Health Insurance What are my options for buying health insurance for myself or my family? Written by Insure.com | Posted on: December 7, 2009 Why you can trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing the timely, accurate and expert information consumers need to make smart insurance decisions. All our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. Our team carefully vets our rate data to ensure we only provide reliable and up-to-date insurance pricing. We follow the highest editorial standards. Our content is based solely on objective research and data gathering. We maintain strict editorial independence to ensure unbiased coverage of the insurance industry. The best way to get health insurance is through your employer as part of a “group health insurance” plan. You’ll often have broader benefits than if you were to buy a plan yourself on the open market. Another option is to buy an “individual” health plan. Despite its name, an individual health plan can cover your whole family. Individual health plans will be priced based on your medical history and can exclude pre-existing conditions from coverage. Read tips for buying individual health coverage. See if your state’s insurance department has a health insurance shopper’s brochure that lists health plans and comparative costs. Also, if your state mandates “guaranteed issue” plans, you’ll be able to buy an individual health plan no matter what your medical conditions are. The Kaiser Family Foundation tracks which states mandate guaranteed issue health plans. Related Articles Can I drop my spouse from my health insurance at any time? By Nupur Gambhir Can you get health insurance if you retire at 62? By Shivani Gite How COBRA works if you move out of state By Barry Eitel Can my parents kick me off their health insurance By Shivani Gite Does my deductible start over if I change jobs? By Shivani Gite How to add a spouse to your health insurance plan By Huma Naeem ZIP Code Please enter valid ZIP See rates