What are health insurance brokers and how do they work?

Posted by carlos gonzalez on March 28th, 2024

When you are getting medical coverage the people that are most often to help you are health insurance brokers. These are licensed agents that are independent and work for all the insurance companies. They are not to be confused with a captive agent which only sells 1 company (whoever they are contracted with). You want a BROKER and not a captive agent. How does a health insurance broker help you?

How do health insurance brokers help you with insurance?
The main way health insurance brokers help you save money when getting medical coverage is through the marketplace. They can look at all the plans available inside the health insurance marketplace and find what you need. Brokers can filter out plans by price, plan type (HMO, EPO, PPO, etc.) and many other things. Specific plans for those with asthma, diabetes, heart conditions, etc all to find which one works for you the best. A normal person would not be able to do this as it could be complicated to navigate the marketplace and look at all the terminology and what it means. They are trained and licensed for a reason!


Are health insurance brokers and captive agents the same thing?
No. Health insurance brokers usually work indepdently and have contracts with all the available health insurance carriers. A captive agent is licensed to sell but only with 1 company. When applying for health insurance you want to make sure that you are contacting a broker who has access to sell all the carriers. A captive agent on the other hand, can only legally sell you whichever company they work for (which usually means that it will not be the cheapest one). 


What are the benefits of working with a health insurance broker?
There are many benefits to working with a health insurance broker like customer service, filing claims, finding doctors near you and most importantly, enrolling you in a plan! The best brokers stick by your side even after the sale. They are an important piece in the health insurance world.


Next steps...
If you want affordable health insurance, finding a broker should be your first priority. They will handle all the documents and get you enrolled. They are your "tour guide" when it comes to getting coverage. Find health insurance brokers near you and start applying for that coverage that you need and deserve!