Avoid these “Traps” When Shopping for Medical Insurance in AZ

Shopping for medical insurance in AZ doesn’t need to be a long and tedious process.  Whether you are buying an individual plan for yourself or trying to find a new plan for your company, it is much easier to get the plan you need with very little effort.  But shopping online for medical insurance in AZ is not as simple as doing a Google search.  If you try that, you may end up with dozens of online clearinghouse websites who are looking to make a profit by selling your personal information.  Unless you want to hear from 10 to 15 different brokers over the next few days, stay away from online forms. 

A better idea is to find an Arizona health insurance broker with a solid reputation in the industry.  Contact that broker directly and find out what they need from you in order to provide a quote.  If you are working with a reputable agent, he or she will not require an online form.  It may be a simple email or a phone conversation, but no one else should need to see your information.

Here are some things you will want to avoid when shopping online for medical insurance in AZ:

1. Do not provide more than the very basic information to your broker.  He or she will need your age, height/weight, zip code and current insurance status.  Eventually they will need you to fill out a form about your medical history, but a basic rate quote will not require much information. 
2. Do not provide your social security number, financial information or home address to an online broker.  When the time comes for this information to be provided, it will be after you agree to a specific health plan, and it will be on the form provided by the insurance carrier.
3. Do not agree to receive email solicitations from them in the future.  You could end up with dozens of emails from unrelated companies if they sell your information.
4. Find out about their privacy policies, internet security policy, and how much information they will provide to the insurance companies.
5. Get all of their quotes in writing, preferably in the mail and on corporate letterhead. 
6. Find out upfront about their license to sell medical insurance plans in AZ, how long they’ve been in business, and about any of their professional affiliations. 

Shopping online for medical insurance in AZ is much easier than it’s ever been; just be careful to avoid the online traps that are common with internet marketers.