In America, we are fortunate to have a multitude of choices when it comes to so many consumer items. And we have options as the level of quality we want to spend on our money on, as well. “Value” shopping is a perk for many of us with stores such as Wal-Mart and Ross, and major discount store chains such as Family Dollar and others.
However, there are some consumer products that do not lend themselves to “low cost” or lower quality options. And health insurance coverage is definitely one of those products.
A natural question for those shopping for new health insurance then, is, what are the top insurance companies? And, more specifically, what are the top insurance companies to choose from now that we are in 2022?
Northern California Residents and Choosing Health Insurance Companies
For almost everyone living in Northern California and Sonoma County, having health insurance is a given. Even though the fine for not having insurance was essentially removed, it is still required by the mandates of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
In addition, most of us need dental insurance and vision insurance. And no one wants to settle for sub-par or inadequate coverage, which is why we want to know what the top insurance companies are today.
For Northern California residents who qualify, there are multiple plans from several top insurance companies offered through Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, or exchange, established under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
These Covered California plans provide coverage for a sizable portion of Californians who might not otherwise be able to afford quality health insurance.
As of mid-2021, Covered California officials said that a record 1.6 million residents had enrolled in health insurance coverage through the state’s marketplace, due in part to financial help from the recent federal pandemic relief bill.
However, in California, over 18,500,000 people or 48.5 percent of the state population is insured through plans offered by their employers.
Whether you can obtain coverage through the state health insurance marketplace, through plans offered by your employer, or you are looking to purchase health coverage on your own, you still want to choose from the top insurance companies.
A Brief Roundup of the Top Insurance Companies in 2022
In most states throughout the country, one of the top insurance companies is commonly known as Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield. However, unless you’ve already been a member of one or the other, you may not realize that in California they operate as separate insurance providers.
- Blue Shield of California, as it is known here, is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation and health plan and ranks among the top insurance companies in California.
- Anthem Blue Cross, on the other hand, is a provider of health insurance in the United States. It is the largest for-profit managed health care company in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, according to an entry in Wikipedia. In addition, the company operates as Anthem Blue Cross in California, where it has about 800,000 customers and is the state’s largest health insurer.
- UnitedHealthcare insurance plans qualify this provider as one of the top insurance companies doing business in California, as well. According to one financial expert source, UnitedHealthcare has excellent financial strength ratings and has a network of PPOs across the nation, and offer great online health care services.
- Humana Health Insurance is the third-largest health insurance provider in the nation and has provided Medicare Advantage plans in California for years, although not health insurance. However, a recent article noted,
“United HealthCare and Humana, two of the nation’s largest for-profit managed care companies, have agreed to a $5.5 billion merger. The resulting company will operate as United HealthCare in 48 states and Puerto Rico.”
And a recent Healthcare Finance article reported that a study from analytics firm Verint Systems found that United HealthCare ranked first with a user satisfaction score of 84.1, followed by Humana with 83.4, which places them at the head of the top insurance companies.
Come to J.C. Lewis Insurance for the Top Insurance Coverage Options in Sonoma County
At J.C. Lewis Insurance, we are a local, family-owned insurance firm based in Sonoma County since our founding in 1979. As a team of expert brokers, we offer individual and family health insurance plans and provide small business owners insurance plans, all from only the leading health insurance carriers licensed to do business in California.
At J.C. Lewis, we are licensed and certified by each of these insurance carriers to offer coverage to individuals, families, and small group employers, in addition to offering Medicare supplement insurance and prescription drug plans for seniors.
Because we are experienced, professional, and local insurance brokers, we are able to serve all of your health, dental, and vision insurance needs. And 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.
