Online health insurance quotes often make policies seem not only reasonable, but as if the purchaser has found the deal of the century. With flashy websites, instant quotes and easy comparisons, it can be simple to find a quote that seems to have not only a healthcare premium that is cost effective, but one that will still protect a family in case of a critical illness or emergency, and will take care of them on a day-to-day basis. In many cases, however, the actual healthcarepremiums reflected in the first statement that arrives in the mail after the policy has begun may bear little resemblance to the rock-bottom pricing remembered from the website. There are a number of reasons for this.

The first is that the quote online typically represents the lowest possible option available in terms of coverage, coupled with a high deductible. If at any time, changes to the advertised policy are made, either via phone or e-mail, the healthcare premium will be adjusted accordingly. If the deductible is lowered from $1,000 to $500 or the coverage is expanded to include more robust hospital care, the premium will reflect this, but it will often not be communicated to the consumer by the company. If a client directly asks the company what the new rates will be, they are obligated to return an answer, but many will simply not volunteer this information until the premiums are already being collected.

A second reason that online health insurance quotes can be so low is because they assume the ideal American in the perfect health and employment situation. When paperwork is filled out for any health insurance policy, it will include questions about age, sex, height, weight, medical history and employment status. Any or all of these factors can be used to re-assess the risk that the client presents to the company, and their health insurance quotes will be adjusted accordingly. A single mother who is between jobs or a chronic smoker who is overweight will be charged premiums that are far higher than the basic price for the same basic healthcare plan. By combining a generalized version of Americans in a similar situation to their clients, coupled with specific medical details, companies are able to adjust their rates to match what they consider to be their ultimate risk in insuring a potential customer.

Because of the myriad of ways in which a premium can increase, it is always a good idea to contact the company before any health insurance policy is finalized. Ask exactly what the premium will be, and if this differs from an online offer, ask why. If details cannot be provided or the answers don’t make sense, keep shopping.