Jul
I'm young and (as far as standards go) healthy, but the issue over my mortality looms over my head. I need health insurance. I am a college student and do not work. To get insurance though my husband would be $270 or $400 per month depending on which plan we choose, so buying it on our own is the only way to go. We live in San Francisco, California - I mention this because we need a plan with covered doctors within this area.
Have you had any particularly positive or negative experiences or heard anything particularly positive or negative about any insurance companies? I need to pick the company least likely to screw me.
Answer:
Truth is there are a ton of factors which will affect which company will accept you and the coverage you qualify for, so it's hard to state which companies are going to take the ideal care of you.
I'd start by using a few of the online services, like ehealthinsurance.com or insurance.com to get some free preliminary health quotes. You'll get calls from a bunch of agents pitching their plans, so that’ll be your opportunity to ask questions, like what doctors are available in your area. They'll also tell you what their rates are, so you can shop by price too. Insurance-rates-online.com will help you determine the insurance companies offering coverage in your area.
Once you've talked to the reps, there are a couple more things you can do. Check the insurance companies you're considering through AM Ideal or Standard & Poors to make sure they have a good rating (it's free). Then there are plenty of sites onlne where people can go to complain about their insurance company's service. Spend a few minutes reviewing the complaints; see if it's just sour grapes or is there a pattern to the comments.
Honestly, I've made the most progress with health insurance companies by calling over and over until I get a good rep or work my way up to a supervisor. The most important thing is to really know what's covered by the policy and make sure it fits your needs.
One last thing - check to see if there's a student health insurance policy available through your school. If so, they frequently have great rates because you then become part of a group, and are easier to qualify for than private insurance.
Answer:
Blue Cross Blue Shield has to follow federal guidelines, say guidelines, and guidelines set by the Blue Cross Blue Shield association and NCQA http://www.ncqa.org/.
Therefore, even it it cost a little more they will be the least likely “screw” you.
Answer:
Your optimism is overwhelming. Most companies are good and pay money when you don't have it. Sure you'll hear stories and some are true, but the consumer is just as much to blame…scroll back a couple pages and look at the girl trying to get cosmetic surgery for free.
Anyway, there's lots of good companies in CA. Anthem BlueCross is one and Blue Shield is another.
You can quote them both from my site. Just go to the home page and click on the pickle or click “get quotes” from this link. Limited information is required for the quotes too so shop in peace….that's why my clients like me…
http://insurancepickle.com/health-insura…
Jeff
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