How To Find the Best Health Insurance in Florida

To find the best health insurance plan in Florida, you should compare quotes from multiple health insurance companies, especially since coverage costs are a bit higher than average in the state. Although health insurance isn’t technically mandatory in Florida, it’s still recommended to protect yourself against significant medical debt in the event that you become sick or injured.

Read on to learn more about Florida health insurance including what some of the cheapest insurers in the state are and how much coverage typically costs in some of its biggest cities.

On This Page

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  Is Health Insurance Required in Florida?

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  Florida Health Insurance Rankings

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  How Much Does Health Insurance Cost in Florida?

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  What Is the Average Cost of Health Insurance in Florida by City?

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  Which Health Insurance Companies Are the Most Affordable in Florida?

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  When Is Open Enrollment for Health Insurance in Florida?

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  What Types of Health Insurance Are Available in Florida?

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  How To Get Health Insurance in Florida

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  FAQs

Is Health Insurance Required in Florida?

Officially, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all residents of every state to maintain health insurance. However, the federal government has not levied individual mandate penalties since 2018.^[1] As a result, health insurance requirements are only enforced at the state or district level and the Florida state government does not fine individuals who go without health insurance.

Florida Health Insurance Rankings

The Commonwealth Fund ranked Florida 36th out of 51 in an analysis comparing the overall quality of the health care systems in each American state and Washington, D.C. Notably, Florida ranked second-to-last in terms of the impact of income disparity on health outcomes for its residents. That said, the state also ranked in the top three among Southeastern states when considering all metrics.^[2]

See the below table for an overview of Florida’s national rank in each of the dimensions the Commonwealth Fund analyzed:^[2]

How Much Does Health Insurance Cost in Florida?

Marketplace benchmark plans cost $489 per month on average in Florida, which is only slightly more expensive than the nationwide average of $477 per month. Meanwhile, Floridians pay an average monthly premium of $382 for the lowest-cost bronze plan that is available in the state, $488 for the lowest-cost silver plan and $486 for the lowest-cost gold plan.^[3]

Cheapest Health Insurance Options in Florida

When you shop for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace, your cheapest options will generally be Florida health insurance plans in the bronze tier, which come with low premiums and high deductibles, copays and coinsurance.^[4] Nevertheless, a bronze plan might not be the best fit for you depending on your circumstances. For example, if you receive regular treatments for a chronic disease, you may prefer a plan with higher monthly premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs each time you receive care.

Meanwhile, health maintenance organization (HMO) plans generally come with lower premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs than preferred provider organization (PPO) plans, though you may sacrifice certain benefits if you opt for an HMO plan such as the freedom to see a specialist without a referral or visit an out-of-network provider for non-emergency care.^[5]

What Is the Average Cost of Health Insurance in Florida by City?

The following table goes over the median monthly rates across all metal levels for individual health insurance plans for 30-year-olds making $40,000 per year in five major cities in Florida, before taking premium tax credits into account.^[6]

Which Health Insurance Companies Are the Most Affordable in Florida?

Ambetter offers the single cheapest major medical plans in Florida in the bronze, silver and gold categories, while Aetna boasts the lowest average premium across all silver plans. In the below table, you’ll find an overview of health insurers in Florida that have an average monthly premium below $600 for 40-year-olds buying silver plans^.[7]

When Is Open Enrollment for Health Insurance in Florida?

Florida does not operate its own state Marketplace website, meaning Floridians can instead enroll through the federal Marketplace website during the standard open enrollment period from November 1 to January 15.^[8][9] Keep in mind that you must enroll by December 15 for your coverage to start at the beginning of the new year. Otherwise, your health plan will take effect on February 1.^[9]

It is still possible to enroll outside of this time window but only if you trigger a special enrollment period after experiencing a qualifying life event. Qualifying events can include moving to a new address, having a child, losing job-based insurance or getting married.^[10]

What Types of Health Insurance Are Available in Florida?

Some of the major types of health insurance you can purchase in Florida include the following:

• Marketplace health insurance
• Private coverage purchased directly from an insurance company such as short-term health insurance
• Employer-sponsored group health insurance
• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) continuation coverage
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health benefits
• Student health plans

How To Get Health Insurance in Florida

You’ll want to shop around and compare health insurance quotes from approximately three to five insurance providers before picking a health plan. This creates a problem if you decide to request quotes from insurance carriers one by one, which can be a long-drawn-out process.

Fortunately, SmartFinancial makes the insurance comparison shopping process much easier. All you have to do is answer a few questions and then we’ll help you find the best health plan for your situation. Click here to begin your questionnaire and start comparing health insurance quotes for free today.