Student health insurance is very important for every post-secondary student to carry. In fact, it is offered by practically every college and university. Most colleges even make carrying health insurance a pre-requisite for enrollment. They sometimes require that their students carry the policy endorsed by the school only. For those students lucky enough to attend a school that allows them to carry the health insurance of their choice, there are many good options available if you take the time to shop around.

You might be asking yourself why you should even bother looking for individual student health insurance.

Here are the top 3 reasons.

1) This can save you a lot of money.

2) It allows you to get a policy that fits your needs and preferences.

3) You don't have to pay for coverage you will never use.

If you happen to be a very healthy student who does not use healthcare providers on a regular basis, you may find that you can save a significant amount of money by opting for individual student health insurance coverage. Just like group insurance, the rates for school-sponsored plans are based on the average medical needs of all of the students on the plan. Therefore the healthier students help to pay for the ones who are not as healthy. Private student health insurance is usually more affordable because it is only based on your health history. You can also make adjustments to the individual policy to further reduce the premiums you pay.

Individual student health insurance allows you to choose a policy that fits your needs. The school's plan maybe an HMO, these plans restrict doctors and healthcare providers that you can see. HMO's only allow you to see doctors that belong to their plan. If you have your own physician and it is important to you to be able to see him or her, you may want to opt for a plan to which he or she belongs, or a PPO that allows you the choice of who you want to see.

You may also find that school sponsored health insurance plans offer coverage that is too comprehensive for your needs. If you rarely, if ever, get dental care beyond basic preventative care; have no need of vision coverage and almost never take prescription drugs, you do not need to carry these types of coverage. Self-insurance, where you take the risk of not carrying this type of coverage, is a very economical way to go. If you encounter these kinds of costs, there are many discount plans and cards, which can help to lower your out of pocket expenses.

It is not difficult to find a good and affordable medical insurance plan. After checking your schools health insurance plans and rates, compare individual plans and rates that are available to you. Make your choice only after carefully comparing a variety of quotes from different insurers who offer student health insurance.