No two health insurance companies are exactly alike. It is true that they all offer to sell a health policy to qualified applicants, but how they go about fulfilling their end of the contract differs vastly from company to company. A buyer for a health policy needs to be discerning about which company he signs up with in order to get the right coverage at the best price with the least amount of hassle. Take the time to learn about the companies that offer coverage and avoid headaches down the road.

Customers are the best place to start when evaluating health insurance companies. An Internet search with the company's name plus the word "complaints" brings back plenty of hits for commentary from posters, bloggers as well as news items. If someone has had a bad experience with health insurance companies, it's a good bet that they have posted about it for the world to see. Always keep in mind that some people complain for the sake of doing so and their gripe may not be a valid one. Keep what they had to say in mind and search some more. The adage "where there is smoke, there is fire" comes into play. The more people who have the same or similar complaints as the first person most likely means that this health insurance company does not value its customers by not meeting the terms in the health policy.

Consumer rating agencies provide unbiased opinions of a company's performance. The agency sets up criteria for an insurer to meet and grades that company on how well they met each individual criteria. The higher the score, the better the company treats its customers.

Check the financial health of the insurance company. This can be done through financial rating services that score the financial performance of health insurance companies. A company with a good financial rating means that they are doing everything right from keeping the doors open to paying out on claims. Stay away from any company that has anything less than an "A" rating.

Each state has a regulatory body of some kind that keeps an eye on insurance companies of all types. The information they gather is available for the public to access. Any problems that the state has had with the company can be found via a phone call or through bulletins posted on the state's website.

Last, talk to insurance brokers if possible, individuals who have an insurance policy through a specific company, even human resources at work. Get as wide of a picture of the health insurance company as possible before signing for a new health insurance policy.