The top 10 health insurance companies in the U.S. for 2024

The last thing you want to worry about when you’re sick is your health insurance coverage, so it’s important to find the right plan before you need it. We asked current customers to rate their health insurance company on various points, from overall customer satisfaction to deductibles and provider networks.

These are the top ten health insurance companies based on the results of that survey as well as third-party ratings, including the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

  1. Kaiser Permanente
  2. UnitedHealthcare
  3. Aetna
  4. Anthem
  5. Humana
  6. BCBS of Michigan
  7. Blue Shield of California
  8. BCBS of Florida
  9. Molina Healthcare
  10. Cigna

Kaiser Permanente: 4.2 stars

California-based Kaiser Permanente topped several survey categories and ranked well in third-party ratings. Its overall score of 4.164 in the ratings landed it just above the second-place company.

Kaiser was rated best for customer satisfaction, ease of service and trust and tied for policy offerings. It was the company most likely to be recommended to others. The NCQA gave Kaiser 4.5 out of 5 stars.

UnitedHealthcare: 4.2 stars

Although the rounded-up score tied with Kaiser, UnitedHealthcare’s full score was 4.158, a second-place finish by a very small margin.

UnitedHealthcare offers wider availability than Kaiser, and it was ranked best in the survey for its referral policy.

Aetna: 3.8 stars

Ranked well for affordability, Aetna is also a widely available option for health insurance that scored well in the survey and is well-rated by third-party sources.

In the survey, Aetna scored best for affordability, and it was also top-rated for its online services, including the website and app.

Anthem: 3.6 stars

Anthem won the fourth-place slot with a rating of 3.64 stars, barely beating out fifth-place company Humana. More people said they would choose to renew with Anthem than any other company, and it's also top-ranked for its provider network.

Humana: 3.6 stars

Humana’s overall rating, before we rounded it off, was 3.61 stars; that ranked it just below Anthem and in the fifth-place slot by a very small margin.

More than 90% of Humana’s customers said they’d recommend the company to others, and it also performed well in the provider network category.

BCBS of Michigan: 3.5 stars

Available to residents of Michigan and anyone who works for a company based in Michigan, BCBS of Michigan had solid scores across the survey categories and ranked at No. 6 in the best health insurance company list.

Blue Shield of California: 3.3 stars

Another Blue Cross Blue Shield branded company, Blue Shield of California, earned the No. 7 spot on the list with a solid showing in the survey and a high NCQA rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida: 3 stars

At 2.98 stars before we rounded it up, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida slipped into the eighth-place spot. The company performed well in our survey overall, and customers scored it particularly well for low deductibles and a good provider network.

Molina: 3 stars

At 2.96 stars, Molina came in just a hair below Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida to land in ninth place. Customers gave it high marks for trustworthiness, which is always a tough category for any insurance company.

Cigna: 2.9 stars

In tenth place on the list of best health insurance companies, Cigna is a large company that is widely available and offers good integration with pharmacy benefits. The company also offers a large provider network.

The best health insurance companies by category

We ranked the companies above for overall performance, but some stood out in particular categories. Here are the winners for customer satisfaction, low deductibles, provider network and more.

  • Best for customer satisfaction: Kaiser
  • Best for ease of service: Kaiser
  • Best for policy offerings: Kaiser and Blue California
  • Best digital experience: Aetna
  • Best for seniors: Humana
  • Best low deductibles: Blue California
  • Best for its provider network: Anthem
  • Best for its referral policy: UnitedHealthcare
  • Most likely to be recommended to others: Kaiser
  • Most trustworthy: Kaiser
  • Best for renewals: Anthem

How to choose the best health insurance company and plan

When you’re shopping for health insurance on the individual market, the choices can seem overwhelming. The first step is to determine your monthly budget for premiums and balance that with the out-of-pocket costs you’re willing to pay.

As a general rule, the more you pay monthly, the lower your deductible, copay and/or coinsurance amounts will be. So, you pay more monthly and less when you need care.

If you have a lot of need for medical care throughout the year, paying more a month to ensure lower out-of-pocket costs makes sense. However, if you’re young and healthy and don’t anticipate a lot of visits to the doctor, you can likely choose a lower monthly premium and a higher deductible.

The next step is to decide what kind of provider network you want, which helps to determine the type of health insurance plan you should buy. Your choices include HMO, PPO, POS, and possibly others.

With an HMO, you will have a primary care provider (PCP) who coordinates your care and no out-of-network coverage. This usually means you will pay less.

With a PPO, you’ll have coverage both in and out of network and can usually make appointments with specialists without a referral. This usually means higher premiums.

