A Washington family health insurance company frequently provides coverage through employee or other group insurance and may cover the entire family. However, children may need their own health insurance and some insurance companies require a separate policy for each family member.

Washington family medical insurance is more expensive than individual health insurance because more people are covered and the scope of the coverage is typically greater. A Washington family health insurance coverage takes factors such as age, gender, tobacco usage and state of residency of each family member into account when determining a preliminary quote.

There are three key points to consider when evaluating a family health insurance plan. Washington plan premiums are affected by the following:

1. Have your family’s specific needs assessed by a family health insurance company. WA insurance should include a vision plan for a family with a history of poor eyesight.

2. The exclusions. Policies won't cover certain services or treatments under some plans for family health insurance. WA policies list exclusions in a specific section, but look for other exclusions throughout the policy.

3. The premium. Washington family health insurance providers with a high premium may provide services that your family won’t need.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Collect quotes from a variety of Washington family health insurance providers

A pre-existing condition may preclude a family member from coverage by a family health insurance company. WA companies may require the affected individual to be covered by their own individual policy. No matter what your family situation is, seek multiple quotes from different providers before you choose a plan.

I recommend: Complete the application form at eHealthInsurance to apply for a family health insurance plan. Washington quotes also can be obtained from InsureMe.

Contact a specific agent when looking for family health insurance in Washington

You may want to get family health insurance in Washington through an agent who can make a recommendation based on your specific needs.

I recommend: Go to AgentsWeb.net and enter your zip code or city and state for a list of insurance agents in your area. The Association of Health Insurance Advisors also allows you to find health insurance agents.

Get a Washington family health insurance policy from a specific carrier

Go straight to the carrier for quotes if you have already decided on the carrier and don't have a regular insurance broker.

I recommend: Regence Blue Shield is one of the largest Washington family health insurance companies. Symetra Financial provides a range of insurance and financial services to individuals and families.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Providers of Washington family health insurance use health maintenance organizations in local clinics as a less expensive option, which may be a good choice for families that are generally healthy. Point of service and preferred provider organization plans are more expensive, but more flexible for family members who may need a specialist. You should ensure that your family physician is a member of the POS or PPO network.
• •  Review your family health insurance expenditures for the previous year when selecting family health insurance. WA plans may allow you to sensibly reduce your premium by increasing your deductible. Also reduce a high premium by eliminating coverage for services your family doesn't really need. However, a policy with an unusually low premium may indicate inadequate coverage, difficulty in getting claims approved or slow payment.