What Is a Health Insurance Broker?

Hint: They’re probably your new bestie. Allow us to explain. A health insurance broker is a licensed benefits pro who can help you research, buy, set up, and manage your health insurance experience from start to finish. Now, let’s open our books and get a quick lesson on health insurance brokers 101.

A breakdown

Brokers exist in lots of professions: Insurance, finance, real estate, and more. However, health insurance brokers are a different stripe altogether. Their job is to educate and advise you on your plan selection to help you lower your risk and make wise decisions. Whether it’s a great network, affordable price, or something else, they use your qualifications as their guiding light. They don’t have to be married to a particular company or plan type, since their goal is finding you exactly what you need. While they do make a commission, insurance brokers are typically independent agencies who work with multiple insurance companies.

While they only need to be licensed to sell health insurance, many brokers have taken a series of college-level courses and received as many as five professional certifications. Therefore, they’re pretty well-prepared to guide you through the health insurance journey. Like teachers, they’re licensed and regulated by state insurance departments and are usually required to take continuing education courses to maintain their licenses. In a nutshell, you can trust a licensed broker.

How do I find a broker?

There are countless health insurance brokers out there, just waiting to help you out. You can discover a broker in a few different places:

• The National Association of Health Underwriters database
• The Local Help database from HealthCare.gov
• Referrals from other business owners
• Contact us - by phone, email, or chat

Independent Health Agents is an independent health insurance broker. Our hand selected licensed agents pair you with the best plan that meets each individual's needs. Each broker’s goal is to help you select the best health plan for you and guide you through the whole thing.

The National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU) database lists out insurance advisors in your area who belong to their organization. NAHU offers seminars, workshops, and courses, along with maintaining a professional code of ethics that all their members subscribe to. We are a member of NAHU.

HealthCare.gov dispenses information about insurance brokers through their local listings. If you obtain your company’s insurance through SHOP, oftentimes you can use a broker you already have or find a brand new one.

What to look for in a breakout broker

Search for a broker who prizes teamwork above all. You want someone who listens to your needs, and can then keep that top of mind while they’re evaluating all the different coverage options out there. A good broker will then make recommendations and then find plans that neatly slot into your needs and budget. They will also go through your plan from time to time in order to update things, keep costs down, and be your advocate. Finally, your broker should be willing to help you counsel your team with all of their benefits questions.

Working with a health insurance advisor can save you a lot of heartache throughout the entire benefits experience. That’s why it’s so crucial to take your time finding your ideal match. When you do invest that time, you’ll end up with someone that you like, trust, and that your team can feel comfortable with during all your health care heart-to-hearts.