The state of Florida is unique in that not all insurance carriers are authorized to operate in every county. Therefore, a company that is able to sell to customers in Jacksonville may not be able to sell policies to customers in Miami. This may sound very confusing and intimidating, especially if you are trying to secure your South Florida health insurance on a website. How do you know if you are purchasing your policy from an agent who is really authorized to do business in your area? You don't want to sign a policy and send in your payment only to find that you have been scammed.
The state government in Florida has some of the strictest regulations on the healthcare industry in the country. Not only must the company be licensed, the individual agents must also be licensed with the state to sell policies to Florida residents. Thankfully, if you are looking to obtain South Florida health insurance you can easily check whether the agent and company you are considering are licensed to conduct business in your particular county by visiting the Florida Department of Financial Services website.
There are currently seven companies that are authorized to sell in-state guaranteed issue policies to Florida residents. There are fifteen carriers that provide out of state guaranteed issue policies. Eight insurance providers are currently authorized to offer guaranteed issue policies as part of health maintenance organizations. This means that you should have no problem in finding an appropriate option for your South Florida health insurance needs. Residents will be able to choose between traditional plans and managed care plans. A licensed agent can explain the differences between these types of plans so you can make a fully informed decision about your healthcare.
When you check the credentials of any South Florida health insurance carrier, you should also review its independent financial ratings. In the state of Florida, insurance carriers should be rated by either Moodyýs Investor Service or A.M. Best Ratings Company. Checking into the financial status of a company will give you peace of mind that your premium payments will not go to waste. All too often, you hear tragic stories of companies going bankrupt and leaving consumers unprotected. If you do the proper amount of homework to research a prospective company, you can be assured that you will not find yourself in one of those terrible stories on the news.