What Are the Largest Vision Insurance Companies?
The largest vision insurance company in the U.S. is VSP, which covers about two-thirds of U.S. enrollees who have stand-alone vision plans.
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) and Humana are the two next-largest companies behind VSP, based on the number of policyholders. These three companies account for 90% of the market for stand-alone vision insurance plans.
What are the biggest vision insurance companies?
Among all companies, VSP has the highest enrollment with 25.4 million policyholders who have vision-only insurance plans.
Vision benefits are sometimes bundled with medical insurance. However, a vision-only insurance plan is a separate policy that provides coverage for eye exams and eyewear. These stand-alone plans are a type of secondary insurance that provides additional coverage beyond what's included in the main medical insurance plan you get through an employer or the marketplace.
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Largest vision insurance companies by market share
Rank | Company | Policyholders | Market share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VSP Vision Care | 25.4 million | 67% |
| 2 | Blue Cross Blue Shield | 7.0 million | 18% |
| 3 | Humana | 2.0 million | 5% |
| 4 | Delta Dental | 901,468 | 2% |
| 5 | VBA (Vision Benefits of America) | 749,504 | 2% |
| 6 | SightCare | 468,126 | 1% |
| 7 | UnitedHealthcare | 391,992 | 1% |
Top seven insurers by enrollment in vision-only insurance plans
EyeMed is also a big name in vision care. However, it is a different category of company from VSP or Blue Cross Blue Shield. EyeMed does not directly write insurance policies. Instead, the company relies on partnerships with other insurance companies.
The largest vision insurers include both major health insurance companies that focus on medical coverage as well as insurers that focus on secondary insurance policies for vision or dental. Both options provide similar sets of benefits.
For those who get their insurance through an employer, vision coverage is determined by the company's benefits package.
For those shopping for insurance on HealthCare.gov, children's vision coverage is always included with a health insurance plan, but adult vision coverage is only included in some health insurance plans. Stand-alone vision insurance plans cannot be purchased on HealthCare.gov. Instead, these vision plans can be purchased from an insurance company, agent or broker.
1. VSP
VSP Vision Care is the largest vision insurance company in the country by far, with 25.4 million policyholders with stand-alone vision insurance plans.
This is just a portion of VSP's overall business, and the company says it has 82 million policyholders in the U.S., including those in employer group plans.
VSP vision insurance plans are widely accepted nationally, and its network of 36,000 providers includes major chains such as Walmart, Costco, Sam’s Club, Visionworks and Pearle Vision. Standard vision plans start at $13 per month for an individual, providing coverage for vision exams and discounts on lenses, frames and contacts.
2. Blue Cross Blue Shield
Blue Cross Blue Shield, including its subsidiaries, is the second-largest vision insurance company. Plan options vary by location, but there is typically affordable pricing and a large network of vision providers.
A key advantage of BCBS is the variety of different types of insurance policies it offers. This can streamline your coverage because you can get your vision insurance from the same company where you get your medical insurance, dental insurance, Medicare plan or other types of supplemental policies.
Plus, BCBS has a good reputation as one of the best health insurance companies, helping you to feel confident about your vision plan.
3. Humana
Humana is another large provider of stand-alone vision insurance plans. Humana vision insurance plans are great for those who wear contacts because plans often will pay a certain amount toward both contact lenses and eyeglass frames. In contrast, most other providers have one benefit that can be used to discount either eyeglasses or contacts.
Humana's vision insurance plans typically cost between $13 and $16 per month, which is average pricing. When comparing plans, watch out for extra fees, such as a $35 enrollment fee.
4. Delta Dental
Most vision insurance plans provide discounts for Lasik or corrective eye surgery in addition to standard benefits for eye exams and eyewear.
Largest vision insurance companies by state
At a state level, VSP is frequently the largest vision insurance company. VSP has the most policyholders in 37 states and Washington, D.C.
State | Insurer | Market share |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | VSP | 84% |
| Alaska | VSP | 99% |
| Arizona | SightCare | 40% |
| Arkansas | Delta Dental | 67% |
| California | Anthem Blue Cross | 82% |
Market share based on the number of policyholders with vision-only insurance plans
Frequently asked questions
What's the most common vision insurance company?
VSP Vision Care is the most popular vision insurance provider with 67% of the market share for stand-alone vision insurance plans.
How much does vision insurance cost?
A standard vision insurance policy typically costs between $13 and $18 per month. Plans are typically worth it for those who need corrective eyewear because the amount you pay for a plan is usually less than the benefits you receive for eye exams, lenses, contacts and eyeglasses.
What does VSP stand for in vision insurance?
VSP stands for Vision Service Plan, a vision insurance company selling plans that provide benefits for eye exams and eyewear. It's the largest provider of stand-alone vision insurance plans in the U.S.
Sources and methodology
This list of the largest vision insurance companies is based on market share data from the S&P Global Market Intelligence platform, considering vision-only insurance plans across 50 states and Washington, D.C.
The rate of consumer complaints is based on the complaint index from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and our company calculations use a weighted average of subsidiaries based on annual premiums.