Compare Health Insurance Rates

Image

Let's begin with your zip code.

We'll find you a health insurance quote based on your needs.

Comparing health insurance quotes can get you a better deal on coverage.

ValuePenguin's health insurance calculator can give you rate estimates and plan recommendations. Our experts can help you:

  • Find a cheap health insurance plan
  • Get the right coverage for your medical needs
  • Check to see if you qualify for subsidies

Compare health insurance quotes and plans

Compare health insurance quotes by cost

By plan level

By age

By company

By location

By plan level

By age

By company

By location

Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Your Area

Currently insured?

Compare health insurance quotes by state

Learn more about the health insurance plans offered in your state:

Compare health insurance quotes

By company

By plan level

By age

By location

Average monthly rates for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan.

By company

Average monthly rates for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan.

By plan level

Plan tier
Rate
Catastrophic$335
Bronze$462
Silver$584
Gold$641
Platinum$813

Average monthly rates for a 40-year-old.

By age

Age
Rate
20$443
30$519
40$584
50$816
60$1,240

Average monthly rates for a Silver plan.

By location

State
Rate
Alabama$584
Alaska$948
Arizona$517
Arkansas$461
California$600
Show All Rows

Average monthly cost for a 40-year-old with a Silver plan.

Compare health insurance coverage

The first step to picking the best health insurance plan is to compare the coverage. You should check that each plan has the coverage you want.

Monthly rate

Deductibles, copays and coinsurance

Out-of-pocket maximum

The monthly rate, also called the premium, is the price you pay each month for your health insurance plan.

Monthly rate

The monthly rate, also called the premium, is the price you pay each month for your health insurance plan.

Deductibles, copays and coinsurance

You'll have to spend a certain amount of money on healthcare, called a deductible, before your plan starts paying for things. After you meet your deductible, you still have to pay part of your medical bill, either a flat fee called a copay or a percentage of the total bill, called coinsurance.

Out-of-pocket maximum

The out-of-pocket maximum is the limit on how much you will have to spend on medical care in a year. After hitting this limit, the insurance company pays for the full cost of covered health services. Your deductible, copays and coinsurance usually all count toward reaching your out-of-pocket maximum. The monthly rate you pay is not part of the out-of-pocket maximum.

To pick the right amount of coverage, think about what kind of medical care you might need. If you can pay a bit more each month, it might be worth it to get a plan with more coverage than you think you'll need. That way, if something comes up or you have an accident, you'll have good coverage. Choose a health insurance plan that gives you the best coverage combined with a deductible and out-of-pocket maximum that you can afford to pay.

Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Your Area

Currently insured?

Learn more about the health insurance plans offered in your state:


Compare plan tiers

man on laptop

Private health insurance plans are divided into five categories: Catastrophic, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

Coverage tiers help you know how much coverage you'll get and how much you'll pay each month. Typically, as your monthly rate increases, so does your coverage level.

If you go to the doctor often or have expensive medical needs, a Gold or Platinum plan is usually the best option. The extra coverage usually makes the higher monthly cost worth it. A Bronze plan makes sense if you're young and mostly healthy. Just make sure that you have the savings to pay for more of your medical bills yourself.

  • Catastrophic and Bronze health plans have the cheapest monthly costs. But you'll pay for more yourself if you need medical care because the plans have high deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. Bronze and Catastrophic plans are best for people in good health. If you choose a lower-tier plan, you should also have savings to pay for the higher medical costs, just in case. You may pay more for a Catastrophic plan than a Bronze plan because Catastrophic plans don't qualify for subsidies.

  • Silver tier plans have middle-of-the-road rates and deductibles. These plans are best for people or families with average health care needs. Plus, if you have a low income, Silver health insurance plans are eligible for cost-sharing reductions. That means you'll pay less in coinsurance, copays and deductibles.
  • Gold and Platinum health insurance plans have the most expensive rates. But they also give you the most coverage, so you pay less for health care. If you think you'll need expensive medical care, like prescription drugs or a surgery, consider a Gold or Platinum plan. The lower deductible might save you money overall, even though the plan costs more each month.

