Health insurance is the one purchase where the cheapest option can cost you the most. We compare ACA major medical, short-term, fixed-benefit and guaranteed-issue plans across multiple A-rated carriers, then show you where each one helps and where it stops.
Plan types
There is no single best plan. There's the plan that fits your health, your income and how long you need it for.
ACA major medical
Full comprehensive coverage that meets Affordable Care Act standards: preventive care, hospitalisation, prescriptions and the essential health benefits, with no denial or surcharge for pre-existing conditions. Subsidies may apply depending on household income.
Best for: anyone who needs dependable year-round coverage, ongoing prescriptions, or care for a chronic condition.
Short-term medical
A bridge, not a destination. Lower premiums for a defined stretch of months while you wait out a waiting period, a new job's benefits start date, or the next open enrolment window. Coverage is medically underwritten and typically excludes pre-existing conditions.
Best for: healthy people with a known gap — between jobs, post-graduation, early retirement before Medicare.
Fixed-benefit plans
Instead of a percentage of a bill, these pay set dollar amounts for set events — a doctor visit, a day in hospital, a surgery. Premiums are predictable and so are the payouts, which means you need to understand the schedule before you rely on it.
Best for: budget-first buyers who want something meaningful in place, often paired with a supplemental plan.
Guaranteed issue
Acceptance without medical underwriting. Nobody asks about your health history, which makes this the fallback when other products decline or price you out. Benefits are narrower, so we're explicit about the trade-off before you enrol.
Best for: applicants who've been declined elsewhere or have a history that makes underwritten plans expensive.
Choosing well
Premium is the number everyone leads with, and it's the one that tells you least. Before we quote anything, we work through these with you.
01
Who has to be covered?
One adult, a couple, a family with a child who plays contact sport. Household size changes both the subsidy maths and which network matters.
02
Which doctors do you refuse to give up?
Networks are where cheap plans hurt. We check your existing providers against the network before you sign, not after.
03
What prescriptions are you on?
A single specialty drug can make a low-premium plan the most expensive option on the table. Formularies get checked line by line.
04
What could you absorb in a bad year?
Deductible, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum together define your worst case. We'd rather you know that number than be surprised by it.
05
How long do you need this for?
Three months of cover and three years of cover are different products. Buying the wrong one is the most common mistake we undo.
Get a health quote
Send us your basics and we'll come back with plans from multiple carriers, with networks and formularies already checked against your doctors and prescriptions.
Mon–Fri, 8am–7pm ET
What we'll need from you
Names and dates of birth for everyone to be covered, your ZIP code, a rough household income figure if you want subsidies checked, the doctors you want to keep, and a list of current prescriptions. That's usually enough to quote accurately.
Pair it with the coverage that fills the gaps
Major medical handles the big events. Dental, vision, accident and critical illness plans handle the things it leaves behind — and they're cheap enough that skipping them is rarely the right call.
Tell us who needs covering and we'll do the comparing. Same-day reply, quotes usually within one business day.
Plan availability, benefits and premiums vary by carrier, state and eligibility. Only the carrier's policy documents determine coverage.