HEALTH INSURANCE – INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP
Individual
Individual insurance is, quite simply, coverage that an individual purchases for himself and/or his family. Individual insurance policies and provisions are regulated by the state where the policy is purchased.
When you apply for individual health insurance coverage, you are asked to provide health information about yourself and any family members to be covered. When determining rates, insurance companies use the medical information on these applications. Sometimes they will request additional information from an applicant’s physician or ask the applicant for clarification.
Group
Group health insurance coverage is a policy that is purchased by an employer and is offered to eligible employees of the company (and often to the employees’ family members) as a benefit of working for that company. A group health insurance plan is a key component of many employee benefits packages that employers provide for employees. The majority of Americans have group health insurance coverage through their employer or the employer of a family member. One of the advantages for employees in a group health plan is the contribution most employers make toward the cost of the health coverage premium—in many cases, employers pay one-half or more of the monthly premium for an employee.