Resources

Insurance, in plain English

Everything here is the answer to a question a real client actually asked. If yours isn't answered, ask it — it'll probably end up on this page.

Good questions

Asked all the time

Does using an advisor cost me anything?

No. We're paid by the insurance carriers when you enroll — the price of a plan is the same whether you buy it through us or on your own. The difference is that with us, someone reads the fine print before you do.

What's the difference between you and shopping a marketplace myself?

A marketplace shows you plans; it can't tell you which one fits your doctors, your prescriptions, or your budget — and it isn't there when a claim goes sideways. We shop private coverage across carriers, explain the trade-offs in plain English, and stay with you after you enroll.

I already have a plan. Will you look at it honestly?

Yes — that's a plan review, and sometimes the honest answer is "keep what you have." We'll show you what your plan covers, what it would leave you owing, and what else exists. You decide.

I have a bill or a claim I don't understand. Can you help?

Bring it to us. Start with the paperwork in front of you — the bill, and the letter from your insurer marked "this is not a bill" — and we'll walk through together what was charged, what was allowed, and what to question.

I just turned 26 and lost my parents' coverage. How fast do I need to move?

Losing that coverage is a qualifying life event, which generally opens a limited special-enrollment window — typically around 60 days. Don't wait it out: talk to us early and the whole thing is one phone call, not a crisis.

Which states can you help in?

We're licensed in 37 states — the full list is on the contact page. If yours isn't on it, we'll say so straight away instead of wasting your time.

The glossary

Eight words that stop being scary

Learn these and you can read any plan summary in the country. Genuinely — this is most of the vocabulary.

Premium

What you pay every month to keep the plan, claims or no claims.

Deductible

What you pay out of pocket each year before the plan starts paying its share.

Copay

A fixed amount for a service — say, a set fee per doctor visit.

Coinsurance

The percentage of a bill you still pay after the deductible is met.

Out-of-pocket maximum

The most you can pay in a year; past it, a covered claim is the plan's problem, not yours.

Network

The doctors and hospitals a plan has prices with. Outside it, your share is usually far higher.

EOB

Explanation of Benefits — the 'this is not a bill' letter that shows what the plan was charged, allowed, and paid.

Qualifying life event

A change — losing coverage, turning 26, moving, marriage, a baby — that opens a special window to enroll outside the annual period.

Ready when you are