How to Find Medical Insurance For the Self-Employed
Self-employed individuals are one of the most significant groups of uninsured people out there. It is a well-known fact that in Georgia, as well as throughout the country, those who are self-employed are often without medical insurance. In fact, it is lack of benefits such as medical insurance that prevents many people from taking the leap to work for themselves. However, many of those people would change their mind if they actually knew how inexpensive it can be to get your own medical insurance coverage. In some cases it may even be less costly than group insurance premiums. Get the facts on individual coverage for you quickly and easily online.
Free online quote tools make it very efficient to shop around for prices on the different medical insurance options available for self-employed individuals or anyone who is without insurance. You simply input your zip code to start and then answer a short list of questions about your medical history and other relevant information. In no time you will have a variety of medical insurance quotes from insurance companies which serve your part of Georgia. It makes comparing prices and plans easy and time-efficient.
By learning as much as possible about Georgia medical insurance you should be able to save yourself a significant amount on your premiums. Opt for a POS plan instead of a PPO, because even though PPOs give you the greatest amount of freedom in your healthcare options, you pay more for this freedom. A POS plan still gives you lots of choice but saves you money. Look for plans that offer money-saving perks like a Health Savings Account, so you can pay for healthcare costs with your pre-tax earnings. Discount cards are another thing you should look for when choosing the insurer to go with. These cards are considered “free perks” but can save you tremendously on various healthcare expenses that you would otherwise have to pay full-price for.
After you have weighed the pros and cons of various health insurance companies and have limited your choices down, it is time to get in contact with them individually. Call up an agent at each of the companies you are considering using and ask for additional discounts. There are often ways to reduce your premium that are specific to each insurer and are not addressed by online quote tools. You may be able to save money by paying for the policy upfront. There may also be discounts if you take out another type of policy, like life insurance, with the same company. You may also be able to knock off a few dollars a month by raising out-of-pocket limits, deductibles and the portion of the co-insurance that you pay for.
Remember that the cost of your self-employed individual medical insurance is an eligible business expense. This allows you to lower your taxable income by the amount you pay out in medical insurance premiums each year.
Follow these tips, learn as much as possible about medical insurance and shop around for the best price. By doing so, you will find the best possible Georgia medical insurance plan for your needs, at a reasonable price too.