There are several ways to shop for Medicare supplemental insurance. You can go online, contact a carrier, talk to a Medicare representative, respond to solicitations by mail, invite an agent into your home.
Most people buy from an agent in their home. If the agent only offers one plan, that isn't really shopping is it? And who really wants strangers coming in their home?
If you have recently turned 65 you are no doubt inundated with mail solicitations. All of this is too confusing for most people. Buying without help is not advised.
You can call Medicare direct, and some states have people who will answer your questions and help you decide. But how do you know if that person has enough experience to give you helpful answers? This may be their first week on the job.
Some think they will get a better "deal" if they buy direct from a carrier. Again, you never know anything about the person you are talking to, and how do you know they will be available to answer future questions?
Or you can go online. This is convenient but there are challenges here as well. Unless you visit a site from a local agent, you are probably giving up your personal information to a stranger in another state that will sell that information to numerous agents. This leads to multiple phone calls.
Who wants that?
Another issue with online searches is this. You will only see a handful of options and will never see the lowest rates.
We allow visitors to run their own rates from our site. They receive regular email notes with helpful tips following their initial visit. We send out personalized quotes to those who want them, showing multiple carriers. If you have questions, we listen and provide advice on the pro's and con's of each plan. And we allow you to decide and move forward at your own pace.
All this is done by phone and email. You never have to get out of your pajama's and get to pick the plan that best suits your needs and budget.
When shopping for Medicare Supplement do not just go by rates. Many agents will tell you that all plans are the same and the only difference is rates, and that is true. However, I have seen many companies go in to an area with rates that are low, only to raise the rates by 30% or more the following year. Unless you like changing plans every year and you know your health will always be good, this is not necessarily the best way to go. Look for a company that is competitive, but that has a good history of rate increases, generally less than 10%. Every agent is getting solicited by companies wanting them to sell their now lowest rate plan. Find a good local agent who has been around for a while. I personally like the AARP Med Sup. It is competitive and has an excellent rate history. It also uses community rating versus attained age rating. With attained age, which most companies use, you pay a low rate at first but every year you can count on a rate increase just because you got older, in addition to the rate increase the company has. With community rating, the rates are equaled over the ages so that you pay a little more at 65 for example but when you are 85 your rates will be lower than if you went with an attained age company. Also look for an agent that also does Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug plans. He will be able to help you decide which would be to your best advantage.
Shopping for Medicare Supplement insurance can be confusing. You should find an independent insurance broker or agent, who can help you shop and also can explain the ins & outs of Medicare with you. A good agent will have multiple companies to offer you and will be able to discuss your particular needs and budget to determine what plan design and company would meet your needs. Most who carry Medicare Supplements will also be able to assist you with Part D coverage as well.
There are also Medicare "Advocates" in many states who are trained by Medicare. They can be a tremendous help in educating people about Medicare in general, what product choices that a person will have & usually can assist in Part D enrollment. What I have found with these people is that even if they can discuss all of the supplement plans with someone - they cannot actually enroll them, since they are not salespeople. But, they are a very good source of agnostic information.
In addition, there are many online sources to run quotes & see rates. Even though that sounds like a good way to shop, it doesn't provide overall education about differences in various companies, the issue basis of the policies being quoted, or any state specific laws and rules that could impact the person applying in the future. Even if someone has a good idea of various rates, it's still best to sit down with a real person & make sure you receive all of the information necessary to make a good decision.
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Most people buy from an agent in their home. If the agent only offers one plan, that isn't really shopping is it? And who really wants strangers coming in their home?
If you have recently turned 65 you are no doubt inundated with mail solicitations. All of this is too confusing for most people. Buying without help is not advised.
You can call Medicare direct, and some states have people who will answer your questions and help you decide. But how do you know if that person has enough experience to give you helpful answers? This may be their first week on the job.
Some think they will get a better "deal" if they buy direct from a carrier. Again, you never know anything about the person you are talking to, and how do you know they will be available to answer future questions?
Or you can go online. This is convenient but there are challenges here as well. Unless you visit a site from a local agent, you are probably giving up your personal information to a stranger in another state that will sell that information to numerous agents. This leads to multiple phone calls.
Who wants that?
Another issue with online searches is this. You will only see a handful of options and will never see the lowest rates.
We allow visitors to run their own rates from our site. They receive regular email notes with helpful tips following their initial visit. We send out personalized quotes to those who want them, showing multiple carriers. If you have questions, we listen and provide advice on the pro's and con's of each plan. And we allow you to decide and move forward at your own pace.
All this is done by phone and email. You never have to get out of your pajama's and get to pick the plan that best suits your needs and budget.
There are also Medicare "Advocates" in many states who are trained by Medicare. They can be a tremendous help in educating people about Medicare in general, what product choices that a person will have & usually can assist in Part D enrollment. What I have found with these people is that even if they can discuss all of the supplement plans with someone - they cannot actually enroll them, since they are not salespeople. But, they are a very good source of agnostic information.
In addition, there are many online sources to run quotes & see rates. Even though that sounds like a good way to shop, it doesn't provide overall education about differences in various companies, the issue basis of the policies being quoted, or any state specific laws and rules that could impact the person applying in the future. Even if someone has a good idea of various rates, it's still best to sit down with a real person & make sure you receive all of the information necessary to make a good decision.