Most popular health insurance companies

Major health insurance companies in your state

We dug through our data to see which health insurance companies our readers are choosing.

These rankings were based on more than one million health insurance quotes for readers between October 2014 and October 2018 on Insurance.com and Insure.com. We’ve broken it down by age group and state to show you what individual health insurance options are popular with our readers.

You’ll find UnitedHealthcare dominates this list. That makes sense, considering it’s the largest health insurer in the U.S.

You’ll see other major health insurance companies like Cigna and Aetna. You’ll also see relative newcomer Oscar Health, a startup with a technology focus that has expanded into new markets over the past few years.

Here’s what we found:

Shopping for health insurance

If you don’t get health insurance at work, you have a few options for shopping for a health insurance plan. You can shop through the health insurance marketplace, which offers Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, or you can shop directly through insurance companies.

No matter where you shop, there are numerous types of plans, including PPOs, HMOs, and HDHPs.

When determining the best health insurance plan for your needs, consider these questions:

• Would you rather pay higher premiums or more out-of-pocket costs when using health care services?
• Would you be willing to get a plan with a restricted network like an HMO if it means lower rates, or are you willing to pay more for a wider network?
• Are your current providers in-network for the plans you’re considering?
• How many times did you use health care services over the past year? What do you expect for the coming year?

On the ACA marketplace, Bronze and Silver plans have lower monthly premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs when you use your plan. Gold and Platinum plans, on the other hand, have higher monthly premiums but lower out-of-pocket costs.

How much does health insurance cost?

Health insurance rates vary based on a wide number of factors, but the nationwide average cost of an ACA marketplace plan in 2022, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, is as follows:

• Bronze $329/month
• Silver $428/month
• Gold $482

These rates are based on a 40-year-old with the lowest average cost for each plan.

How to choose the best health insurance company

The best health insurance company for you depends on a lot of things. They include your budget, the type of network you’re comfortable with, where you live, and your medical needs.

There are some ways to narrow down your choices, however. In addition to our list of the most popular picks from our readers, there are several sources for health insurance company ratings.

For marketplace plans, Healthcare.gov rates health insurance companies on quality for member experience, medical care, and plan administration.

The National Committee for Quality Assurance also rates health plans annually.

Health insurance finder tool

Are you unemployed and lost your job within the past 60 days?

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Can you get health insurance from your job?

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Do you have spouse who can get health insurance through a job?

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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.
Know more about COBRA

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Individual insurance/Affordable Care Act plan

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How much is your family income?

Family income

$1,000 $100,000

How big is your family?

Family members

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• an individual
• a family of two
• a family of three
• a family of four
• a family of five
• a family of six

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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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Find out more about

• 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.
Find out more about the differences between plans

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.
Find out more about the differences between plans

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...

Pay lower premiums with a higher deductible

Pay higher premiums with a lower deductible

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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 lower premiums with a higher deductible may want the below plans

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• Silver
• Bronze

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
• Gold

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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