When you’re researching, purchasing or reviewing your health insurance options, there are several routes you can take. One such route is to utilise the expertise of a health insurance agent. They’ll aim to guide you through the process and work on your behalf to compare, negotiate and help you purchase a policy.
In this insight, we’ve broken down some of the most important things you’ll need to know about health insurance agents, such as their role, why you may benefit from using one, and how to choose the right agent for you.
Understanding the role of health insurance agents
A health insurance agent may have many roles depending on how you utilise them and the stage you’re at in your health insurance journey. Ultimately they aim to support you in every way they can, with some examples being:
- Answer any of your questions about health insurance.
- Advise you on which policy may be best suited to you, such as individual or family.
- Understand your unique needs and use this information to find the policies most relevant to you.
- Compare suitable policies across multiple providers in the UK.
- Negotiate policy terms on your behalf.
- Help you with preferential policy rates.
- Aim to help you find a policy that covers your needs at the most competitive price.
- Provide support after purchasing your policy, such as when you may need to claim or when it comes time to renew.
- Be knowledgeable on the most up-to-date industry information and policy options.
- Support you in a genuine and ethical way, making sure only your best interests are kept in mind.
Are there different types of health insurance agents?
Health insurance agents may differ based on which and how many providers they work with. As an example, the types you may come across include:
- Agents representing health insurance providers - If you contact a provider directly, you may be put in contact with an agent. They’ll be able to advise you exclusively on the products offered by their employer, and won’t be able to answer questions or compare policies with other providers.
- Agents who work with a small pool of providers - You may also find agents who work independently from providers, but only represent one or a small number of providers. They’ll be able to advise and compare policies with the providers they work with.
- Independent agents who work with many providers - agents will work independently with a broad range of providers across the UK. This means they can compare your options across more providers and introduce you to more policy options.
What are the benefits of using an independent health insurance agent?
The benefits of using a health insurance agent will depend on how you’re utilising their knowledge, skills and expertise. As we’re independent agents working with many providers, we’ve highlighted how you may benefit from choosing a health insurance agent such as ourselves:
- Independent guidance - Your health insurance agent will aim to offer you fully independent and unbiased advice throughout the process. This means that they won’t give preferential treatment to any one policy or provider unless it’s in your best interest.
- Save money - Your agent may have access to preferential rates that they can pass on as savings to you. They’ll also be able to help you compare options across the market to make sure you’re not overpaying for your policy terms with one particular provider.
- Save time - Researching, contacting providers, and manually comparing complicated policy times may require a large time commitment. Agents have experience with this and can undertake everything for you.
- Compare policies across many providers - Comparing health insurance policies is essential to ensure you’re aware of your options. After comparing, you may be able to make a more informed decision about which is right for you.
- Expert advice - Health insurance agents are industry experts, and they’ll be able to advise you with the most up-to-date information about health insurance. While there is a large amount of resources online, you may find questions specific to your circumstances are better answered by speaking to someone directly.
- Ongoing support and claims assistance - Agents do not disappear after you make a purchase. They’re available to contact for support at any time.
- Single point of contact - Having a single point of contact for all your health insurance dealings may save you time and frustration communicating with multiple parties.
- Help with other insurance needs - If you ever have other insurance needs, your agent may be knowledgeable on other policy types or have industry connections they trust to help you.
How much does it cost to use a health insurance agent?
A common question is whether using a health insurance agent will add an additional cost to your policy. This depends on who your agent is, but typically they’ll receive a commission from the provider when you make a purchase a policy through them. However, this isn’t always the case, and you may find the following:
- Direct cost for their services - You may find that your agent bills you directly to access their services. They may also receive a commission from the provider if you purchase a policy through them.
- Payment due when the policy is purchased - You may find that your agent bills you directly after you purchase a policy. They may also receive a commission from the provider.
- No direct payment - Your agent will not ever directly bill you. If you purchase a policy that the agent helped you find, the provider will pay them directly.
Who can use health insurance agents?
Health insurance agents are available to use by anyone eligible to purchase a policy. Some common examples of who utilises their services include:
How to choose your health insurance agent
Choosing an agent is a personal decision. You may have to share personal information about your health and feel comfortable enough to ask questions and trust the advice they offer you. This decision is ultimately down to you, but some of the qualities we recommend you consider include the following:
- Experience and expertise - How experienced is your agent, or how knowledgeable do they seem?
- Reputation and reviews - Do they have many online reviews, and if so, how are they rated?
- Independent from providers - Are they independent from providers and therefore able to offer unbiased advice?
- Works with a wide range of providers - Do they work with many UK providers, and can they compare policies across the market?
- Offers a personalised approach - Do their communications with you feel personalised and demonstrate they are working in your best interests?
- Transparency - Are they upfront about important information that may impact your which policy you purchase??
- Available information - Do they provide informational resources for free on their website, social profiles or other communication channels?
Contact our independent health insurance agents
If you’re searching for an independent agent that works with many UK insurance providers, has a 4.9/5 star rating from hundreds of reviews, and will always aim to find you the most inclusive policy at the most competitive price, please do not hesitate to contact us using the form below.