Compare health insurance networks


woman looking thru binoculars

A plan's network limits which doctors you can use, the flexibility of your coverage and how easy it is to see a specialist.

PPOs and HMOs are the two most common network types. PPOs typically cost more, but they let you see specialists without a referral. They also give you some coverage for doctors that aren't in the plan's network. HMOs are cheaper, but you only have coverage to see an in-network doctor. With an HMO, you'll also need to go through your primary care doctor to see a specialist, which can slow down your medical care.

Two less-popular plan types are exclusive provider organizations (EPOs) and point of service (POS) plans. These usually aren't the best option, and you might not even have any of these plans in your area.

Health insurance network comparison

Monthly cost
Out-of-network coverage
Specialist without referral
PPO$613
HMO$512
EPO$526
POS$539
Sometimes

Policy costs are the national average for a 40-year-old.

Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Your Area

Currently insured?
icon
No spam. No hassle. No hidden costs.

Private health insurance is coverage that you buy from a health insurance company rather than the government.

  • A private health insurance plan is best for those who don't have other coverage from a government program such as Medicaid or Medicare. You may get private health insurance from your job. In that case, you don't have to buy a plan yourself.

    These plans cover health care and prescription drugs. You can buy affordable health coverage through the government marketplace, directly from an insurance company or from a broker or agent.

    Find ACA plans in your state

  • A short-term health insurance policy is best only if you have a coverage gap between two health insurance plans.

    Short-term plans are cheap, usually between $100 and $300 per month. But you might not have coverage for some types of health care, like pregnancy or mental health services. You might also have a high deductible.

    You should only consider short-term plans as an option if you miss open enrollment or need health insurance while you're between jobs.

Supplemental health insurance can help you manage costs not covered by your main health insurance.

Supplemental insurance comes in different forms. For example, hospital indemnity insurance gives you cash payments when you have a hospital stay. You can spend these payments however you like .

Other types of supplemental coverage, such as dental and vision, can help you pay for procedures that don't fall under your normal health plan. Health insurance plans for adults don't typically cover most dental-related procedures, so it's important to buy standalone coverage.


Frequently asked questions

How much does individual health insurance cost?

Health insurance costs $584 per month, on average, for an adult in the United States. However, the cost of plans will depend on your age, where you live and the level of coverage you choose.

How to compare two health insurance plans?

When comparing two or more health insurance plans, it's important to look at the total cost of your plan including your monthly rate and how much you can expect to pay out of pocket through your deductible, copay and coinsurance. It's also important to compare coverage, especially if you have an ongoing illness, or disability or you're taking prescription drugs.

What are the cheapest health insurance quotes I can get?

In many parts of the country, you can get a free Silver health plan through your state marketplace or HealthCare.gov if you earn a low income. Although you can qualify for ACA, or Obamacare, subsidies with any plan tier, you can only get cost-sharing reductions {"content":"This subsidy helps you pay for the costs you're responsible for such as your deductible, copay and coinsurance.","icon":"","label":"","triggerText":"cost-sharing reductions"} if you have a Silver health plan.

If you don't qualify for these subsidies, consider a Catastrophic or Bronze health plan.

What are the best health insurance companies?

The overall best health insurance companies are Kaiser Permanente and Blue Cross Blue Shield. However, health insurance plans vary in price and quality. Compare plan options based on your location, age, preferred doctors and medical needs.

How much is dental insurance?

Dental insurance typically costs between $15 and $25 per month. You can lower your rate even further by bundling your dental and health insurance policies together through the same company.

Health insurance research and advice

2024 American Fitness Report

Parents of young children and Gen Zers have the most body confidence, while baby boomers and those with older children have the least.... Read More

Sources and methodology

The average cost of health insurance uses 2024 quotes for a 40-year-old individual sourced from public use files (PUFs) on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) government website and state marketplaces. Plans and providers for which county-level data was included in the CMS Crosswalk file were used in the rate analysis; those excluded from this data set may not be considered.