Health Insurance for Individuals in Texas
What to Look for in a Health Insurance Broker
If you find yourself shopping for health insurance for individuals in Texas you have quite a few options. Scour the internet, fill out forms, call companies, read all the emails you get sent, look over PDF brochures, and on and on and on. Call me a little biased but using a broker will get you far. Rather than spending countless hours researching one or two short phone calls with a professional can get you prices, get you educated, and even get you insured. Brokers have spent the time to learn about the products for you, they often have contacts at insurance companies the consumer would be hard-pressed to find, and they have easy access to rates from multiple companies. Here are a few tips you can use to be sure you have found a good broker.
Testimonials
When shopping for health insurance for individuals in Texas or just about any other product read the testimonials. A good broker will have these on their website or will use some other website so you can learn a little about them from the perspective of a consumer. Facebook, LinkedIn, Angie’s List, and a broker’s website are great ways to learn about them.
Ask Questions
Ask questions to your heart’s content. Most brokers will have heard just about everything you may be able to throw at them. If they can not answer your question they have contacts in the health industry to easily and quickly find out the answer to your question. Health insurance for individuals in Texas is difficult to grasp for most consumers as it is across the country due to legislative changes and the ever-changing nature of the insurance industry. It is hard not to over-stress the importance of learning as much as you can before you buy. So, in conclusion, ask lots and lots of questions.
Experience
Find out how much experience your broker has with health insurance for individuals in Texas. The guy who has two or three years maybe just as knowledgeable as the lady with 20 years but it is good to know how much they have learned about your market. You want to be sure your broker at least knows what they are talking about when discussing your possible policy with you. A lot of times you can even check how long your broker has been in the industry with your local department of insurance as we brokers do have to be licensed in each state we do business.
Trust your gut
Not enough people take this into account. If you get a bad feeling move on to the next person. You should always work with someone who makes you feel at ease with them. You shouldn’t be afraid to call and ask questions, discuss your policy, or do anything else. A broker is your intercessor between you and your health insurance carrier.
Jesse Smedley is the Principal Broker for iHealthBrokers and the founder, president, and CEO of Smedley Insurance Group, Inc. and iHealthBrokers.com. Since the inception of SIG in 2007, Jesse has been dedicated to helping people save money on their health insurance by providing them with resources to educate themselves on all their health insurance options, both under age 65 and Medicare beneficiaries. He is featured in many publications as well as writes regularly for expert columns regarding health insurance and Medicare.
