Health Insurance 101:

These articles, prepared by the writers and editors of the Health Insurance Resource Center, will help you better understand health care and medical insurance issues.

Types of insurance

Individual health insurance: for those without an employer plan

Chances are, if you found this Web site, it's because you're hunting for affordable individual health insurance. ... more

Group health insurance: appeal of employer-based plans obvious

Because large groups can use their size to negotiate better benefits, employer-sponsored plans typically are able to include a range of plan options. ... more

COBRA: understanding the safety net's pros and cons

Laid off? A seemingly obvious insurance option will be COBRA, a federal law that allows you to continue to purchase the coverage from your employer-sponsored plan ... more

Student health insurance: required reading for college-bound

Long before the first class of the first college semester begins, prospective students and their families need to begin doing their homework ... more

Short-term major medical: fills tall order for "in-betweens"

Many health care consumers are now looking for a quick fix that has appeared in the form of short-term major medical health insurance policies ... more

Mini-meds: guaranteed-issue for the medically uninsurable

Turned down for medical insurance? Simply can't afford the premiums that traditional plans demand? You may have another option: a defined-benefit or "mini-med" plan. ... more

Medicare supplement policies: bridge coverage gaps

When it comes to health insurance, Medicare is definitely the 800-pound gorilla. The federally funded program covers more than 40 million Americans ... more

High-risk insurance pools: an answer for the uninsured

Risk pools are aimed at helping those who can afford to buy health insurance, but who are denied coverage by carriers because of a pre-existing medical condition. ... more

Self-employed health insurance

How to find and keep health insurance.

Health insurance FAQs

Common insurance questions answered.

How to buy health insurance

Finding affordable, quality insurance.

Reduce your health care costs

Common-sense tips for saving money.

Private health insurance

The history and future of insurance.

Term life insurance

Simple, flexible life insurance coverage.