Woodworkers Insurance??

[David Perata]

Is there any type of pool health insurance available to self-employed woodworkers? There seem to be an awful lot of folks viewing this forum. I don't know how many work for themselves. It seems that banding together might be a way to get fairly low cost health insurance. I guess maybe others have been down this road before??

[Phil Phelps]

...I bet the premiums would choke a horse. Lung diseases, eye injuries, sawed off legs, you name it. Actually, David, I think you'd be better off with one of the independents. I always rode on my wife's insurance, however. You should get some sound advise, soon. Good luck.

[Sean Nagle]

If you're looking for individual coverage, I hope you or someone in your family doesn't have a pre-existing condition.

Good luck.

[Steve Mellott]

I think AAW now offers a group health insurance plan for their members. I don't know anything about the cost or the quality of the coverage, but you may want to check the AAW website.

Steve

[Jeff Strickler]

Check out ehealthinsurance.com. I found a individual/family plan through them a few years ago that was very reasonable for our needs (30-somethings with kids)

Costco has group plans for members.

Your local Chamber of Commerce likely has pre-negotiated group plans to buy into as well.

You might pick up a few hours someplace -- Starbucks offers even part-timers health benefits.

Lots of other clubs, organizations, etc. offer members a chance to buy into a group plan -- AARP, for example if you are that age.

[Bill Blackburn]

Is there any type of pool health insurance available to self-employed woodworkers? There seem to be an awful lot of folks viewing this forum. I don't know how many work for themselves. It seems that banding together might be a way to get fairly low cost health insurance. I guess maybe others have been down this road before??

What everyone I know who's asked me what to do, and now has done, is to pick up the phone and call a few main line carriers. They all offer individual and family policies. The employment section is answered "self-employed". No rating surcharges, no denials, no issues.

Now if you want to state on the thing I fear I work in a hazardous setting, I am careless, I lack common sense and take risks above and beyond .... well folks, you might have a problem at that.

This insurance industry underwriting has not changed in the way some want to think it has. Why create and spread the fear factors of insurance, SS must reside in a shop, cyclone must be used, and on and on when frankly most of this is never ever an issue. Unless one wants to create one that is;)

Pre-existing - always always always been a clause for such. Bad backs, treatment for CD, pregnancy --- so what's new? We can't expect them to write stuff when someones on a deathbed and expect or demand coverage. Ooops - some legal types here might make a living feelin' otherwise.
Spent my life in this insurance industry in various capacities. It's a regulated industry.

[Jamie Buxton]

I've been self-employed for ten years now. In my state (California) there aren't many companies which offer individual medical insurance. I'm on a plan from Blue Cross.

It helps to control the costs if you'll buy just insurance against the big-ticket disasters, and pay for everyday stuff out of pocket. That is, a big deductable is good. This is different coverage than when you had a health plan at a conventional job, but that's the breaks.

[Andrew Joiner]

Let us know if you get a quote from the AAW carrier. I tried them and was turned down because of pre-existng condition, so I really can't shop around for competitive insurance anymore.

I've had a decent 5,000K deductible health plan from a major carrier since 1979. I was a pro woodworker at the time and I'm glad I got it then for about $300 a year. Now it's $2700 a year and I've never used it. With the $5000 deductible I pay all my Dr bills and exam costs.

It's really bankruptcy insurance, not health insurance, in my case so far. If I ever get a major illness it will keep me from cashing in my life savings/retirement.

Here's some tips in my opinion:

1- Call or email your states insurance regulator if you have questions about competitive insurance quotes, pre-existing and high deductibles. They are helpfull in sorting out "fine print". The're also unbiased, agents are not.

2- Search for insurance "death spiral". It will show why you want to pick a major solid insurance company and stick with it. The AAW group may help prevent it.

3- You must be honest on your application. Say you forgot to mention a "condition" that's on ANY of your medical records ANYWHERE. An insurance co. may take you but can cancell you and not pay for costs if they determine any hint of some vague condition you had years ago(thus pre-existing) caused your need for care and coverage.
In most states this is in the first year of coverage , but the last time I checked they must cover you after one year.

Shop around and talk to your state regulator. It's a lot of money and a long term commitment.

[Joel Earl]

I've been self-employed for ten years now. In my state (California) there aren't many companies which offer individual medical insurance. I'm on a plan from Blue Cross.

It helps to control the costs if you'll buy just insurance against the big-ticket disasters, and pay for everyday stuff out of pocket. That is, a big deductable is good. This is different coverage than when you had a health plan at a conventional job, but that's the breaks.


My coverage is thru the wifes school district and it still runs us (her and I only) $1411 a month. $1750 deductible, RX and office visits $25 co-pmt, hospital and ER $100 co-pmt.
Last week I got quotes from SF, BC/BC and AmFam and each was way less at $650 to $980 a month but larger deductibles too at $2500 to $5000.

Medical costs are out of control - it is that simple. This will BK this country and not the nonsense that's happening out there today with banks and everything else. Someone somehow needs to have the guts to be hated by most and attack this thing before they are forced to start printing a new currency following the economic collapse that will happen. Or a civil war. Something is brewing and soon to blow - hope I'm just ashes at the time it does;)

FWIW - your state can give you a list of providers. Here the number of them offering same was 2 pages long. I bet at least 80

[Neal Clayton]

I've been self-employed for ten years now. In my state (California) there aren't many companies which offer individual medical insurance. I'm on a plan from Blue Cross.

It helps to control the costs if you'll buy just insurance against the big-ticket disasters, and pay for everyday stuff out of pocket. That is, a big deductable is good. This is different coverage than when you had a health plan at a conventional job, but that's the breaks.

i have the same. i'm not doing the woodworking for a living but am self employed, and nothing else makes sense.

when the premium isn't magically taken out of your paycheck for you before you see the money you soon realize that anything without a high deductible is the equivalent of just paying the insurance company for the medical bills in advance, like an interest free loan.

[Sean Nagle]

Look into High-Deductible Health Plans along with a Health Savings Account. If you use these to their fullest, they are comparable in total cost to conventional plans, but if you don't need much routine healthcare, you can stash away a considerable amount of pretax money for any future health expenses including all dental, orthodontic, vision-related and any elective procedures such as LASIK.


It's really bankruptcy insurance, not health insurance, in my case so far. If I ever get a major illness it will keep me from cashing in my life savings/retirement.

Even though the insurance carrier doesn't pay since you have a high deductible, they get you their discounted rates from the healthcare provider. The highest rates are paid by people without health insurance who pay cash... go figure.

[Andrew Joiner]

Even though the insurance carrier doesn't pay since you have a high deductible, they get you their discounted rates from the healthcare provider. The highest rates are paid by people without health insurance who pay cash... go figure.

I agree on looking into a Health Savings Account That may be your best option.

My experience has NOT been that the highest rates are paid by people without health insurance who pay cash. For major things I git a quote in advance. I found out it's always cheaper to pay cash. I had a test 4 years ago. I told them before hand I had insurance 5K deductible so I would be paying cash. The first gal said OK we must bill your insurance since you have insurance, I insisted on paying cash right there to save them the billing hassles. It would have been $730 for the test if billed thru insurance ( who'ed pay nothing) it was $410 cash or credit card paid right there.