Medical Insurance Companies and Independent Ratings

Keeping abreast of the insurer you use for your medical insurance needs is very important. When you are shopping around it pays to ensure that you are about to do business with a company that is financially stable and will be around to take care of you, should you need it. Even if you have been with a company for a while, you should check them out from time to time to make sure they are still financially stable and have a good outlook ahead of them.

If you are one of the many who is insured with a weak company, there are many things that might befall you. There is a possibility of claims not being paid. The actual amount of coverage available to you may decrease. You may not have access to certain specialists. The customer service you receive is likely to be less than stellar. Employers who use weaker companies for group coverage will likely have unhappy employees due to issues with the insurer. Even healthcare providers will recognize the payment headaches associated with the company and fewer will accept the coverage you have.

If you are looking to make sure that the company you are insured with is a strong one that takes care of their customers in a timely fashion, there are resources at your disposal.

Weiss Ratings and A.M. Best

Weiss Ratings and A.M. Best are both independent insurance ratings companies which assign grades to insurance companies based on their financial strength and their capacity to meet their current and future obligations.

NCQA

NCQA is a group which creates a Health Plan Report Card. This online service allows you to discover which health insurance plan is best for you and your needs. The group had standards set for care quality and service quality that must be met by the insurer in order to get a prestigious NCQA Accreditation. This nationally recognized designation is very valuable.

Fitch Ratings

Fitch Ratings are another independent ratings group. This one focuses on a company's timeliness of meeting financial obligations.

Health Grades

Health grades are reports on the different healthcare providers in the country, which can be purchased.

Put the specialized knowledge that these companies have compiled to work for you in order to help you make the best possible decision regarding your health insurance needs.