Understanding Pre-existing Conditions and Low-cost Heath Insurance Options

When you are in the market for low-cost private health insurance the best time to buy it is before you need it. While that may at first seem a little counter intuitive, it is a truism of all kinds of insurance. The purpose of all insurance is to pay for potentially catastrophic events that may happen in the future and not that have already transpired. That is why the best time to shop for private health insurance is while you are the healthiest.

People often wonder why insurance companies reject people or make exclusions on applicants for pre-existing conditions. Many people feel that is the purpose of the insurance - to pay for treatments they know they will require. But again look at this way, if your house is damaged by a storm or a break-in two weeks before your purchased a home owners policy, you would not expect that policy to pay for the damage that occurred before it was in effect. Well that is the same concept when it comes to health insurance and pre-existing conditions, and why if you want the most affordable insurance coverage; and coverage for a serious condition should it occur; it is imperative that you purchase your plan while young and healthy.

That is not to say that if you have a pre-existing condition you will automatically be excluded from the possibility of finding low-cost private health insurance, it just may require a bit more work. If you know you have a pre-exciting condition that is likely to result in an exclusion or rider – or you have been turned down for health insurance in the past because of a pre-existing condition; it is probably a good idea to work with a certified insurance agent. An agent knows the ins and outs of the complex laws and rules governing pre-existing conditions. He or she has undoubtedly worked with clients in the past with similar problems, and has the ability to search for affordable health insurance options from multiple providers.

Whether working with an agent or on your own, when shopping for low cost insurance options with a pre-existing condition experts agree it is a very bad idea to not fully disclose the condition. Anything that is eventually found out to be false on an application, and it most likely will be, is considered fraud. Lying on an insurance application will not only result in immediate cancellation of the policy, but you will likely have to pay back any amount that was paid out in claims while it was in effect, and you may also be subject to criminal charges.