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Family health insurance plan or individual health insurance plans for each person?

I am quoting health coverage in Kansas for my family since we do not get this from an employer. My agent suggested that each family member have a separate insurance plan instead of one family plan to cut costs. I have never heard of doing this? Any comments or suggestions? Thanks

Public Comments

1. I have never heard of that either. Typically you will pay less as a family. Maybe the agent means everyone get their own and pay for their own.
2. I have never heard of this either. Make sure you get quotes both ways. Grouping your insurance together as a family usually provides you with a family discount, you will also have a maximum out of pocket for the family as well as each individual. If everyone has their own plans theoretically you could end up paying out more in medical expenses to meet individual deductibles (vs a family deductible).
3. If you're talking wife, husband, and ten kids, the family plan will be cheaper. If you're talking one kid, it really might be cheaper to do the individual plans. You've got the agent. Listen to him. But have him run the numbers, both ways.
4. In almost every situation it will be cheaper to have the whole family on the same plan. However, there are times when it is cheaper to split family members up. One example of a good time to split family members up is when one of the family members has health issues that makes it difficult for them to find affordable coverage. In this case, it can often make sense to find a plan or company that will accept the unhealthy individual and then place the rest of the family members onto a different company or plan that maybe the most desirable for the other family members due to cost or some other reason. Here is some more information on family health insurance plans, individual health insurance plans, and also some info specifically on Kansas health insurance:
5. Usually, it would make more sense to have everyone one the same plan. However, I have heard of circumstances where some members of the family have a separate policy, because of one family member's health issue. The healthy family members can stay on a lower premium policy, while the family member with the health complication goes on their own policy. It really just depends on the circumstances involved. Make sure to get quotes for each scenario, so that you can make a fully informed decision.