What Is Health Insurance?


What is health insurance and why do I need it? Health insurance protects you and your family from a financial hardship due to medical expenses in the untimely event that you are injured or become ill. There are four types of health insurance, you may need just one or you may need a combination to ensure you have the most insurance coverage possible. It is best to evaluate each type of insurance to obtain an accurate account of which type will best suit your needs.

Individual medical coverage is designed for people who do not receive this type of coverage through their employer or family. Medical supplement insurance is designed for the elderly who contribute to Medicare however, desire additional coverage to supplement expenses that Medicare won't cover. Hospital income insurance is intended to compliment your main health insurance program. This coverage provides a prearranged daily benefit amount for unforeseen expenditures that accompany extended hospital stays for a covered sickness or injury.

The fourth type of health insurance coverage is disability insurance, which comes in three different forms. Disability insurance protects you in the event you become physically or mentally disabled due to an accident or illness. This type of insurance is designed to provide you with your living expenses if a disability prevents you from working or earning a living.

Disability income insurance is used as a principal income substitution plan or as an enhancement to your income continuance or group disability plan. This plan is devised to keep you economically secure during hard times by paying monthly wages directly to you when you are unable to work. Mortgage disability income insurance is designed to protect your most precious possession, your home. This policy specifically provides you with money meet your mortgage obligation if you become totally disabled. Individual credit disability insurance will help you pay off loan payments in equal monthly installments. In the event that you become totally disabled this plan will make payments on your behalf directly to the financial institution.

There are many things to consider when contemplating which type of insurance is most beneficial to you and how much coverage you really need. If you are working and receive insurance through your employer investigate how much coverage you are really provided in terms of health care. Then ask yourself the following series of questions:

Does it cover pre-existing conditions, genetic conditions, chronic or life threatening conditions? Does it just cover accidents that occur in the workplace? How much money will it shell out before it is considered at its limit? Will it cover the cost of transplants or long-term care? What about family members, how much coverage will your insurance plan provide them? Then think about your lifestyle. Do you drink or smoke? Is hypertension a family heirloom? Are you at high-risk for diabetes, a heart attack or stroke? Are you accident-prone or do you often take unnecessary risks? Do you work late hours and drive a considerable distance to and from work? Are you the primary breadwinner and if so how will the bills be paid if you are out of work due to an unforeseen disability caused by an accident? Consider all of these things then ask yourself if you and your family are adequately insured.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Best-Free-Insurance-Quotes.com. He provides more insurance information and offers free money saving auto, life, home and health insurance quotes that you can research in your pajamas on his website.







Related News



EMC Insurance lowers 2008 annual earnings estimate - Chicago Tribune

EMC Insurance lowers 2008 annual earnings estimate
Chicago Tribune, United States -20 hours ago
AP DES MOINES, Iowa - EMC Insurance Group Inc. says Midwest storm losses will reduce its profit for the year. The Des Moines-based property and casualty ...
EMC Insurance Group slashes 2008 outlookCNNMoney.com
EMC Insurance Group Inc. cuts forecastPittsburgh Tribune-Review
EMC Insurance Group Inc. Revises Guidance as a Result of Record ...Business Wire (press release)
RTT News - StreetInsider.com (subscription)
all 30 news articles

Florida to buy Berkshire Hathaway backup - Bizjournals.com

CNBC

Florida to buy Berkshire Hathaway backup
Bizjournals.com, NC -20 hours ago
But, if it can't, because of the tumult in the credit markets, all policyholders will get hit with assessments, insurance experts say. ...
CFO Sink criticizes hurricane bond dealWMNF
Buffett's Berkshire Paid to Buy Bonds If Storm Hits (Update1)Bloomberg
Florida to pay $224 mln for Berkshire bond-buy dealReuters
CNBC - Sarasota Herald-Tribune
all 63 news articles

