Best Health Insurance Companies

Having access to healthcare plays an important role in living a long and healthy life. The older you get, the more prepared you’ll need to be for any sudden illnesses or injuries.

Seeking help from doctors to treat symptoms when you’re sick or going to hospitals to deal with medical emergencies are situations that you’ll certainly experience at some point in your life. But the costs of these services are not cheap.

In fact, in the US, a routine trip to the doctor’s office can cost you anywhere from $150 to $300 without insurance. As far as more advanced healthcare services go, like surgeries or drug prescriptions, the sky’s the limit when it comes to price.

This is why everybody needs health insurance.

The Best Health Insurance Companies of 2021

Here are the top 6 providers of the best health insurance in 2021:

1. Oscar Health
2. Aetna
3. Aflac
4. Cigna
5. Blue Cross Blue Shield
6. Guardian

Oscar Health

Oscar provides health insurance for individuals, families, and businesses. On their website, you can shop plans as well as lookup doctors and pharmacies in their network.

They also have a FAQ page with helpful information on how to choose the right plan.

In order to receive information on the levels of coverage Oscar offers, you just have to provide a few pieces of information on their website, including name, zip code, and date of birth.

They will connect you with a personalized care team, who will help you find the right doctor, estimate your costs, answer questions, and coordinate care.

With any one of their plans, Oscar promises to let you speak with a specialist in their network anytime during the day, which can save you trips to your doctor’s office.

 

Aetna

Aetna offers healthcare plans for individuals and employers. They make it easy to find a quote online by entering your zip code, along with several other pieces of personal information.

You can also speak with a customer service representative by calling the number on their website any day of the week.

Once you set up an account on their website, you’ll be able to view the different levels of coverage they offer, manage claims, and find local doctors in your area.

Aetna offers HMO, PPO, and EPO plans and has resources to help you choose which one is right for you.

They also offer Medicare (read our “Understanding Medicare: A Complete Guide” for more information) and Medicaid plans, which you can apply for on their website.

 

Aflac

Aflac provides health insurance products for individuals, families, and employers. Requesting a quote on their website is as easy as providing your name, zip code, phone number, and email address.

Once you provide that information, a representative will contact you to discuss further, or you can skip right to speaking with a representative by calling the number provided.

To get a general idea of what kind of coverage you can expect, Aflac lists some of the risks they commonly provide financial protection for, including heart attacks, broken legs, asthma, lung cancer, strokes, leukemia, and pneumonia.

To get an idea of how much you’ll pay out of pocket for each type of coverage, they have an easy-to-use cost calculator on their website. Remember, this is just an estimate, as your final deductible and copayments will depend on the type of plan you go with and your personal details.

 

Cigna

Cigna provides health insurance and Medicare to individuals, families, businesses, and brokers. On their website, you can find a doctor, get a quote, create an account, and connect with a representative.

They also provide resources to help first-time policyholders better understand the ins and outs of health insurance.

Cigna offers bronze, silver, and gold plans. To receive a personalized plan and quote, you’ll have to sign up on the website.

There’s more information coverage restrictions on the website as well, depending on the laws of your state. Like most health insurance providers, Cigna offers HMO and PPO plans.

Cigna doesn’t offer their services in every state, so make sure to check if your state is eligible before reading further into their policies.

They have an online health and wellness knowledge center, which provides helpful tips for adopting healthier lifestyles and saving money on common healthcare costs.

 

Blue Cross Blue Shield

Blue Cross Blue Shield provides health insurance to employers, individuals, and families. Their website will help you find a doctor, sign up for a policy, get a quote, or speak with a representative.

They also include news stories and data studies on their homepage to keep customers up-to-date with new developments in the healthcare industry.

In order to learn more about the types of coverage you’re eligible for, you’ll have to create an account and/or connect with a representative online.

If you’re trying to switch from your current health insurance provider to Blue Cross Blue Shield, they’ll be able to do it for you with just a few pieces of personal information.

Blue Cross Blue Shield offers HMO and PPO plans in all 50 states and many foreign countries. According to their website, they’re “the most widely accepted” health insurance provider among doctors and specialists.

As a member, you’ll have discounted access to a variety of health and wellness products and services, such as fitness programs and nutrition plans.

 

Guardian

Guardian offers health insurance as well as other financial services for individuals and businesses. They have a simple website layout, which includes statements about why they’re different from other insurance providers and links to helpful resources, such as FAQs.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to get a quote by providing information on the website. Instead, you’ll have to create an account and go from there. You can also contact a customer service representative or financial specialist by calling the number provided on their site.

Guardian lists out the specific types of coverage you can purchase with one of their health insurance policies. This list includes dental, vision, accident, critical illness, cancer, and hospital indemnity insurance (which is a form of supplemental insurance that covers expenses associated with staying in a hospital).

Read more: Best Vision Insurance Companies 

Instead of providing specific details about their policies or discussing incentives, Guardian focuses on teaching visitors about the basics of health insurance.

They have guides which teach readers about their different insurance services, how to pick plans that are appropriate for them, as well as how to save money.

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap insurance rates.

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How We Chose The Best Health Insurance Companies

There are plenty of private health insurance companies out there. But who’s the best?

Looking through hundreds of different providers to find one with great coverage and low premiums is a long and complicated process.

This guide included six of the best health insurance companies on the market today to help you find one that’s perfect for your needs.

But how do we know which ones are the best? Good question. Let’s discuss how each one made our list:

Financial Stability

First, we look at their financial stability, which is measured by how much money the company has to put toward coverage at any given time.

If you get into an accident that requires immediate and expensive surgery, you’re going to file a claim with your health insurance provider so that a portion of the costs are covered.

But what happens if the insurer doesn’t have enough reserved cash to pay for their share of the surgery? In this case, the company would be considered financially unstable.

You never want to be covered by a financially unstable insurer as this can lead to financial complications like stalled payments and unexpected out-of-pocket payments, which is something nobody should have to deal with, especially after going through a surgery.

We can see how financially stable a health insurance company is by reviewing the ratings they receive from trusted financial agencies like Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, and AM Best.

Company Reputation

Then, we assess their reputation. We do this by analyzing their relationship with current and previous customers. Do they receive lots of complaints from customers? How do they go about solving issues with unhappy customers?

Health insurance policies can be difficult to understand at times, which is why it’s important to go with a provider that has a solid customer service team. For example, you shouldn’t be stuck waiting on hold for hours when you call the company with questions about your coverage.

We’re able to determine a health insurance company’s reputation by reviewing their official customer ratings, which are provided to us by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot.

Coverage Options

Finally, we learn about their coverage options and policies. You can find out a lot about a health insurance company’s services by going onto their website and clicking around.

Also, the website will usually include discount opportunities or incentives that set them apart from other providers.

Which Health Insurance Company is Best For You?

Health insurance is something that you absolutely need. You never know when you’re going to get sick or injured, so don’t wait to pick a plan until it’s too late.

If you’re not already receiving coverage through your employer or ACA, it’s time to consider purchasing a policy from a health insurance company in the private sector.

Use this guide as a starting point, look closely at what’s offered by each of the top providers on the market today, and find a plan that’s perfect for you.

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap insurance rates.

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