Buying health insurance on your own isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Individual health insurance is a plan you purchase directly from an insurance company or through the federal/state Marketplace — separate from any coverage your employer might offer.

If you’re self-employed, between jobs, work for a small business without group coverage, or just want a plan tailored to your needs, individual health insurance is the path. This guide breaks down what it covers, who needs it, how much it costs, and where to find the best plan in your state.

What Is Individual Health Insurance?

Individual health insurance covers one person and (optionally) their family members. Unlike group health insurance offered through an employer, you choose the plan, pay the premium directly, and manage the policy yourself.

These plans must meet the essential health benefits required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA): ambulatory services, emergency care, hospitalization, maternity & newborn care, mental health, prescription drugs, rehabilitative services, lab work, preventive care, and pediatric care including dental/vision.

Who Needs Individual Health Insurance?

You’re a strong fit for individual coverage if you’re:

  • Self-employed or freelance — no employer-sponsored plan available
  • A gig worker or contractor — same reason
  • Between jobs — COBRA is usually expensive; an ACA plan is often cheaper
  • Under 26 and aging off a parent’s plan
  • Pre-Medicare (50-64) — early-retirement bridge
  • Working at a small business without group benefits — many SMBs under 50 employees don’t offer health insurance
  • A college student outside parental coverage

How Much Does Individual Health Insurance Cost?

The national average cost of individual health insurance is around $477/month for a 40-year-old non-smoker on a Silver-tier plan, but your actual premium depends on five factors the ACA permits insurers to consider:

  1. Where you live — premiums vary state-by-state and county-by-county
  2. Your age — premiums rise with age (capped at 3× the youngest-adult rate)
  3. Tobacco use — can add up to 50% to the premium
  4. Plan tier — Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Catastrophic
  5. Individual vs family coverage

For a full state-by-state breakdown, see our health insurance rates by state guide, or jump straight to your state below.

Best Health Insurance Plans by State

We’ve researched the cheapest, most popular, and best-rated individual health insurance plans for every U.S. state and Washington DC. Click your state to compare top carriers, average rates, and Marketplace options:

What’s the Difference Between Individual and Family Plans?

An individual plan covers one person. A family plan covers you, your spouse, and any dependents under one policy. Family plans generally cost more than the sum of individual premiums because they pool risk across multiple people — but they’re convenient and often include a family deductible that, once met, applies to everyone.

If you’re a single adult with no dependents, an individual plan is usually the right call. If you have a spouse or kids, run the math on individual policies for each person vs. a single family plan to see which is cheaper.

How Do I Buy Individual Health Insurance?

Three main paths:

  1. HealthCare.gov or your state Marketplace — the federal/state ACA exchange. Best if you qualify for premium tax credits (most people earning under 400% of federal poverty level do).
  2. Directly from an insurance carrier — Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Kaiser Permanente, etc. — through their websites or licensed agents.
  3. Through a licensed health insurance broker — independent agents who shop multiple carriers on your behalf at no cost to you.

Most people start at the Marketplace because that’s where premium tax credits (subsidies) live. Outside Open Enrollment (Nov 1 – Jan 15 in most states), you’ll need a Qualifying Life Event — losing job-based coverage, getting married, moving, having a baby — to enroll.

When Can I Enroll?

  • Open Enrollment: November 1 – January 15 in most states (some state Marketplaces extend longer)
  • Special Enrollment Period (SEP): After a Qualifying Life Event — you typically have 60 days
  • Medicaid/CHIP: Enroll any time if you qualify based on income

Outside Open Enrollment and SEP, you can buy a short-term health insurance plan as a stop-gap, but those don’t cover pre-existing conditions and don’t count as ACA-compliant coverage.

Ready to Compare Plans?

Pick your state from the directory above to see the best individual health insurance options near you, or browse our deeper-dive guides: