Top 10 questions to ask your health insurance broker
You're about to trust someone with your family's coverage and a chunk of your budget. Make them earn it — here's the interview.
A good broker is independent, paid by carriers (never by you), licensed in your state, and checks your subsidy, doctors and prescriptions before recommending anything. The ten questions below surface all of that in one conversation — and the answers should come easily.
01Are you independent, or do you work for one carrier?
A captive agent can only sell one company’s plans, no matter how well they fit. An independent broker compares across carriers. Neither is dishonest — but you should know which one you’re talking to before the first recommendation lands.
02How do you get paid — and does it cost me anything?
Brokers are paid a commission by the carrier when you enroll, and you pay the same premium either way. A good broker answers this without flinching. If anyone charges you a separate fee just to shop plans, keep walking.
03Which carriers and plans can you actually quote?
Ask for names. We work with Aetna, Ambetter, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, Mutual of Omaha and UnitedHealthcare, among others — and the honest follow-up is the required Medicare disclosure that no broker offers every plan in your area.
04Are you licensed in my state?
Every legitimate broker has a National Producer Number (NPN) you can verify with your state’s insurance department in minutes. In a two-state metro like Kansas City, make sure they’re licensed on your side of the line.
05Will you check whether I qualify for a subsidy?
This should be automatic, not an upsell. Premium tax credits generally reach households between 100–400% of the federal poverty level, and the check takes minutes. It routinely changes the answer by hundreds of dollars a month.
Two minutes, free, no obligation — we'll run your numbers.Check my subsidy
06Will you check my doctors and prescriptions against the plan?
The cheapest premium is expensive if your doctor is out of network or your prescription isn’t on the formulary. Bring your list; a good broker checks it against every plan before recommending one.
07Marketplace or private — how will you decide what to show me?
The answer you want is "it depends on your household," followed by questions about income, health and timing. Marketplace plans carry subsidies and cover pre-existing conditions; some private plans fit specific situations. Be wary of anyone who starts with the product instead of your situation.
08What happens after I enroll — are you still my broker?
Enrollment is the start of the job, not the end. Renewals, claims tangles, adding a baby, a mid-year income change — ask who takes that call. At a real agency, it’s the same people who enrolled you.
09When can I actually enroll or switch?
Marketplace open enrollment runs November 1 – January 15, life events open 60-day special windows, and some private plans start any month. A broker who knows the calendar keeps you out of coverage gaps and penalty traps.
10Why shouldn’t I just do this myself on healthcare.gov?
You can — the price is identical either way. What a broker adds is triage: subsidy math, network checks, plan-by-plan trade-offs, and a person to call when something breaks. Free help with no markup is a rare deal; take it.
