Find Brokers Near Me

Here are tips to find independent Medicare insurance brokers with the expertise and access to best policies available for where you live. Discover how does a broker differs from an agent? Read the 5 questions that will help you find the best broker for your Medicare insurance needs and budget.

Are you a broker or an agent?
How many insurance companies are you appointed with?
What are the 3 insurers you sell the most of?
How long have you been in business?
Do you offer both Medicare Advantage and Medigap?

Things Most Consumers Don’t Know About Insurance Agents and Brokers

To most people, the term agent means the same as broker. But there is an important difference. And that difference can impact you.

One is not necessarily better than the other. But, understanding the important difference is important.

An agent typically defines an individual who works specifically for one company. In this case one insurance company. For example, a State Farm agent typically works to sell State Farm products. An agent may (or may not) be able to sell insurance products from other companies.

A broker on the other hand defines someone who represents and sells multiple insurance companies. However, they may represent just a few companies. Or, they may represent many. We’ll share ways to find that out; keep reading.

Why Does It Matter? Agent or Broker?

Both agents and brokers are licensed. They have to take ethics classes and, as a result, they should be working to get you the best insurance coverage for your needs and budget.

But, if they represent (sell) insurance from only one company, that may be the best and cheapest. Or, there may be better ones out there. Unfortunately, since the agent can’t sell you that policy, they likely won’t send you away to someone who can.

Now, a broker can represent multiple insurance companies. But, again, that doesn’t mean they are going to get you the best policy. Let’s look at Medicare for an example. Depending on where you live, there might be 40 different Medicare Advantage plans available. Plus another 20 different Medigap insurers. NO broker is able to sell them all.

So, how do you find the best person to work with?

Find Medicare Brokers Near Me

The American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance makes available the leading online directory that lists Medicare brokers near me by Zip Code. Click on the link to access the directory. It is 100% free and 100% private. You’ll see their info. No personal information is needed to access.

5 Questions To Ask Every Medicare Insurance Agent You Start To Work With

Agent or broker, here are five questions that we believe you should ask. And reasons why we suggest you ask.

“Are you an agent or a broker?” We shared the reasons to ask this question. But even agents get the definition confused. Don’t worry, the next two questions will help you get a clear answer.
“How many Medicare insurance companies are you ‘appointed’ with?” Appointed is insurance industry jargon that means the agent or broker can actually sell you policies from that company. And, they can earn a commission for doing so. Some brokers will tell you, ‘oh I’m appointed with every major Medicare company’. That’s where the next 2 questions will help you get even more clarification.
“Can you tell me the names of the 3 Medicare insurance companies you sell the most of?” There can be many plans in your area. Most brokers will favor just a few. You want the names for two reasons. First, it will give you a sense of what companies they like. Second, it will identify any missing companies. For example, say they answer “UnitedHealthcare, Aetna and Mutual of Omaha”. In your area there may be a plan from Blue Cross or Blue Shield. It might be better and cheaper for you.
“Do you sell both Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement (Medigap)?” Now, you may already know what you want. If you want a Medicare Advantage plan, speaking with a broker who doesn’t sell them will waste your time (and the agent’s). For someone who only wants Medigap, speaking to an agent specializing in Medicare Advantage might impact what options are offered to you. Some agents sell both. But, not all.
“How many years have you been selling Medicare insurance?” By now you’ll have a general sense of who you are speaking to. This is the last question we suggest you ask. Nothing against newer agents in the business. They have to undergo extensive training. And they may be more passionate about helping you. But experience can matter. You deserve to know who you are dealing with. It’s just smart.

Why Is It Smart To Include At Least One Local Broker?

Medicare is a national program. But Medicare plan options are local. A plan available where you live may NOT be available in the next County.

When you call a toll free number advertised on television, you really don’t know who you are speaking with. The company advertising on TV may have directed your call to a centralized Call Center. Or they may have sold or passed your information on to an agent. Some will sell you information to multiple agents. Expect your phone to ring and ring.

Deciding which Medicare program is best for you is an important decision.

Medicare does allow you to make many changes down the road. But, not always. So, making sure you get the best coverage from the get-go is important.

Because Medicare is Local, we believe it’s smart to connect with at least one local Medicare insurance professional. And, we make it easy to find them.