Before you right now is the greatest health insurance advocate the world has ever seen: your keyboard. With a few keystrokes you are able to summon every health insurance plan available in any U.S. market and compare them by premium, deductibles, coverage and provider networks.  Finding the ideal plan for you and your family is faster and simpler than ever imagined, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go wrong.  In fact, if you don’t know what you’re looking for, chances are good you will go wrong.
 
Purchasing health insurance is a serious endeavor, requiring you to think before you search and to think again before responding to any search results.  So who can you trust? How can you shop smart?  Here are a few tips to keep in mind:
 
Shop with a licensed agent
When shopping for health coverage online, selection and assistance are important.  Many health insurance companies sell their plans directly to consumers, as well as through licensed agents.  But by limiting your scope to a single company you may be limiting your options. 

A licensed agent like InsureMeOnline.com can sell plans from a variety of insurance companies, provide you with personal advice and assistance, and can work with the insurance company on your behalf to help expedite a decision on your application.  An agent can be an individual or a company with multiple agents working to find the best plan to meet your needs. 

Licensed health insurance agents must follow stringent guidelines mandated by the different companies they represent and your state Department of Insurance.  Know up front that buying through an agent won't cost you any more than going directly to the insurance company.   
 
Make sure they have quality phone support
You may never need to call your licensed online agent, but you want to make sure that they're available when you need them.  A reputable agent should never hide their phone number in the fine print.  It may not be on the homepage, but you should be able to find it within one or two clicks. 

You'll want to be sure you're working with an agent who's available for you not only when you're shopping, but even down the road after you've made your purchase.  Courteous, helpful telephone assistance and easy accessibility, are a great indicator that you've found a quality health insurance partner.  Even if you don’t have a question, you might want to call them up just to gauge their customer service-ability.
 
Look for seals of approval or quality ratings
Quality insurance companies and reliable licensed agents will typically promote the approvals or high ratings they've received from consumer advocacy groups such as the Better Business Bureau, TRUSTe or A.M. Best.  When choosing an online health insurance agent, look for a Better Business Bureau Online ("BBBO") logo. 

The BBBO provides reliability reports for online business which include specific company information and reports of any consumer complaints.  Your online agent should also have the approval of an Internet privacy protection organization like TRUSTe.   Some of the health insurance companies you'll see online are big names but others you might not have heard of before.  Look for A.M. Best ratings for the different companies you have questions about.  A high A.M Best is the benchmark for quality in the insurance industry.

Don’t be intimidated
Shopping for health insurance online can be a little overwhelming at first, especially when faced with the sheer number of plans that are available.  Use the tools provided by the online agent to narrow your search results according to things that are important to you – like the size of the premium or the plans accepted by your current physician.  That will trim your search results down from, oh, about 60 to roughly a dozen. 

Then follow the tips outlined above.  You’ll be well on your way to protecting your personal information, making the most of your time and money, and finding the perfect health insurance plan for you and your family.