Is there someone in America that hasn’t thought about moving to California at one point in time?  The Golden State is the most populous state in the United States, it’s home to 1 out of every 8 citizens.  Eight out of the country’s most 50 populated cities are located in California, and there’s opportunity to be found in every one of them.

If California were a country, as of 2012 it would have been the 9th largest in the world.  The state is home to a booming agricultural industry, and almost half out of all the fresh fruit produced in the country comes from California.  The state also prospers from their manufacturing and aerospace industries, and it’s numerous k-12 schools, colleges, and universities.

California also has the privilege of as having some of the healthiest citizens in the country.  California residents are the 3rd least sedentary citizens in the country, and they also have the 5th lowest obesity rate.

Some of the state’s residents could be thanking their health insurance provider for their good health.

The vast majority of residents receive their health insurance through their employer, and many more receive theirs through private providers and through the state’s health insurance program.  Despite the absolute necessity of health insurance, it’s estimated that around 9 million residents lack coverage.

Health insurance is important for people to have, but some people don’t have coverage because they aren’t sure what kind of coverage they need, or how to even get it.  If you’re one of the state’s millions of uninsured citizens, follow these tips so you can find the coverage that’s best for your needs.

List Your Priorities

If you want to be able to find the best insurance coverage for your needs, you need to first think about what your needs truly are.

Sit down and make a list about your healthcare needs.  When it comes to your healthcare, what issues matter the most to you?  Do you want to be able to have the freedom to see a variety of different doctors, or are you okay with sticking with the one you’ve had for years.

Do you have a lot of prescriptions you need to spend money on, or are you able to get the majority of your medication over the counter?

Go Online

Sites like health net California and others can make shopping for insurance simple.  In the past people would hire health insurance brokers to hunt for the most affordable policies for their needs, but thanks to the internet you no longer need to.  There are a variety of health insurance websites that can come up with monthly quotes so that you can find health insurance policies that you can afford.

Take Advantage of Incentives

Are you a non-smoker?  Do you have a membership to the local gym?  Those qualities may not seem like much, but your health lifestyle choices could help you save money on your insurance policy.  Now there are a lot of companies that give policy holders discounts for their regular healthy behavior.

When you’re talking to an insurance agent mention your health habits and see if you can get a discount.

Featured images:

License: Creative Commons

image source

Monica, a health care provider, talks about things to consider when choosing the best coverage for you.