An affordable individual and family health insurance plan is an insurance plan provided only to individuals and their families, unlike the group insurance plans offered to employers or other organizations. Not everyone has the option of getting an employer-sponsored group health insurance plan, and not everyone belongs to an organization that offers group health insurance plans to their members. When this is the case for individuals with families, an affordable individual and family health insurance plan is ideal.

Affordable individual and family health insurance plans are often offered through an indemnity or managed care organization. With an indemnity, the policyholder – you – pays for all health care costs upfront. The individual and family health insurance plan will reimburse you once they receive a doctor or hospital bill. With a managed care plan, you usually only have to pay a co-payment at the time of your medical service. The doctor or hospital will then bill your individual and family health insurance company for the rest. Managed care organizations include Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) and Point of Service (POS) plans, and they do not always provide the wide selection of doctors and other health care professionals offered by indemnity plans.

You may feel health insurance is too expensive for you, but there are affordable individual and family health insurance plans out there. Being without adequate health insurance is too risky – for your health and your bank account. Thanks to individual and family health insurance plans, it's possible for you, your spouse, and your children to obtain affordable health insurance.

If you and your family are currently without affordable health insurance, act quickly. After you apply for an individual and family health insurance plan, the time between application and the date the plan actually starts varies. The speed of the process usually depends on the underwriting process of the insurance company, so it's best to apply as soon as possible.