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Let's face it, if you have ever shopped for affordable health insurance online... it probably caused some brain damage! Doing a basic search on Google or other popular search engines will bring up literally pages of ads claiming to offer the most affordable health insurance plans.

My questions are these:
1. Are the companies legitimate?
2. Are they health insurance companies or brokers?
3. What will they do with my personal information necessary to get health insurance quotes?
4. Will they really save me money?

For the most part, the answer to the first question is yes, the majority of these companies are legitimate and actually providing quite accurate information. Health insurance companies compete heavily to get new customers and spend a lot of money to get premium quotes out to those shopping for affordable health insurance. The reason I say "for the most part" is because there are several companies advertising affordable health insurance that are really offering "discount medical plans" with very limited insurance components. These plans are not "major medical" plans and should not be used as anything more than a supplement to a major medical plan.

While some of the advertisements you find are directly from the insurance companies, the majority of links will lead you to brokerage companies that may contract with only one, or numerous different insurance companies. Dealing with a large, reputable brokerage company will assist you in your finding the most affordable health insurance plans available in your state as you are able to compare many different plans together on one site. Your state regulates the price of each plan and the monthly premium will be the same whether you get it from the brokerage company or directly from the insurance company.

Other companies online gather your information as though you will be getting an instant quote but then actually sell your information to numerous independent agents and brokerage companies. You can then expect to get as many as 20 or more follow-up phone calls within the next 24-48 hours. This may be a bit overwhelming but does put a lot of licensed, independent agents all on your side. There is certainly an advantage to having trained agents independently search for the exact type of policy that meets your personal expectations.

To save the most money and find the most affordable health insurance, I would recommend that you either use a large brokerage firm or speak with several independent agents licensed in your state.

If you know what features and benefits you are looking for in your health plan and want to compare policies and pricing between many companies then check out a large brokerage company. If you feel more comfortable getting good advice and allowing a licensed agent guide you through the maze of finding affordable health insurance, start with the representatives at ProHealthQuotes.Com. Fill out some limited information at their website and they will contact you and explain your options. They will never sell your personal information or charge you for their service.

Good Luck!

Steven Smith

Steven D. Smith is a licensed life and health insurance professional and CEO of SDS Financial, LLC. He is also the author of the "2008 Guide to Choosing and Using Your Health Insurance Plan" and "Your Guide To Good Health Insurance". Other articles and books about Health Insurance written by Steven Smith can be found at his website http://www.prohealthquotes.com