Health Insurance My company offers health insurance benefits but the monthly premium is $950. Do I have to sign on with their health insurance or can I find my own cheaper insurance somewhere else? By Penny Gusner Penny Gusner Penny is an expert on insurance procedures, rates, policies and claims. She has extensive knowledge of all major insurance lines -- auto, homeowners, life and health insurance. She has been answering consumers’ questions as an analyst for more than 15 years and has been featured in numerous major media outlets, including the Washington Post and Kiplinger’s. | Posted on May 30, 2014 Why you should trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing honest and reliable information so that you can make the best financial decisions for you and your family. All of our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. We maintain strict editorial independence from insurance companies to maintain editorial integrity, so our recommendations are unbiased and are based on a comprehensive list of criteria. You can try to find cheaper insurance elsewhere, such as your state’s health insurer marketplace or directly from an insurer. However, 2014’s open enrollment period is closed unless you qualify for a special open enrollment period, such as getting married or having a baby. Loss of your job-based insurance is also a qualifying event, but not if you voluntarily end it. Even if the an enrollment period were open, if you have access to employer-sponsored health insurance you could not qualify for premium discounts (in the form of tax credits) if the portion you pay to cover yourself is deemed affordable, which is defined as you pay no more than 9.5 percent of your household income for your coverage. (See “2017 open enrollment: 10 essential facts” for more information.) If you want to compare health insurance premium costs for 2015 plans, you’ll have to wait until open enrollment which will be Nov. 15, 2014, through Feb. 15, 2014. I’d suggest reading up on how to buy individual health insurance and be ready to compare premiums when the time comes. Penny GusnerContributor . .Penny is an expert on insurance procedures, rates, policies and claims. She has extensive knowledge of all major insurance lines -- auto, homeowners, life and health insurance. She has been answering consumers’ questions as an analyst for more than 15 years and has been featured in numerous major media outlets, including the Washington Post and Kiplinger’s. Related Articles How to add a spouse to your health insurance plan By Huma Naeem Does my deductible start over if I change jobs? By Shivani Gite When does health insurance start at a new job? By Shivani Gite Can I drop my spouse from my health insurance at any time? By Nupur Gambhir When does health insurance expire after leaving your job? By Casey Bond If both spouses have health insurance which is primary? By Prachi Singh