At first glance, one might think that you know exactly what your insurance company offers but when you look at the overall picture there can be a good amount of information that is hidden in policy documents and if you do not know what to look for you may not realize that your health insurance company limits coverage until you’re left with a big bill. These documents are written in very confusing English and if you really want to know what they say it will take some reading and research.Most people know to look at the co-pay or co-insurance amount and the deductible but most insurance companies realize this and therefore they don’t usually change these amounts too much. While these items seem of the utmost importance to most people it is the exclusions and limits that are set about by the health insurance companies that make your insurance become a lot more costly.If you want to find these exclusions, you must go through policy documents and searching for words such as exception, excluded, pre-authorization, limited, and maximum benefit for life or maximum annual benefit. These are the words that will reduce your insurance up to a very limited predetermined amount before you even get to the door of your doctors office. It is important to understand that pre-authorization for treatment is a requirement for many insurance policies and if you do not get authorization in advance you could end up paying the entire bill for your treatment.At first it may be difficult to really understand what your policy documents say, but if you do your homework and look up information online you will soon begin to realize what the policy documents are telling about your health insurance coverage. If you have questions about your health insurance coverage, make sure you call your insurance company and ask them directly what the actual meaning of a quotation or chosen section means.You have the right to fully understand everything that your health insurance policy offers you and what it does not. Taking the time to make your selection with care and gain a thorough understanding of your health insurance policy so it will help you get the most from your insurance benefits and you will also be aware of pitfalls you may encounter along the route.