Finding low cost health insurance in the Commonwealth of Virginia does not mean you have to be eligible for a group health insurance plan through your employer, nor does it mean you have to qualify for Medicaid or state-sponsored health care services. Virginia residents in search of affordable health care can purchase individual health insurance plans.

Because individual health insurance plans can be expensive – which isn't exactly the equivalent of “low cost” – you want to make sure you are getting exactly your money's worth. Take these tips into consideration when shopping for an individual health insurance plan in the Commonwealth of Virginia:

• Make sure the health carriers and insurance agents selling individual health insurance policies are licensed to sell health insurance in Virginia – if you purchase health insurance from a company or agent not licensed to do business in Virginia, you will find it difficult to obtain protection against fraud.

• Don't lie and don't risk it. If you know a particular health insurance company won't insure you because of a pre-existing medical condition, don't lie about that condition in order to get low cost health insurance. You'll only be cheating yourself, because you still won't have coverage for the health issue. Wouldn't you rather feel safe in knowing you're covered should complications arise?

• Don't give up. If one health insurance company denies you medical coverage, move on to the next company. Each individual health insurance company follows different standards and criteria for offering health insurance – whatever the price. Just because you are not eligible for one company's policy does not mean you will not be eligible for another company's policy.

Many people cringe when they think about purchasing an individual health insurance policy; however, by shopping around and being honest with several different health carriers and insurance agents in the Commonwealth of Virginia, you will find the low cost health insurance plan that is right for you.