurance plan with a health savings account, hybrid, or other. [More on health insurance options].
Finding and purchasing health insurance while self-employed
One of the biggest concerns among the self employed individuals is health insurance costs, which can be expensive. Some self-employed individuals may be eligible for a group health insurance plan if they meet certain criteria, or they may be eligible for other health benefits, such as COBRA benefits. For example, if you are leaving a traditional job to become self-employed, you may be eligible for COBRA. If you are not leaving a job that offers health insurance, then ignore the tip regarding COBRA coverage.
Related posts:
- Health Insurance | Can Unemployed Individuals Avail Of Health Insurance?
- Finding Solutions For Health Insurance For Self Employed In Texas
- Health Insurance | Health Insurance Georgia For Self Employed People
- Why Compare When Shopping For Health Insurance?
- Health Insurance | You Can Find Affordable Self Employed Health Insurance


Individual health insurance is the answer for healthy people looking for coverage and benefits that match the premium cost. All health insurance costs are registered with the Illinois department of insurance based on age and gender. If you qualify for individual health insurance, it is the best coverage available for the money. Visit http://www.GizmoHealth.com they helped me. – Karen
I would not agree that the penalty is “just as truly ultimately for failure to comply with the (health insurance) regulation.”
People without health insurance would have three options under the proposal (1) buy health insurance (2) don't buy health insurance and pay the tax (3) don't buy health insurance, don't pay the tax, and go to jail. This point seems too simple to reiterate, but I will anyway. The penalty is not for failure to buy health insurance (also known as option (2)), it is for failure to pay the tax. As long as a person pays the tax, he or she need not buy health insurance. Why is this so difficult?
Also, Congress is not trying to burden people without health insurance. Congress is trying to protect those people by providing them with subsidies that they can use to buy insurance, to protect them in the event they get sick. This is not a difficult concept.