Getting expensive health insurance quotes can be a distressing occurrence. A high premium can put a hefty dent in your monthly disposable income, or even make health insurance out of reach of your resources. Yet, there are more than a few actions to take that can lead to a significantly lower healthcare quote. Several of these appear below, and you can pick any two (or more) that apply to your circumstances, to achieve a better health insurance situation.

First, of course, there are several obvious steps. Quit smoking is one of them. Premiums can be lowered significantly by stopping the use of tobacco, whether cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or chewing tobacco. If you're already insured, some health insurers will foot the bill for a smoking cessation program. That means that when you renew, you can renew at a lower rate. Losing weight is another positive step you can take to lessen the bite of your health insurance premium. In general, if you can stay healthy (keep your cholesterol and blood pressure under control, etc.), that will be reflected in lower health insurance quotes.

Modifying other aspects of your lifestyle can yield lower healthcare quotes as well. If your hobbies include physically dangerous activities (mountain climbing, speedboat racing), health insurance companies will boost your premiums sky-high because of the substantial risk of physical injury. Consider golf or tennis.

Increasing your deductible is another direct way to a lower health insurance quote. If you rarely spend more than your deductible yearly, then increasing it can pay off in lower premiums, which can balance out possible spikes in health care expenditures. You'll have to calculate the tradeoff, but you're definitely going to pay less monthly if you increase your annual deductible. The same is true for increasing your coinsurance ratio, that is, the percentage you pay for your health care costs after you reach your deductible. It's generally 80/20, but that can be altered to increase your share.

You might consider restricting your insurance coverage to a major-medical policy. This is coverage intended only for medical emergencies, and the policies come with a high deductible, but with substantially lower premiums, since you'll pay for doctor visits and preventive care out of pocket. Again, you'll have to assess your needs carefully before you take this step.

Other steps to take are: making sure your doctor is in network, lobbying for a group medical plan at work, and reassessing your insurance needs on a regular basis (are your children leaving home? Is your spouse now covered in his/her own employer based plan, etc.?).

It pays to be pro-active in your pursuit of lower health insurance premiums. Take two of the above actions and see the beneficial results.