Where can you buy health insurance?

Health insurance can be purchased either as a group policy or as an individual policy. If group insurance is involved, it is most frequently obtained through one's employer. It can also sometimes be available through clubs and organizations to which you may belong. These are generally known as "affinity groups".

Individual health insurance is a policy that insures you or your family, and not a larger group. It is obtained through a licensed insurance agent. An insurance agent is a person who is licensed by the state to sell such products, and who is appointed by an insurance company to represent it by soliciting applications for the insurer's products. The agent transmits the application to the insurer, which makes a decision as to whether or not the applicant will be issued a policy, and at what premium. A premium is the amount of money paid for the protection that the insurance provides, and it is often paid on a monthly basis.

It is critical that the consumer deal only with licensed insurance agents and insurance companies. License status should always be verified through the state insurance regulator. The regulator will have its main office in the state capitol, but may have field offices that can be contacted in other parts of the state.

Not only can you buy health insurance from an insurance agent. If you are comfortable on the internet, most health insurance companies will allow you to skip using an insurance agent altogether and apply on line.