The short answer: buying direct shows you one company's plans. An independent agency compares plans from several carriers, private and Marketplace, checks your doctors by name, and stays on your file after you enroll. At BrightHaven there is no separate fee to you for guidance or enrollment help: like most independent agencies, we are compensated by the carriers when you enroll.
What "buying direct" means
Buying direct means going to one insurance company, through its website or through an agent who works only for that company. Most insurance agents work for a single company, so the only plans they can offer you are that company's. If the better answer for your situation sits somewhere else, you still get what is on their shelf.
What an independent agency does
- Compares several carriers. BrightHaven is independent and appointed with many carriers, so the only reason to recommend one is that it fits you. That includes private plans that are not on the Marketplace, priced side by side with Marketplace options.
- Checks your doctors and medications. We double-check your doctors by name before you enroll, because networks change. Tell us your medications and we match you to a plan that covers them.
- Lines up the start date. We confirm the exact effective date before you sign, and never backdate.
- Helps at claim time. Call us first. We tell you what to report, and we can file it with you on the phone.
- Re-shops your renewal. Send us the renewal notice as soon as it arrives, and we re-quote it across the carriers we represent and tell you honestly whether to move or stay.
What it does not do
- We are not the insurer. The carrier issues the policy and pays the claims.
- We do not approve applications. On a private plan, approval is the carrier's decision, not ours.
- We do not push a sale. If the best answer is "keep what you have" or "go to the Marketplace," that is what you will hear.
Picture it
You go to one company's website, pick its lowest monthly price, and enroll in ten minutes. In the spring your specialist's office says they are not in the network. In the fall the renewal notice comes in higher, and the only plans you can compare it against are that same company's.
Now picture the other version. You send us your ZIP, your doctors and your medications. We price plans from several carriers side by side, private and Marketplace, with your doctors checked by name. When the renewal notice arrives, you forward it, and the same licensed person who enrolled you re-shops it. You talk to a real person, the same one, every time.
Can you still do it yourself?
Yes. For health, dental, vision and supplemental products you can search plans and enroll online yourself, and our Plan Finder shows plans you can explore on your own. If you would rather see the trade-offs first, read ACA vs. private health insurance or our FAQ.
This is general education, not tax advice and not a guarantee of coverage or savings. Plans, pricing, networks and eligibility depend on the carrier, your state, your location and underwriting.