Choosing the best among the six major insurance companies, let alone other competing health insurance organizations, is not easy.
And it’s not always a matter of picking one of the largest insurance companies, nor even choosing among only the major insurance companies. In fact, it is often a matter of choosing among those with an extensive network in your area and that provide the services you need at a cost-effective price.
If you are in the process of shopping for a new health insurance company for yourself or you and your family or looking to purchase medical coverage for the first time, the good news is that you still have more than a month to make a choice.
The open enrollment period for acquiring coverage for 2022 starts on Monday, November 1, 2021. Those who are making changes or signing up for the first time must enroll by December 15, 2021, for coverage that will start January 1, 2022.
Considering the Major Insurance Companies Doing Business in California
In the world of health insurance coverage, it turns out that the major insurance firms are usually the largest insurance companies.
Another consideration is the fact that, nationwide, there are only certain health insurance organizations licensed to offer health insurance coverage in the state of California. Additionally, not every carrier has a network in Northern California.
So, when we consider the “major” insurance companies licensed to do business in California and who have a substantial presence in the northern part of the Golden State, we have a list of six top health insurance companies to choose from:
Aetna offers health insurance and dental, vision, and other plans to meet the needs of individuals and families, as well as employers and their employees.
Anthem Blue Cross is the trade name of Blue Cross of California. They offer affordable health, dental, and vision coverage for members in California.
Blue Shield of California is a not-for-profit health plan founded in 1939, with its headquarters in San Francisco. They currently serve over 4.5 million members in California.
Kaiser Permanente, often referred to simply as Kaiser, is an integrated managed care consortium based in Oakland, California; it operates in eight states as well as Washington DC.
Sutter Health Plus provides affordable health plans to meet the needs of individuals and families, small business owners, and large employers in Northern California.
UnitedHealthcare is a part of UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurer in the United States. It offers individual insurance plans and is one of the largest PPO networks in the nation.
In addition to these “major” insurance companies doing business in Northern California, residents of Sonoma County and regions nearby can also look into plans offered by these health insurance organizations:
What to Consider for Health Insurance Enrollment 
The biggest factor in considering health insurance enrollment is your status as a potential health plan member.
In other words, are you an employee considering the health care plan options offered by your employer? Are you an employer looking to provide health care plan options for yourself and your workers? Or are you an individual, perhaps self-employed or retired, considering purchasing your own health insurance?
Additional considerations can include being someone whose income qualifies you for Covered California or a senior aged 65 and older looking for a California Medicare plan.
Ranking any specific health insurance company in terms of “better” or “best” is a difficult task. This is because so many factors work to determine what type of plan or coverage is most suitable for any one person or family.
While we do admit to a degree of bias with this recommendation, engaging the assistance of an expert health insurance agent is definitely a good move.
Simply put, an experienced agent can help with comparisons of plan prices, coverage details, exclusions, and limitations, and better yet, they can explain complex features and terms. In addition, an agent can quickly determine whether you qualify for the state’s exchange, Covered California, and also recommend plans that may be best for you or you and your family.
In addition, qualified brokers such as J. C. Lewis will have years of experience and expertise. That simply means they will have the ability to guide you through the enrollment process while helping you to understand your health coverage options.
We Can Help You Choose the Best Health Insurance for Your Needs
J.C. Lewis Insurance, a long-time local and family-owned firm based in Sonoma County since 1979 is made up of a team of expert brokers that offer individual and family health insurance plans.
We also provide small business and individual health insurance plans from only the leading health insurance carriers that are licensed to do business in California.
In addition to being experienced, professional brokers, we are licensed and certified by each of these insurance carriers to offer coverage to individuals, families, and small group employers in addition to Medicare supplemental and prescription drug plans for seniors.
When you’re shopping for vision, dental, or health insurance for your employees or for you and your family, you probably have several questions and concerns.
At J.C. Lewis Insurance Services, we welcome your questions about insurance coverage, and you can be confident that we will help you find the right solution.
