There are several options for health insurance in the state of Illinois. There are public as well as private plans that are designed to suit all kinds of people. There are many insurance agents and brokerage firms that deal exclusively with Illinois health insurance plans.

These have access to several insurance companies and plans, such as Assurant, BCBS Illinois, UniCare, Blue Cross/ Blue Shield of Illinois, Humana One, Fortis Short-Term Medical, Celtic, American Medical Security, MedPlan Access, Genesis Health System, GE Long Term Care Insurance, and Fortis Student Select Health Insurance. These companies can generate insurance quotes for different kinds of insurance plans, such as individual and family, short term health insurance, dental plans, Illinois HSA Qualified High Deductible Insurance Quotes Individual and Family, small group health insurance plans, senior health insurance, employer-based group health insurance plans, international travel health insurance plans, student health insurance plans, disability insurance, kids’ health insurance, and even CHIP (comprehensive health insurance program) quotes.

Most companies now have online forms for quotes. Basic information such as contact information; personal statistics such as age, sex, height, weight and smoker/non smoker status; details about current health insurance plans; medical condition information and any other additional information has to be filled in. The company would process the data and determine the most suitable plan. There would be rates from different kinds of plans, and different companies to choose from.

Some insurance companies and agents provide different kinds of quote options, such as the instant quote and the custom quote. The instant quote is the fastest kind of application, that provides general information about the eligible plans and their benefits. However, it does not consider the detailed medical history of the applicant, or other insurance underwriting issues. It does not include maternity benefits, or other benefit options. The custom quote, on the other hand, is a more detailed application that considers specific queries and preferences of customers. It covers more insurance plans. Both these quotes can be generated online over the Internet.

In Illinois, 1.4 million adults do not have health insurance. And this number is expected to rise as insurance costs go up and businesses reduce or drop insurance benefits. So where can you find low cost health insurance in Illinois?

Explore Your Options

Many Illinois residents are fortunate enough to get adequate health insurance through their employers. However, if you’re unemployed or your company doesn’t offer health insurance you can still get coverage:

* If you left a job that offered health insurance or your employer dropped your health insurance benefits, look into COBRA coverage. COBRA offers you coverage under your former employer’s health insurance plan for a few months at your own cost.

* Look into Illinois Covered, the state health insurance program. This program helps with health care and insurance costs for a variety of Illinoisans, including children, low-income residents, uninsured adults, businesses, and middle-class families.

* Group insurance from an organization. If you buy health insurance through an organization such as your college alumni group or a professional group, you may be able to qualify for a lower group rate.

* Buy an individual health insurance plan. This may be the most expensive option, but it also offers the most choices, as many types of individual plans are available: comprehensive coverage, major medical coverage, emergency coverage, short-term coverage, PPOs, HMOs, and POSs.

Finding a Low Cost Illinois Health Insurance Policy

If you decide to buy an individual health insurance plan, an insurance comparison website is the best place to find a low cost policy. On these sites you spend a few minutes completing a form with information about yourself and your health insurance needs. Once you complete the form you’ll receive health insurance quotes from multiple A-rated insurance companies.

The best websites also let you talk with insurance professionals via an online chat service so you can ask questions and make sure you get the best health insurance plan for you (see link below).