Most college students think of themselves as invincible, but medical insurance for college students is important.
Even if you're young and in good health you can have an accident or develop an illness.
Several options are available if you're a college student who needs cheap health care coverage.
Your Parents' Plan May Still be an Option Many parents' insurance plans cover dependent children as long as they're full-time students.
Other plans cover full-time students up to a certain age, usually age 22.
Staying on a parental plan is generally the least expensive option.
If you decide to stay on your parents' plan you need to do some checking to see if their plan is an HMO or PPO.
If so, you need to find out if any health care providers in your new town are part of their plan.
If no health care providers are part of the plan's network, then private health insurance may be a better choice.
Check into a Student Health Plan If your parents' plan is not an option, the next option is to find out if your school offers a student health plan.
Most colleges and universities offer such plans at reasonable costs.
Shop Around for the Best Price Another alternative for college students is to buy an individual health insurance policy.
Such policies are available in several types: * Full-coverage policies covering health, vision, and dental care * Managed health care plans - HMOs and PPOs * Short-term policies * Major-medical policies * High deductible policies If you're healthy you may just need a major-medical policy that will cover only major accidents and illnesses.
These policies are relatively inexpensive.
Buying an individual comprehensive policy can be expensive, but by shopping around and comparing policies, you can find great rates.
The key is to go online to an insurance comparison website and compare rates.
These websites offer free quotes from A-rated companies, making it fast and easy to find a cheap policy.