The growing trend in purchasing health insurance online can be justified through one simple advantageous concept; comparison. The internet has enabled the individual to search and obtain a catalog of free quotes from the leading insurance providers, according to their own individual circumstances.
Individual health is of a paramount concern, and we all prefer to have a policy that provides sufficient cover, should the need ever arise, but with the minimum of financial outlay.
The ease with which you can search, obtain a quote, and purchase online insurance is immediately evident.
The four main benefits of shopping online for health insurance are:
* The comparison of a cross section of medical insurance policies and providers.
* The ”free” quote – No obligation to purchase.
* The ability to purchase the ”cheapest” policy from an insurance provider, without compromising the level of cover.
* One search compiles a list of insurance providers who offer a policy according to your individual needs and requirements. No need to contact individual insurance companies to obtain a quote.
One example of a comparison website is www.moneysupermarket.com. It provides a simple, step by step process in the provision of a list of individual health insurance policies.
You simply enter your personal details, the level of cover required, the level of voluntary excess (which can lower the monthly premiums), and it will search through all the available health insurance providers.
An instant list of free quotes, that usually projects the ”cheapest” monthly premium first, and continues according to each price increase.
You are also informed of the details of inpatient and outpatient care provisions, and any additional benefits incorporated within each policy.
Should you choose to proceed, you can seek further details, or purchase health insurance. You follow the links and you can either purchase via www.moneysupermarket.com, or you will be directed to the insurance providers website to continue with your purchase.
If you were to source the same number of quotes using the traditional methods of visiting an office or telephoning an insurance company, you would need to contact ten plus different companies and repeat the information each time, and collate your own list of quotes. Comparison shopping, via the internet, enables the same collation of data in an instant, within the convenience of your own home and time, day or night.
Using the internet to source and compare free medical insurance quotes is becoming an increasing popular avenue for individuals requiring health insurance, at competitive rates. The number of comparison websites have, are continuing to increase, to provide a wide spectrum of insurance quotes.
A featured article, by Danny Fell (a partner with the Chattanooga, TN-based marketing firm Daniel+Douglas+Norcross), on the website ‘Strategic Health Care Communications’ discusses the future of health plans and its connection with the internet.
”Internet applications for health plans span a wide spectrum, from sales and service to e-health initiatives. For example, health plans rely on the Internet to power provider connectivity for electronic claims and reimbursement transactions, support member management programs, enable more cost-effective and timely case review and utilization management, and more recently, to deliver personalized disease management programs in an effort to improve consumer health and lower costs.
Mary Scanlon, senior vice president of e-business at WellPoint, foresees a breakout year for the role of e-health within health plans. “There is much greater alignment with the business and operations side of what we do than ever before,” says Scanlon. “It’s no longer just about a Web site or a particular online application we are actively engaging consumers online in managing their health, accessing quality and pricing information, and changing behaviors.”
A proportion of this predicted increase between the internet and the health care industry lies within online insurance.
The trend in online insurance has witnessed a year-on-year increase in visitor numbers and online purchases, with the projected number of visitors to comparison websites to source medical insurance quotes set for future increases.