Health insurance is a form of insurance coverage that pays for medical and surgical expenses incurred by the insured. It is intended to protect the insured from high and unexpected health care costs. Health insurance can take many forms, such as an individual plan purchased by a person, a group plan provided by an employer, or a government-sponsored plan. The type and amount of health care costs that will be covered by the insurance provider are specified in the policy, and the insured is typically required to pay a monthly premium to maintain coverage. Some policies may also require the insured to pay a deductible or co-pay for certain medical services. Additionally, some plans may also have an out of pocket maximum limit that the insured person will have to pay in a given year.