Why is it important for you to have health insurance? Because if you are ever involved in a major accident, or if you should become catastrophically ill the cost of your care could force you to sell you home and liquidate every asset you currently own. In other words, not having health insurance could wipe you out economically in less time than it will take you to read this article.



That's why it's so important for so many people to find a way of getting cheap health insurance here in South Carolina.

The cheapest way for you to buy health care insurance is online. There is much less overhead and fewer costs associated with online sales and the costs savings tend to be passed on to the consumer - you.

However - simply jumping online and filling out forms on price comparison websites with no plan and no idea of how to properly answer the questions you are asked so that you will save the most money possible is rather a waste of your time - and you're not likely to get the cheapest health insurance that you are entitled to.

So let's take a few minutes to look at several things you can do to lower the cost of your health insurance - and then we will get online and intelligently fill out the forms on several different health insurance price-comparison websites.

We're going to start with the hardest things for you to do first. Quitting smoking and losing weight.

How serious are you about getting cheap health insurance? Are you serious enough to quit smoking and to quit using chew and any other tobacco products? If you want to get cheap health insurance you are going to have to give up tobacco. Period.

Losing weight can be even more difficult for most people that quitting smoking, but, again, if you are truly serious about getting cheap health insurance then you are going to have to face the fact that people who are overweight pay more for health insurance.

Insurance companies use what is called Body Mass Index (or BMI) to help determine how much you will pay for your health insurance every month. The one ray of good news is that if you can lose just a few pounds you can sometimes slip down a rung on the insurance company's BMI chart and that could save you quite a bit on money over the long run. Do whatever you can to lose as much weight as possible if you are genuinely serious about getting cheap health insurance.

Use credit cards sparingly and get your credit in order. Many people are not aware that their credit score affects how much they pay for health insurance. The better your credit score the less you'll pay each month for health insurance.

Find group health insurance. Group health insurance is cheaper than individual health insurance plus group health insurance may overlook smoking, weight issues and some pre-existing conditions far more than an individual policy.

If your place of employment doesn't offer group health you are not necessary out of luck. If you belong to any groups, clubs or associations ask if any of them offer members a group health plan. A surprising number do. Ask friends, family and neighbors if any of them belong to a group or a club that offers group health insurance - join if you can.

Even many religious organizations are starting to offer their members group health insurance. Ask - and ye may be surprised!

Joining an HMO or a PPO can save you money on health insurance. If you join an HMO or even a PPO you will be restricted as to the doctors and other health professionals you will be allowed to see, so if you are dead-set on keeping your current doctor ask your doctor if he or she is a member of the HMO or PPO before you join.

If you have a home-based business it's possible that you can qualify for group health insurance even if your only employee is your spouse. But even if you can't qualify for group coverage, talk to your tax advisor and see how much of the premium could be tax deductible. Figuring a tax break in could make your health insurance more affordable.

Don't participate in extreme or dangerous sports and don't drive a fast sports car.

How much of a co-payment can you afford? If you can afford a 50% co-payment every time you visit the doctor then you can save a great deal on your health insurance every month. If you do not see a doctor on a regular basis this could be an excellent way for you to save money on your health insurance.

How large of a deductible can you afford? The larger your deductible the less you are going to pay each month for your health insurance. However, you really need to be careful and honest with yourself when you are setting you deductible because your deductible represents real money that you have to come up with year after year to pay for your own health care before your insurance company will begin paying anything.

O.K., now it's time for you to take all of the hints and tips in this article and go online. Find at minimum of 3 different websites that compare prices of health insurance from various companies and fill out the form on all three sites.

Here's the trick. You need to fill out the exact same information on all 3 websites. That's the only way your comparison will have any value.

But the great news is - you're done! That's all you need to do in order to get cheap health insurance online in South Carolina. Just look at all of your results and pick the cheapest health insurance you find.

Congratulations - and good health!