It is obvious to many that something needs to be done to keep health insurance costs under control. The alternative of not having health insurance coverage presents a graver risk than many are willing to admit. It is not unimaginable for a 3-4 day stay in the hospital after even routine surgery to approach a six figure total medical bill. There are services that are springing up to assist consumers negotiate lower medical fees from hospitals and doctors but even if a $100,000 hospital bill is negotiated down to $70,000 – how many are willing to sacrifice their nest egg or teeter on the edge of bankruptcy?

In this day of skyrocketing medical costs health insurance is a necessity not a luxury. Here are 3 easy and practical ways to save on your monthly health insurance expense:

1. Take the free money! If your employer will pay all or a portion of your health insurance premium through a group plan then enroll! However, note that many employers will only pay the premium for the employee and not the employee’s family members. This is where you will want to compare individual health insurance plans because individual health rates are much cheaper than group rates because of the differences in underwriting (it boils down to the fact that generally speaking in a group health plan everyone is accepted into the plan – even those with major health issues while on the individual side only people that are for the most part healthy are accepted).

2. Review your coverage annually. Health insurance rates are constantly changing. You will want to review your coverage on an annual basis to be sure that the company and plan that you have is competitive with what is on the market. You and your family’s health insurance needs will change as well so be sure and add or remove options and benefits to customize the plan to best fit your needs.

3. Compare different company’s quotes. It is quite amazing to see some people just accept the first plan that they happen to come across especially if they have never even heard of that particular health insurance company before. With the ease of the Internet you can do what used to be a days worth of research in about half an hour. You will want to go with a well known and dependable (probably nationwide) health insurance company but be sure and compare health insurance quotes from top companies in your zip code to get an idea of what is available.

With rising health costs and as more baby-boomers reach retirement age and begin to need more medical care, affordable health insurance is not easy to obtain. Moreover, health insurance underwriters won’t even offer lower premiums unless you are deemed to be a low risk individual.

Once a health insurance company profiles you as a significant risk for them, then higher insurance premium rates kick in. There really isn’t much you can do about this. Almost all insurance companies will investigate your medical records, regardless of the information you provide to them. At that point, affordable health insurance becomes a relative term.

So what are the tip-off risk factors? Basically, people who smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, or are obese or have a risk of illness due to genetic history rank as high risk for health insurance.

It stands to reason that you should consider kicking the smoking habit, reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption and implementing a plan of weight loss before you even try to apply for health insurance. Most insurance companies will take a more favorable stance if you’ve proven that you’re willing to take and stick with a pro-active role in managing your own health and wellness.

The other major factors that a health insurance company will consider prior to insuring you are whether you are at risk for or suffer from any inherited illnesses or disorders and your own medical history. While you can’t avoid this, you can research your options to make sure you’re getting the best coverage for your money.

The best way to get affordable health insurance is to obtain quotes from as many different companies as you can find that offer the benefits you need or want. Note carefully though, that a quote is not an actual premium and may not end up being your cost. For this reason, searching for different quotes and then narrowing down your choices to three or four of the lowest quotes available is the best way to determine whether or not what you get will actually be the lowest possible premium.

Make sure that you are comparing apples to apples, meaning that your affordable health insurance quotes are based on the same or substantially similar specifications for each health insurance company. It doesn’t provide an accurate picture if you’re looking at different coverages between the quotes for the same total dollar amounts. You need to be looking at the same coverages and benefits packages for each company rather than just the quoted premium to determine if you’re going to get the best rates.

Ask any questions you may have prior to purchasing any affordable health insurance policy. When you reach a decision, make sure you get your coverages and rates in writing. Nothing can be worse than finding out too late that you didn’t get what you thought you were paying for!

Before you sign up for any insurance policy, visit http://www.affordablehealthinsurance.net/ for health insurance related and more tips and resources for getting the best health insurance policy.