As the cost of health care increases, so does the strain on household budgets. A majority of today's families are barely getting by, and an increasing number of households are living with no health insurance at all. In fact, more than 46 million Americans now live uninsuredand that number increases by the year.

Health insurance is designed to protect you and your family from expense in case of accidents or illness. Doctor bills; hospitalization; medical tests and treatments; rehabilitation, and maternity/pediatric careall fall within these bounds.

So what's a family to do if it needs health insurance protection but doesn't have much to spend?

Getting Cheap Health Insurance

The less likely you are to need health care, the less you'll pay for your health insurance coverage. Therefore, finding ways to reduce your claims risk increases your chances of getting the cheap health insurance rates you deserve.

If your family needs cheap health insurance and you're not sure how to get it, use these money-saving strategies to reduce your health insurance premiums:

• Take care of your bodies. Get regular exercise; eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, and see your doctor for routine check-ups and health care advice. Don't drink or smoke.

  If you do what's necessary to maintain your health, you'll reduce your health care costs in the long runreducing, in turn, your health insurance costs.

• Set your deductibles high. What is a deductible? It's simply the amount you have to pay on your medical bills before your health insurance kicks in and pays the rest.

  According to experts, it's not uncommon for families to save up to 25 percent on health insurance premiums with a high deductible plan. The more responsibility you take for the cost of your medical care, the less responsibility your health insurance company has to carryand the lower your health insurance rates will be.

• Find a group policy. Group health insurance is always less expensive. This is because the financial risk to the health insurance company is spread amongst the entire group, instead of resting solely on you.

  Look for group health insurance through your employer, or through community or professional organizations to which you belong.

• Buy early.The younger you are when you purchase health insurance, the lower your premiums will be. This is because your risk of health-related issues increases as you get older.

  Buying health insurance early on means your family saves on monthly premiums, as well as over the life of the policy.

• Coordinate your coverages. If you and your spouse both work and have health insurance available, compare plansand choose the best parts of each. Sharing expenses between more than one insurance plan makes things cheaper for both health insurance companiesand for you.

  Your family's health insurance premiums don't have to eat into the household budgetor your bank account. Use these strategies to get cheap health insurance protection, and you'll be prepared for whatever comes your way.