Live Insurance News

Insurance agents were central to the health care reform successes in California

May 14, 2014May 12, 2014 Julie Campbell

California health insurance industry agent

Regardless of political beliefs with surrounding Obamacare, many achievements were made by these professionals. From the time that the Affordable Care Act truly went into full swing, last October, insurance agents played a key role in making sure that the people who required coverage would be able to find the health plans that they needed, at the best available prices. When the Covered California exchange first started, these professionals were not seen to be as important as they became. Both the officials from California and President Obama, himself, had been…

Should More States Help Agents Find Insurance Leads?

January 25, 2014January 25, 2014 Guest Author

Last month, California made headlines when Covered California handed out thousands of consumer’s information to insurance agents without their expressed interest to be contacted. According to LA Times reporter Chad Terhune, the names given were of people who had signed up on the Covered California website, but had not finished the enrollment process. Was this an act of assistance on the part of the state or a complete breach of privacy? The larger question is “should other states follow suit?” Why Use an Insurance Lead Company? Generally, insurance agents find…

How to find individual health insurance by yourself

March 25, 2012March 24, 2012 Marc

When your health insurance is sponsored by your employer, it is easy enough to know which policy to choose because it has typically been selected for you, but when you are unemployed, self-employed, or employed by a company that doesn’t offer this medical benefits, then it is up to you to find your own coverage. Use the following tips to help you locate the right policy and price to fit your needs: • Healthcare.gov – this federal government site provides a number of questions that you can answer in order…

Legislation could exclude insurance agents from medical loss ratio provision of the Affordable Care Act

February 7, 2012February 7, 2012 Marc

Two U.S. senators have drafted a new legislation that would exclude insurance agencies from the medical loss ratio provision of the Affordable Care Act. The provision requires insurers to spend no less than 80% of the money they collect from premiums on improving medical care. The provision would have dire implications for agents as it includes the money they collect from commissions. Senators Mary Landrieu, D-La., and Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., have introduced the legislation to the House of Representatives and hope that it will bring insurance agents the protections they…

Health insurance may face obsolescence at the hands of accountable care organizations

January 31, 2012January 31, 2012 S.Vagus

As the insurance news concerning the health industry begins to change, many are beginning to question how necessary insurance companies actually are. For centuries, insurers have provided access to policies that allow businesses and individuals to enjoy some degree of protection against unforeseeable events. People rely on insurance companies to handle the risks associated with daily life, but fall victim to the whims of these companies that are very much business oriented. When the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, it opened the way for a new…

Consumer Agent Portal announces new online resource to connect independent agents with consumers

December 13, 2011May 6, 2013

As the provisions of the Affordable Care Act begin to come to fruition, the role of independent insurance agents is becoming more vague. In an effort to embolden independent agents, the Consumer Agent Portal LLP, a coalition of property/casualty insurers that support independent agents, has launched a new online resource system that is designed to give agents access to the 65% market share they are missing out on. The system will take advantage of the growing electronic market, which is becoming a major playing field in the world of insurance…

Insurance brokers speak out against commissions rule in healthcare overhaul

December 12, 2011December 13, 2011 Marc

Insurance producers are fighting the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s (PPACA) element that excludes commissions from the calculations of the minimum medical loss ratio. The PPACA states that health insurance companies in the large group market must spend a minimum of 85 percent of premiums on healthcare services, and those in the small group and individual markets much spend at least 80 percent on healthcare services. Broker and agent groups are battling on Capitol Hill to remove their commissions from the requirement. They had hoped that the cause would…