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Any one have a single or Family Rate in SWF for decent coverage?
I would recommend Michael Hrad with Health Insurance Professionals LLC. He's been our agent for years. He always checks in with us, especially when the rates pop up. S Fort Myers Office 239-699-1543
I have had self insurance for a while with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and couldn't be happier. (Unless individuals could get true HMO plans). When I did the comparison pricing, I found it to be relatively cheaper than the [limited] options available in Lee/Collier. Other options are Aetna, United, perhaps more.
I would strongly recommend against working with a broker if you're looking to save money. The only way you can save money by not going it on your own is by being part of a group. Due to current laws in the US the only way you can best do this is through an employer plan, though I hear there are credit union-style groups.
Check out the BCBS-FL, Aetna, United, etc websites. You can build a policy based on your needs and get a real quote that you can buy yourself. NO middleman commission charged by an agent. Brokers charge 10%-ish to employers, I imagine it's a bit more for individuals since it's a smaller dollar amount.
Brokers charge 10%-ish to employers, I imagine it's a bit more for individuals since it's a smaller dollar amount.
Totally false. Where do you get this stuff? Agents do not charge policyholders commission. A policy won’t cost you any more or less if you buy it from an agent.
The 10% figure was direct from the horse's mouth. I can't claim to be an expert by any means, I'm just going off of what I've heard.
From speaking with folks from a local Naples broker that provides group health plans for small businesses, I learned they charge 10%.
As far as individual health plans, I'm making the connection based on the fact that brokers make money on sales. Having spoken with car insurance brokers I know they get 15%+ on many of the deals they make.
Commission or not, the best due diligence would be to check out insurers' websites directly and if you have a lot of friends in sales pressuring you or you're old school, see an AGENT. A broker works fully independently and can charge a fee/higher premium whereas an agent works directly with a specific insurer(s). Perhaps we're caught in semantics, as in FL, there has to be commission paid to an agent whether you buy from say bcbsfl.com or go to a bcbs agent. However, a broker can still charge an arm and a leg extra.
I'm not going to get into a debate about this. You are wrong. Period. Call the Florida Department of Financial Services or read the law.
As in most states, the Florida Department of Financial Services (FLDFS) regulates the premiums. Yes, the insurance companies design their plans and set prices, but they are approved by and regulated by state law.
Florida Law dictates that every consumer receives the exact same price for insurance whether he uses a broker/agent or goes directly to the company, buys online or having breakfast at Denny's with your neighbor (as long as he's a licensed agent) The rates are based on age, health & other personal factors. There is no such thing as obtaining a discount or better rate directly from a company or a web site. In case you didn't understand my first post, it's illegal.
To the OP: Nobody can give you an estimate without getting very specific information on your age, health and personal history. Also, what you consider to be "decent coverage" might be different from your neighbor. The best thing to do is to talk to an licensed independent agent who represents 3 or more companies and ask him/her to run you some comparisons based on your individual needs. There is no one-size fits all policy. A couple 32 years of age with 2 small children will pay an entirely different monthly premium than a 50 year old couple with teenagers.
Hawthorne's post is wrong. An agent cannot charge any consumer for insurance. As I wrote before, it's illegal.
Good luck!
Last edited by justNancy; 12-10-2009 at 09:09 AM..
A broker works fully independently and can charge a fee/higher premium whereas an agent works directly with a specific insurer(s). Perhaps we're caught in semantics, as in FL, there has to be commission paid to an agent whether you buy from say bcbsfl.com or go to a bcbs agent. However, a broker can still charge an arm and a leg extra.
I guess you do not understand what "it's against state law to charge a consumer a fee or commission when selling insurance" means. Two Beach asked about rates for his family and suddenly you went off on a rant about business brokers.
You are also 100% wrong about the description of a broker or agent. Whether or not someone works directly for an insurance company (called a captive agent) or is an independent agent has absolutely no effect on the policy premium. You used BCBS of FL so I will give you an example. Even if you could go directly to a company and purchase your policy, you would not save one dime if you got the same coverage from an independent agent working out of his home. If Mr & Mrs Jones purchased a BCBS policy from Joe Smith, licensed independent FL agent, or from Bob Jones, licensed FL agent who works in a BCBS regional office, they will not pay a different premium for the same policy. I don't know why you're so upset that insurance agents earn a commission, especially when it has no effect on you. Your statement about P&C agents (property & casualty) is also wrong. They cannot charge 15% to anyone. The insurance companies pay agents a commission to write business. It has no bearing on what you pay. If you go to Progressive online or go into a local agency that sells Progressive, it doesn't matter. Again, it's the law.
There is no argument here. You are wrong and do not understand the insurance business or state laws.
Just from a personal viewpoint, wouldn't it make more sense for an agent to find the best possible coverage at the lowest price for a client? First of all, this isn't retail. The client is never locked into a plan. You also have a free look period (10 days) and will get back your payment if you choose to cancel. Still, if in a month or two you found a better plan, you'd cancel and the agent would not get paid by the insurance company. If he already received an advance, he'd have to pay it back. You would also never call him again for your insurance needs or send him referrals. Yes, there are a lot of dishonest people in the insurance business (something I've written about extensively) but that's not the subject of this thread. Every consumer must do his due diligence and shop around. However, cheaper isn't always best and might end up costing much more in the end.