ING China insurance jv boosts its capital to 600 mln yuan from 500 mln - Forbes

ING China insurance jv boosts its capital to 600 mln yuan from 500 mln
Forbes, NY -3 hours ago
BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - ING Capital Life Insurance Co has increased its capital to 600 mln yuan from 500 mln, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) ...
China shares turn lower in late trade; Ping AnHemscott
China A-shares end morning higher; Ping An Insurance extends ...Forbes
China shares lower in early trade; Ping An Insurance down 8.71 pctForbes
Forbes - Forbes
all 155 news articles


S&P cuts Triad Guaranty Insurance to junk status - CNNMoney.com

S&P cuts Triad Guaranty Insurance to junk status
CNNMoney.com -21 hours ago
Additionally, a higher-than-expected spike in the unemployment rate could lead to more claims for mortgage insurance than S&P anticipates. ...
S&P Cuts Triad Rating to JunkWall Street Journal
Stocks In Focus For MondayFOXBusiness
all 10 news articles

China's Ping An Insurance says no need to make provisions for ... - Forbes

China's Ping An Insurance says no need to make provisions for ...
Forbes, NY -12 hours ago
BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - Ping An Insurance (Group) Co of China Ltd (SHA 601318; HK 2318), China's second largest insurer, said there is no need to make ...
China's Ping An Insurance denies tax evasion rumorXinhua
Ping An Plunges on Tax-Probe WorriesWall Street Journal
Ping An Insurance Denies Talk of Tax Audit SnagsCNBC
Bloomberg - Shanghai Daily
all 30 news articles

UniCredit mulling sale of insurance brokerage - source - Forbes

UniCredit mulling sale of insurance brokerage - source
Forbes, NY -5 hours ago
MILAN (Thomson Financial) - UniCredit SpA is considering the sale of its insurance brokerage unit UniCredit Broker, a financial source said, ...

Come to DC and wreck your car - Seattle Post Intelligencer

New York Times

Come to DC and wreck your car
Seattle Post Intelligencer -13 hours ago
A study by Allstate Insurance shows that Washington's drivers are the worst, averaging an accident every 5.4 years. Maybe it has something to do with ...
Safest Place to DriveToTheCenter.com
The Safest Places to DriveNew York Times
4 Michigan cities among 10 safest to driveDetroit Free Press
Bizjournals.com - The Associated Press
all 280 news articles

Insurance fraud soars as credit crunch bites - Telegraph.co.uk

MSN Money UK

Insurance fraud soars as credit crunch bites
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom -21 hours ago
By David Millward, Transport Editor The credit crisis has led to a surge in motor insurance fraud with the police and the industry reporting a 70 per cent ...
Fraud motor insurance claims soarThe Press Association
Car insurance fraud runs at £5m a week as owners try to clear debtsTimes Online
Car insurance fraud '£5m a week'BBC News
Motor Trader - Finance Markets
all 28 news articles

Fiserv sells majority stake in insurance business - Trading Markets (press release)

Fiserv sells majority stake in insurance business
Trading Markets (press release), CA -4 hours ago
Fiserv will retain a 49% stake as well as its management team and employee base in Fiserv Insurance Solutions. Jeffery Yabuki, president and chief executive ...
UPDATE 2-Fiserv to sell stake in insurance business for $205 mlnReuters
Fiserv to sell majority of insurance unit, sets share repurchaseBizjournals.com
Fiserv sells majority stake in insurance businessCNNMoney.com
Greater Milwaukee Today - Reuters India
all 56 news articles

Pa. Senate confirms insurance commissioner - Philadelphia Inquirer

Pa. Senate confirms insurance commissioner
Philadelphia Inquirer, PA -7 hours ago
Rendell had nominated Ario in June 2007, but the Senate's Banking and Insurance Committee held up the nomination as it wrestled to gain some control over ...
Capital BlueCross eyes Pittsburgh marketPittsburgh Business Times
Highmark CEO foresees merger benefits out of statePhiladelphia Inquirer
all 8 news articles