Why do you need health insurance?

This post would help you understand why we need health insurance and at the bottom of the post you can download FREE e-book about general question and answers relating to health insurance.

Why do you need health insurance?

* The purpose of health insurance is to help you pay for care.
It protects you and your family financially in the event of an unexpected serious illness or injury that could be very expensive.
In addition, you are more likely to get routine and preventive care if you have health insurance.

* You need health insurance because you cannot predict what your medical bills will be. In some years, your costs may be low. In other years, you may have very high medical expenses. If you have health insurance, you will have peace of mind in knowing that you are protected from most of these costs. You should not wait until you or a family member becomes seriously ill to try to purchase health insurance.

* We also know that there is a link between having health insurance and getting better health care. Research shows that people with health insurance are more likely to have a regular doctor and to get care when they need it.


This guide describes different kinds of health insurance plans and answers common questions. There is a glossary of health insurance terms as well as resources for more information.

This guide briefly describes the different kinds of health insurance plans available today, including:

- Network-based plans.
- Non-network based coverage.
- Consumer-directed health plans.

Note: This guide offers general information only. Do not rely solely on this guide in making health insurance decisions.

Health insurance plans vary widely, both in cost and in benefits. Before enrolling in a health insurance plan, you should consult the plan brochure and read the policy to get specific information about the benefits and costs and the way the plan works.

This guide was developed jointly by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and America's Health Insurance Plans to provide consumers with general information about health insurance options.

For the print version, 36 page free e-book :download the PDF File (175 KB).