Depending on your situation - for example, whether you are self-employed or a student – than an individual health insurance policy might be the right choice for you. Here are some things to consider:

1. Find out if you can have your insurance provider convert a group health insurance policy into an individual plan, allowing you to have group coverage as an individual. Keep in mind that the cost of such a policy for an individual is likely to be higher than that for multiple members participating as a group. Also, under such a converted type of plan, benefits may not be as comprehensive. However, more than likely, you will still enjoy better coverage and service provisions than you would if your plan was not considered to be part of a group.

2. Many people don’t realize that group health insurance coverage is often made available to members of professional associations and local chambers of commerce. And, you can also look into the possibility of obtaining group coverage through your credit card company.

3. If obtaining group health insurance as an individual is just not an option for you, you may want to consider purchasing an individual health insurance policy. Be aware that many individual plans will not provide the same level of coverage as group plans do. They are often designed to protect only against catastrophic illness or injury; whereby both premiums and out-of-pocket costs will usually be higher with this type of policy. If you are self-employed, you can talk with your tax professional about deducting your health insurance costs.