4 Best Health Insurance Companies of 2023

Quality ratings tell you about customer satisfaction and how well the company handles customer issues, while plan tier determines the level of medical benefits.

Choosing a high-quality health insurance plan for both support and coverage can help you avoid frustrations when using your medical benefits or getting claims paid.

Health insurance company ratings

Kaiser Permanente is the top-rated health insurance company in the U.S., according to available state data from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Good insurance companies include Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Aetna and Cigna. The worst-rated health insurance companies are Oscar and Molina.

Overall, these performance ratings can give you a big-picture snapshot of which health insurance companies are the best, which are in the middle of the pack and which you should avoid.

Best health insurance companies

Because company performance can vary by state, we recommend that those shopping for insurance on HealthCare.gov also compare the star ratings of individual plans offered in their location. This will give you the best indication of which plans will give you a good experience.

Note that Humana does not sell individual health insurance plans and only provides health insurance through employer or group plans. This means that you may be able to get a Humana plan through your job, but plans are not available on the health insurance marketplace or directly from Humana.

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Best overall health insurance: Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente offers top-rated individual health insurance options in eight states — California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Oregon, Virginia and Washington — and Washington, D.C.

The company stands out for its good customer service and streamlined access to high-quality medical care. Kaiser Permanente consistently ranks as having the most satisfied customers.

Kaiser health insurance is paired with Kaiser's medical facilities, which can make it easier to manage both your insurance and health services through the same online portal. The downside is that enrollees have a limited provider network. Rather than having access to a wide range of doctors, the plans typically only provide coverage when you go to a Kaiser facility (except during emergencies).

If having access to a wide selection of doctors is important to you, consider Blue Cross Blue Shield, which has the largest network of medical providers in the county.

Popular insurance company: Blue Cross Blue Shield

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has high-quality health insurance and is rated slightly ahead of other major competitors such as UnitedHealthcare and Humana. It also is the most popular health insurance company in the country.

BCBS offers a wide range of plan options and types including HMOs (health maintenance organizations), EPOs (exclusive provider organizations) and PPOs (preferred provider organizations). These choices can help you get the best type of coverage to meet your needs.

The company is also good if you want flexibility with where you get your medical care. The BCBS network includes 90% of the country's doctors and hospitals. Even though the exact network of each plan varies, you'll likely have a wide selection of doctors that are covered.

However, the plans are typically more expensive than similar coverage from other providers, making Blue Cross not a good choice for those on a tight budget.

Best health insurance for the self-employed: UnitedHealthcare

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) offers good-quality health insurance plans, and the company stands out for its comprehensive care, including several add-on benefits and a robust app. For those who are self-employed, this can be a valuable way to streamline coverage, save time and reduce hassle.

Many UHC plans include benefits such as free primary care, low-cost prescriptions and access to wellness programs. And you can add on coverage for dental, vision and disability. Plus, the UHC mobile app lets you have telehealth appointments, estimate procedure costs, compare doctors and manage your plan, making it easier to get the most out of your policy.

However, there are some downsides. UHC health insurance policies can be more expensive than average, and interacting with the company can be frustrating, according to comments on the Better Business Bureau.

Best health insurance for young adults: Aetna

Aetna's plans have average ratings and lower monthly costs than other providers. This makes Aetna a good deal for those who are young and healthy.

Plus, many plans let you earn rewards or gift cards for healthy activities when you use the Attain by Aetna app on an Apple Watch or Fitbit, helping you save even more.

Plans also provide free or low-cost access to CVS minute clinics, which are located inside CVS or Target retail locations. This can make it easy for you to access in-network care across multiple locations such as a hometown, college town or internship location.

However, these plans may not be a good choice for those who have ongoing medical conditions or who need major or expensive health procedures. In these cases, you may be more satisfied with a higher-rated company like Kaiser Permanente, Blue Cross Blue Shield or UnitedHealthcare, which have better customer satisfaction and fewer complaints.

Understanding the data behind health insurance ratings

In the health insurance industry, a variety of rating agencies evaluate health insurance companies every year based on factors that include financial strength, customer reviews and customer complaints. You can use these metrics to evaluate companies and choose the best insurance for you. The most common third-party ratings for insurance companies include:

Checking company ratings and customer evaluations can help you understand what the company values and how it stacks up against its competitors. Then, you can get quotes from these companies to decide which one makes sense for your situation.

How to choose the best health insurance company

When choosing a health insurance company, you should evaluate the costs for both the plan and your medical care, as well as customer reviews.

Policy costs, details and company benefits

The most important factor to consider is whether the insurer offers affordable policies that fit your needs.

The price of a health insurance policy can vary widely by insurer. This is typically because some providers offer extra benefits with their policies, such as online member portals or gym memberships.

Some policies have a wider provider network, which means your health insurance would be accepted by more doctors and medical facilities. However, policies with a bigger network or those that offer you the ability to see any doctor that you want will almost always come with higher monthly premiums.

Finally, besides the monthly price you pay, you should carefully review the deductibles and copays or coinsurance before choosing a policy. These can vary greatly not only by insurer but also by policy. By selecting the plan with a deductible and coinsurance that fit your needs, you can save yourself money.

Customer reviews

When evaluating insurers, you should also consider the experience of other customers as a way to help predict if you'll have problems with the insurance plan. Through metrics like the NAIC complaint index and J.D. Power's customer satisfaction scores, you can better understand how that health insurance company treats its customers.

You should check reviews about the claims process and the ease with which customers can get their claims filed. Some companies tend to have cheaper health insurance but unreliable customer service. This is important to consider, as claims processing will be integral to your overall customer experience with the health insurance company.

Frequently asked questions