When deciding upon medical insurance, it is important to shop around and get health insurance quotes from a number of different companies. However, it's important to understand that the premiums are only part of the total cost of your health care. There are often deductibles and co-pays and other hidden costs to health insurance, so you want to be certain you take a look at the actual policy to see what is covered and what is your responsibility.

A recent report by the U.S. government tells us that average insurance premiums have doubled just since the year 2000, a rate which is three times higher than wages are increasing. And, for our higher premiums, what we are getting is far less coverage, as co-pays, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket expenses increase. Deductibles have been increased by 25% on average. These increases have effectively caused a drop in disposable income for most Americans. Lack of competition in the industry is blamed for a lot of the imbalances, as the medical insurance agencies at the same time are reporting record profits. Due to decades old laws, insurers are not allowed to sell the same policies across state lines, making it harder for small companies to compete with the big guys.

Many consumers who purchase their own insurance, rather than obtain it through their employers, can opt for a higher insurance deductible in exchange for a lower premium, and vice versa. Indeed, there are 'catastrophic' policies available where a family can obtain a medical insurance policy for a reduced rate while agreeing to out-of-pocket expenses up to $10,000.

How do you get the best health insurance quotes? Decide before talking to any insurance companies what is important to you. Can your family live with an extremely high deductible, in exchange for a lower monthly premium? Or would you prefer the budgeting certainty of a fixed premium that might be considerably higher, but with limited out of pocket expenses? In either case, be sure that you are mindful of the hidden costs that may be involved and read the policy information carefully.

Getting initial pricing is relatively easy by doing an internet search. These search sites typically allow you to search by zip code, and also input some further information, such as ages of family members, and whether or not they smoke. A basic search will give you quotes on PPO, HMO, and also indemnity plans, and different ranges for deductibles and co-payments. Keep in mind, this is a general idea of the pricing and can change based on different criteria, but will allow you to narrow down which companies you should further explore.