Health Insurance Agents: Top 5 Consumer Expectations

Finding A Health Insurance Agent Is Tricky: Are Your Expectations High Enough?

If you're wondering if you should talk to a health insurance agent ask yourself these 3 questions first:

• Do Want to switch health insurance providers?
• Are you unsure of what health insurance policy best fits your needs?
• Want more information about health insurance coverage

Health insurance agents jobs are to find the right coverage for your lifestyle and make you feel secure. However, you should always investigate your health insurance agent and their company. Coalition Against Insurance Fraud reports that the United States spend $1.2 trillion on healthcare annually; $68 billion is lost to health insurance fraud each year. To compare up to five quotes from local insurance agents in your area, use our quick online form.

What to Expect From A Health Insurance Agent

You can make sure your health insurance agent is legit by answering questions about their health insurance policy, such as:

1. Are you an independent agent or a captive agent?

   A captive agent solely works for one insurance company, whereas an independent agent works for multiple agencies. Your health insurance agent should be able to tell you what insurance company or companies they work for.

2. How much does the policy cost?

   Your health insurance agent should be able to explain the cost of the following:

   • Monthly premiums
   • Deductibles
   • Co-payment amounts
   • Prescription drug costs

Good health insurance agents should remind you that you can lower the cost of your premiums by raising your deductible. They should also be willing to talk about the consequences of choosing a high deductible insurance policy.

3. Which network do you believe fits my lifestyle?

   Your health insurance agent should know the difference between the HMO and PPO networks. They should tell you their benefits and the consequences of going outside your network.

4. What illnesses do you cover?

   A health insurance agent should know the limitations to providing coverage to terminal or deadly illnesses, such as cancer. If a health insurance agent says otherwise, you should seek another agent. According to Forbes.com, those limitations are:

   • Time frames with no option to renew
   • Fixed dollar amounts
   • Quirky caps on care
5. What discounts do you offer?

   Health insurance agents should never offer "special discounts," but instead, tell you ways to lower your premium. Some of these ways are:

   • Not smoking
   • Exercising as part of a healthy lifestyle
   • Nutrition as it relates to long term health

A Good Health Insurance Agent Should Be Helpful

A health insurance agent should always be willing to assist you in finding the right coverage. However, when in doubt, you should search for a health insurance agent through well-known health insurance companies. This will decrease your chances of being a victim of insurance fraud. Most importantly, it will help you find the best health insurance agent for you. If you want the fastest option, use our quick online form to compare up to five quotes from local agents

Published: Wednesday 11th March 2009