Living a healthy life goes a long way toward helping people in Connecticut get lower health insurance rates. In addition to living a healthy lifestyle, being a member of a large group can help lower your rate. Here are some ways to save money:
- Keep an eye on how much you weigh. Don't be surprised if your rates are higher because of how much you weigh. Companies that sell health insurance like to cover healthy people. Having the right weight is a part of being healthy. If you're just a little bit overweight, your rate might be a little bit higher. If you're morbidly obese, though, insurance companies might not cover you.
- Stage of Life: People who buy insurance when they are younger may pay less than those who buy insurance when they are older. As people get older, they are more likely to get sick and get diseases that come with getting older.
- Ask for discounts. If you belong to a big group like AARP or a Teachers' Association, you may be able to get a few discounts. Make sure to ask about discounts when you are looking for insurance. Let's face it, if you don't ask, you won't find out.
- Join and go to a gym. Many health insurance companies will give you a better rate if you work out regularly, and some will even pay for one month of your gym membership if you can show that you've been going regularly. The less likely you are to make a claim, the healthier you are.
- Tobacco: People who smoke or chew tobacco are more likely to get sick from their habits, so health insurance companies don't like them. People who smoke can expect to pay more than people who don't smoke.
History: If you haven't had any major health problems in the past, your rate will be lower than if you have a debilitating illness and are often in the hospital.
It's not hard to buy health insurance. The underwriting is common sense at its best. If you take care of yourself and stay healthy, your insurance rates will be lower.
No matter how healthy you are, you should always look at more than one insurance company before making a choice.