Some companies offer both HMO and PPO plans, while others are solely HMO. There are also a few hybrid plan options to choose from. Knowing what you want for coverage will help you narrow down your company choices. From there, you can look at the availability of providers in your area and, of course, the company’s reputation.

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COBRA

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
People who lose their employer-sponsored health insurance may qualify for a COBRA plan. COBRA lets you keep your former employer's health plan, but you're responsible for paying all of the costs, including your former employer's portion.
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Medicare

People who are 65 and over qualify for Medicare. You can choose Original Medicare (also called Parts A and B), which is offered by the federal government, or Medicare Advantage (also called Part C), which private insurers provide. The average annual premium for Original Medicare is about $1,600. Medicare Advantage's average yearly premium is $336, but you may have higher out-of-pocket costs than Original Medicare.
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Medicaid

Low-income Americans qualify for Medicaid. Thirty-eight states expanded Medicaid eligibility, so lower-middle-class Americans may also be eligible in those states. Medicaid offers comprehensive benefits, but at little to no cost depending on your income. Each state has its own eligibility. Some states are flexible with Medicaid eligibility for people who are pregnant, a parent or disabled. If your household income is below 138% of the federal poverty level, you're likely eligible for Medicaid if you live in a Medicaid expansion state. That level is $17,609 for an individual, $23,791 for a family of two, $29,974 for a family of three and $36,156 for a family of four. Non-Medicare expansion states have stricter income guidelines. Check with your state's Medicaid program to see if you qualify.
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Parent's employer-based health insurance

The Affordable Care Act lets children stay on a parent's health plan until the age of 26. Having a child on a parent's health plan may or may not increase premiums. It depends on whether you already have family coverage when adding the child to the plan. If a parent already has family coverage, adding a child won't likely increase premiums. However, going from single or couple to family coverage could cause premiums to skyrocket. The average single coverage employer-sponsored plan premium is $1,186. The average family plan is $5,447.
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Spouse's employer-based health insurance

Most employers allow employees to add spouses to their health insurance. Going from single health coverage to a family plan may triple or quadruple your premiums. The average single coverage employer-sponsored plan premium is $1,186. The average family plan is $5,447. Not all jobs allow for spouse's coverage, so you'll want to check with your employer to make sure it's an option.
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  • PPO
  • HMO
  • HDHP
  • EPO
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Employer-based health insurance

Most people with private health insurance get their coverage through a job. employer-sponsored health insurance is usually cheaper than individual health insurance unless you qualify for Affordable Care Act subsidies. Job-based plans are generally less expensive because businesses often pick up more than half of employer-sponsored health insurance premiums. Kaiser Family Foundation estimates the average premiums for a single coverage employer-sponsored health plan is $1,186 and the average family plan is $5,447 annually.
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Click to each one of find out more
  • PPO
  • HMO
  • HDHP
  • EPO
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Employer plans are often one of these types of four plans. Click on each one to find out more.
  • PPO
  • HMO
  • HDHP
  • EPO

Preferred-provider Organization (PPOs)

  • Pay higher premiums with a lower deductible
  • You have access to more providers, but pay much more for health insurance
  • You don't want to choose a primary care physician
  • You don't want to get a referral
  • You want the ability to get out-of-network care
Preferred-provider organization (PPOs) plans are the most common type of employer-based health plan. PPOs have higher premiums than HMOs and HDHPs, but those added costs offer you flexibility. A PPO allows you to get care anywhere and without primary care provider referrals. You may have to pay more to get out-of-network care, but a PPO will pick up a portion of the costs.
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Health maintenance organization (HMO)

  • Pay higher premiums with a lower deductible
  • Restricted network of providers with lower premiums
  • You want to choose a primary care physician
  • You don't mind getting a referral
  • You don't care about the ability to get out-of-network care
Health maintenance organization (HMO) plans have lower premiums than PPOs. However, HMOs have more restrictions. HMOs don't allow you to get care outside of your provider network. If you get out-of-network care, you'll likely have to pay for all of it. HMOs also require you to get primary care provider referrals to see specialists.
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High-deductible health plans (HDHPs)

  • Pay lower premiums with a higher deductible
High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) have become more common as employers look to reduce their health costs. HDHPs have lower premiums than PPOs and HMOs, but much higher deductibles. A deductible is what you have to pay for health care services before your health plan chips in money. Once you reach your deductible, the health plan pays a portion and you pay your share, which is called coinsurance.
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Exclusive provider organization (EPO)

