Did you know that almost a fourth of all Americans do not have health insurance? It’s a staggering 46 million Americans under the age of 65 who are without health insurance as of 2007. The numbers have been rising over the years and have increased by 8 million people since the year 2000.

How Come There Are So Many Uninsured Americans?
8 out of 10 of those uninsured come from working class families, so you may be asking yourself why they do not have insurance through their employer. There are a number of reasons for this. Many employers these days are hiring contractors through staffing agencies so that they do not have to offer health insurance to those employees.

Another big reason is that due to the rising costs of health insurance for individuals and families, there are now many employers who expect their employees to absorb more of the cost of health insurance than in past years. Therefore, forcing working class families to literally decide between whether to pay their electric bill or buy health insurance.

Where Can I Find the Best Plans for the Money?
The insurance industry has picked up on this and now offers more affordable plans than ever before for individual and families. Locating the right policy for you is easier than ever with so may great web sites that offer free quotes on health insurance for individuals. Family plans can be very affordable as well.

The Internet offers many great tools for finding the best health insurance for your needs. You simply fill out a short questionnaire and can often get a fairly accurate quote within minutes. If you would like to compare health insurance rates, then check out a web site that offers rate comparisons from dozens of well-known insurance companies.

These web sites will often offer quotes from many of the nation’s leading health insurance companies. They will have a few questions for you to answer, such as:
• Name, address, city and county where you dwell
• Age is a very important factor
• Individual or family plan?
• Types of coverage you desire

Health insurance for individuals or families can often be found at lower rates through companies such as Triple A Auto or AARP. If you belong to any of these agencies then be sure to check out their rates as you are getting those rate comparisons.

Another helpful tip is simply to ask friends and family where they currently are insured. Perhaps they know of a terrific health insurance plan that you would qualify for and can offer a name and phone number of their insurance agent.

Explore Your Options!
Checking insurance quotes from many different sources can often lead you to the best deal on your health insurance.

These days many types of health insurance costs are regulated by the government, so there isn’t much flexibility in their pricing, but you can still get better rates if you meet certain criteria:
1. Non-Smoker
2. Not overweight
3. General good health

A healthy lifestyle is always a good idea. Just like your mother always told you, eating right and taking your vitamins will lower the cost of your premiums.

Health insurance for individuals and families doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, but it will take some leg-work in order for you to get the best plan out there for your money.