In any case, no agent can charge a client for writing an insurance policy. When you mention fees paid by businesses, you are talking about a full service broker, and that has nothing to do with this thread. The OP asked about insurance rates for his or her family.
Last edited by justNancy; 12-10-2009 at 09:37 AM..
I'm not going to get into a debate about this. You are wrong. In over 3000 posts I've never discussed my personal business or solicited any, but I will explain the law.
...
There is no such as thing as obtaining a discount or better rate directly from a company.
Holy Cow! The truth comes out. Preserving one's own livelihood. Understood this is a plug to protect your brokerage. Typical for an uneducated salesperson.
You're right about AGENTS, I agreed with this in my last post. Whether one buys directly from an insurer or works with an agent, the cost is the same. The commission is baked into the premium whether I go to Sales Rep Agent Sally from Rotary who keeps sending Christmas cards addressed to my dead spouse or BCBSF.
However, a BROKER can charge more than an AGENT. They are permitted to charge in excess of the insurer's price.
I'm not talking about a discount or a "better rate" the RATE for insurance is the same but the AGENT charges nothing extra (they're allowed to charge a $10 filing fee) whereas the BROKER is not regulated in the same way because they are considered to be providing a "service."
And since you think About.com is wrong, I'll quote the Wall Street Journal, owned by the same company as your likely favorite Fox News:
– Brokers are independent, selling for multiple companies, and typically can provide more options and a broader view of the marketplace. Brokers will work with you to evaluate the major insurance carriers in your area on plan designs and cost. Don’t look for just the lowest premiums. Consider the breadth of the network to make sure all the employees have access to in-network physicians, and whether the carriers have good relationships with physicians. Keep in mind that brokers often are paid on commission by the insurance company, which could be reflected in the premiums. But some brokers instead take a flat fee from an employer, such as a payment based on the number of employees and months covered. – Captive agents typically sell only one product or company. They often have a close relationship with their home office, which generally gives them more leverage to make plan changes. Their offerings also can cost less and they have access to markets that others may not have, such as workers’ compensation insurance in certain industries. Agents are typically paid by the insurers, so the business isn’t charged for their services. If you decide to work with an agent, talk to more than one to find out what different carriers offer.
/Can't wait for socialized medicine to push the blood suckers out of this field
In over 3000 posts I've never mentioned selling insurance or solicited it. In fact, most people know I've been disabled and haven't worked for a while. However, I do know the law and you are wrong. Your last comment about bloodsuckers shows you have an agenda. Sunnyday had a helpful suggestion I overlooked when I read Hawthorne's post. Referrals from other people with positive experiences are always a plus. However, this is the internet, so always do your own research.
Your comment about preserving my livelihood because I'm explaining the law is ridiculous. I canvassed for both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. You join the board and immediately begin arguing and insulting me. I've posted for years on the political forum that I am a big supporter of a single payer system and universal health care. So tell me who is the troll here? I am one of the biggest consumer advocates when it comes to affordable health care for all Americans.
I am not reporting your attack, since I prefer an open discussion. However, your post is insulting and immature. You posted incorrect information and I simply wanted to explain that an agent cannot charge a fee or commission to a consumer because it is against the law.
You are again WRONG. A broker is regulated and cannot charge a fee to sell insurance. If I were a broker for BCBS and went to TwoBeach's house and charged a fee, it would be fraud. I won't write about this again. A broker who sells various types of insurance to companies that employ many employees sometimes gets paid a fee for additional services like risk analysis, but that's a whole other subject. Posting links from totally unrelated sources is immaterial to this thread. First, all insurance is state regulated. Second, you are not even addressing the OP. No licensed person or persons, whether he calls himself an agent or broker, can charge a consumer a fee for health insurance. (didn't I already say that?)
The original post was simply a request by a member to whom I apologize for these argumentative comments. I just didn't want you to be misled by the erroneous information posted. If you have any questions about the law, just call the Florida Department of Financial Services or write to them as I already mentioned. Sorry for all the unrelated material on this thread.
Last edited by justNancy; 12-10-2009 at 10:13 AM..
Holy Cow! The truth comes out. Preserving one's own livelihood. Understood this is a plug to protect your brokerage. Typical for an uneducated salesperson.
Nice way to make your debut onto the forum.
JustNancy is my personal friend. She is injured and in dire need of medical help and insurance. She is also a strong backer of Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama.
She is highly intelligent and was once an insurance professional.
I can assure you that she would rather die than cheat or hurt anyone. She will catch a lizard in her house and bring him outside. She's that kind of person.
My gosh, there's a blizzard going on in Chicago (my husband and all his family is from there) and you are sitting in warm Bonita Springs. Be happy and calm down. JustNancy is only trying to help.
And welcome to the forum.
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health insurance
. (Unless individuals could get true HMO plans). When I did the comparison pricing, I found it to be relatively cheaper than the [limited] options available in Lee/Collier. Other options are Aetna, United, perhaps more.
Typical for an uneducated salesperson.
