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For most Americans, health insurance coverage is linked to their job. But employment is a fluid thing—you can find a new job, get laid-off, or decide to go into business for yourself. During these times, keeping your health insurance coverage can be a tough task.

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And if you're currently between jobs, it's more important than ever to consider alternative health insurance options for yourself and your family.

Keeping Yourself Covered is Important Has anyone ever said to you, "I plan on getting appendicitis next week"? Of course not! Nobody plans on getting sick. But unfortunately, our personal health is sometimes beyond our control. A nasty viral infection, a broken wrist during a touch football game, an emergency appendectomy—the world is a dangerous, unpredictable place.

Without a proper health insurance policy, a major illness or accident could result in serious financial losses. In fact, more than half of all bankruptcies are attributed in large part to health care costs.

Need Coverage? Consider Individual Health Insurance If you're between jobs or self-employed, you may want to consider applying for an individual health insurance policy. With health insurance, an ear infection could be cleared up with a co-pay at a doctor's office and a small fee for the antibiotics. But without coverage, the same ear infection could cost you 100% of a doctor's office visit in addition to the astronomical cost of buying antibiotics without insurance. Without coverage, a simple office visit could cost hundreds of dollars!

Also, you are more likely to receive routine physical examinations and preventive care if you have health insurance. Identifying potentially serious conditions in their earliest stages is essential for long-term health. At InsWeb.com, you can shop and compare health insurance quotes from top companies.

Things to Consider When Shopping for Individual Health Insurance Receiving quotes for health insurance from InsWeb.com is easy, but what factors should you take into consideration when choosing the policy that's best for you? Here are some of the questions you should ask yourself:

• "What will my monthly premium be?"
• "Should I try to insure most of my medical expenses or just the large ones?"
• "What deductibles will I have to pay out-of-pocket before insurance starts to reimburse me?"
• "After I have met my deductible, what percentage of my medical expenses is reimbursed?"
• "How much less am I reimbursed if I use doctors outside the insurance company's network?"

Also, the Insurance Information Institute recommends that you make sure your new policy will cover the services you have been used to in the past such as doctors, labs, medications, pre-existing/chronic conditions, prenatal/labor-delivery/maternity treatment and alternative therapies like acupuncture.

COBRA – Another Health Care Option Let's say you quit your current job and quickly find a new one. But your new company says it will be 90 days until you can join their group health insurance plan. This is where COBRA comes in. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) allows you, as a former employee, to continue the health insurance coverage you had at your old job, at your own expense. This safety net helps you and your dependents maintain coverage until either you join another group policy or get an individual health insurance policy.

Do You Qualify For COBRA? If any of these events occur, you and your dependents may be eligible for COBRA benefits:

• Loss of employment for any reason other than gross misconduct
• A reduction in the employee's work hours that makes him or her ineligible for health insurance coverage under the employer's benefit plan
• The divorce or legal separation of a covered employee from a spouse
• The covered employee becoming eligible for Medicare benefits
• The death of the covered employee

Not Eligible for COBRA, Medicare or Other Health Care Coverage? If you're not eligible for COBRA or too young for Medicare, your only option may be to purchase an individual health insurance policy. Medicare is only available to those 65 and over, with some exceptions for disabled people under 65. If you've been enrolled in COBRA for an extended period of time, you already know that your benefits will likely run out after a period of 18-36 months. Investing in an individual health insurance policy can help bridge the health insurance gap and keep you covered.

If you're between jobs and need a health insurance policy, there's no need to worry. InsWeb.com can provide you with free health insurance quotes from top companies.

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