  • Restricted network of providers with lower premiums
  • You don't want to choose a primary care physician
  • You don't want to get a referral
  • You don't care about the ability to get out-of-network care
Exclusive provider organization (EPO) plans offer the flexibility of a PPO with the restricted network found in an HMO. EPOs don't require that members get a referral to see a specialist. In that way, it's similar to a PPO. However, an EPO requires in-network care, which is like an HMO.
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Individual insurance/Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act created insurance exchanges that allow people to compare plans. The health law also requires insurers to accept everyone and not charge them exorbitant rates. People who make below 400% of the federal poverty level qualify for subsidies to help pay for an ACA plan.
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To find the kind of ACA plan for you, would you rather...
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Individual insurance/Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act created insurance exchanges that allow people to compare plans. The health law also requires insurers to accept everyone and not charge them exorbitant rates. People who make below 400% of the federal poverty level qualify for subsidies to help pay for an ACA plan.
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People who would prefer to pay lower premiums with a higher deductible may want the below plans
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silver shield

Silver is the second most popular plan in the ACA exchanges, with 35% of people with a Silver plan. Silver has lower premiums than any plan except for Bronze. However, it has lower out-of-pocket costs than Bronze. Silver plans pick up 70% of the costs, while members pay 30% The average single coverage in a Silver plan is $481 monthly and $1,179 for a family plan.

Bronze is the most popular type of plan in the ACA exchanges, with 41% of members with a Bronze plan. These plans have the lowest premiums, but also the highest out-of-pocket costs in the exchanges. Bronze plans pick up 60% of the costs, while members pay 40%. The average single coverage monthly cost in a Bronze plan is $440 and $1,080 for a family plan.

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Individual insurance/Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act created insurance exchanges that allow people to compare plans. The health law also requires insurers to accept everyone and not charge them exorbitant rates. People who make below 400% of the federal poverty level qualify for subsidies to help pay for an ACA plan.
Know more individual insurance / ACA
People who would prefer to pay higher premiums with a lower deductible may want the below plans
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platinum shield

Platinum plans have the highest premiums but the lowest out-of-pocket costs. So, you pay more for the coverage initially but less than other plans when you need health care services. Platinum plans pick up 90% of the costs, while members pay 10%, Not many health insurers offer Platinum plans. Only 2% of members in ACA plans have a Platinum plan, so you may have trouble finding one. The average monthly premiums for single coverage in a Platinum plan is $706 and the average family coverage costs $1,460.

Gold plans have lower premiums than Platinum, but higher premiums than Silver and Bronze. Gold also has lower out-of-pocket costs than Silver and Bronze, but higher than Platinum. Gold plans pick up 80% of the costs, while members pay 20%. The average monthly premium for a single Gold plan is $596. Family coverage averages $1,426 per month.

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Methodology

Insurance.com’s sister site, Insure.com, in the fall of 2022 surveyed more than 1,500 insurance consumers (775 people with health insurance). The survey was conducted by online market research company Slice MR.

Respondents were asked to name their insurer and then grade it in the following categories – customer satisfaction, ease of service and policy offerings. The percentage of respondents who said they were satisfied or very satisfied with their insurer is presented in the results. 

Respondents were then asked to rank their insurer’s top three attributes out of more than a dozen presented – such as its provider network. For a number one choice, five points were given; for a second choice, three points; and for a third choice, a single point. The total points for each choice – first, second and third – were then divided by the number of each company’s customers who responded to that survey question to create a percentage. Those percentages are presented in the results as scores.

Respondents were then asked if they would recommend their insurer to someone else and if they planned to renew their policies. The percentage who said yes is presented in the results. 

They also were given the statement “I trust my insurance company” and asked if they strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement. The percentage of those who said they agreed or strongly agreed is presented in the results.

The editors compiled the survey results and then selected – based on the number of survey responses – the top companies for further evaluation. Insure.com needed 20 or more of a company’s customers to respond to the survey for that insurer to be included in the ranking, although in some categories the editors did consider companies with 18 or 19 responses.

They then collected National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ complaint data, which ranks a company by the number of customer complaints it receives, and National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) ratings, which evaluate health plans on, among other things, member satisfaction.

With the help of Prof. David Marlett, Ph.D., managing director of the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center at Appalachian State University, the editors created a rating system to determine which insurance companies were best in each sector. For health insurers, we used the following weights to calculate the overall score for each company:

Survey – 60% of total score (10% for customer satisfaction, 10% for trustworthiness, 10% for recommending the carrier to another, 10% for renewing with their current insurer, and 20% if they consider their insurer the best for affordability)

NCQA – 25% of total score

NAIC – 15% of total score

Scores were added and each insurer was awarded from 1 to 5 stars. No insurer in our star ranking received less than 1 star and the highest possible ranking is 5 stars.