Affordability and good coverage are even more critical if you are self-employed and pay 100% of your medical expenses. You can find the cheapest plans on the federal health insurance market or state health exchanges if you're an independent contractor, consultant, or gig worker.
But with so many providers and plans to choose from, choosing the right one can be difficult. We assessed costs (including premiums, copayments, and deductibles), insurance scheme benefits, and third-party reviews.
Best Health Insurance Companies For The Self-Employed 2023
Kaiser Permanente
Reason for choosing:
Kaiser Permanente earned the best overall position due to its excellent reviews, industry strength, unique provider network, and commitment to retirement.
What we like:
Online offers and applications
High customer service rating
Offers both insurance and medical care
Apartment
Good financial standing.
What we didn't like:
Must use Kaiser facilities
Limited to eight states and the District of Columbia.
If you are responsible for your own income, it is vital to avoid additional medical costs. Overall winner Kaiser Permanente offers excellent preventative care to keep you healthy. With the Kaiser Plan, you can enjoy free preventative care, including regular physical exams.
Kaiser Permanente, a non-profit organization, sells a range of health insurance plans suitable for the self-employed. Depending on your situation, you can choose from Medigap, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug Plans, and Individual Plans. We also offer dental and vision options.
Their affordable plans come in a variety of price points, with the option to add a health savings account to ensure you receive top-notch medical care at Kaiser facilities.
Kaiser Permanente differs from other traditional health insurance companies in that it is a managed care organization. They operate a network of 39 Kaiser Foundation hospitals and 727 clinics and have full control over the quality and pricing of care.
For these reasons, Kaiser's plans consistently rank high in terms of customer satisfaction and affordability. JD Power and Associates ranks Kaiser top in customer satisfaction.
Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum policies can be offered and purchased via Kaiser's marketplace or online portal. Bronze and Silver plans have the option to add HSA. You can use these tax-exempt contributions to pay for eligible medical expenses such as health care, eye care, dental care, and medication.
Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans do not exclude pre-existing conditions or limit renewable energy. However, services such as elective or cosmetic procedures, chiropractic care, and nursing care are considered ineligible and are not covered.
As with other ACA policies, if you enroll in open or special enrollment from the 1st to the 15th, you will be covered from the 1st of the following month. If purchased on or after the 16th, the insurance will be applied from the 1st of the month after the next month, so a waiting period of about 6 weeks is required.
To participate in Kaiser, you must be a resident of California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, or the District of Columbia.
UnitedHealthcare
Why We Chose It:
UnitedHealthcare is our top choice for the best network as their coverage spans all 50 states, and they offer many policies to suit most people.
What We Like
Largest provider network in the country
Solid reputation
Online quotes
Smartphone app and telehealth
What We Didn't Like
May not cover some locations
May be more expensive than competitors
As one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) was an obvious choice for our best network choice. The UHC network includes more than 1.3 million doctors and 6,500 hospitals and other facilities across the country, so you shouldn't have difficulty finding local health services.
UHC offers individual health insurance, short-term health insurance, dental and vision plans, Medicaid, Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, and small-business health insurance.
With an A rating from AM Best, you won't need to worry about their ability to pay any claims as they are financially stable.3
You can get a quote and buy a plan using the online portal or the ACA Marketplace. There are five levels of coverage, from basic coverage to platinum coverage. Prices are not listed on the company's website, and prices are discounted when you add dental or eye insurance.
UHC's policies cost more than some of its competitors, but offer benefits that we believe justify the additional cost. These include their own Sweat Equity compensation program for physical fitness. You can get up to $400 a year just for training.
3. Pivot
Why We Chose It:
Pivot took first place as our best short-term health insurance pick for self-employed as there's the flexibility to build the ideal policy for you and opportunities to save money with their discount programs.
What We Like
Not tied to specific providers
24/7 telemedicine
Medication and vision care discounts
What We Didn't Like
Must pre-certify emergencies
Not available across the country