1. UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthCare has an excellent financial strength rating from AM Best Company and is a part of UnitedHealth Group, which is the largest health insurer in the United States, according to The Balance. This means that it has established itself as a quality insurer.
UnitedHealthcare offers individual insurance plans that meet the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements for essential care.
Overall, UnitedHealthCare offers one of the largest PPO networks in the nation, and its online healthcare services have been highly rated.
Because no organization is perfect, a few less-than-positive items need to be noted here. Their overall customer satisfaction ratings in the J.D. Power Commercial Member Health Plan Study for 2019 were average or less-than-average.
2. Aetna
Aetna has an excellent reputation among members and is also one of the largest for-profit health insurers in the country. And, like UnitedHealthcare, Aetna also has an “A” (excellent) financial strength rating with AM Best Company.
According to the Aetna corporate website,
“Aetna offers health insurance, as well as dental, vision and other plans, to meet the needs of individuals and families, (and) employers.”
Aetna offers affordable private health insurance plans with options including preventive care, office visits, hospitalization, immunizations, and other types of essential health care services. Aetna also provides access to HSA plans, which members can use with high-deductible plans.
Some of the upsides of Aetna include their HSAs, the comprehensive nationwide coverage, and their wellness programs. However, the company only received a 3.8-star overall rating from Insure.com although, when it comes to overall customer satisfaction, customers have indicated that they would recommend Aetna to a friend with a 4.4-star customer satisfaction rating.2. Aetna
Aetna has an excellent reputation among members and is also one of the largest for-profit health insurers in the country. And, like UnitedHealthcare, Aetna also has an “A” (excellent) financial strength rating with AM Best Company.
According to the Aetna corporate website,
“Aetna offers health insurance, as well as dental, vision and other plans, to meet the needs of individuals and families, (and) employers.”
Aetna offers affordable private health insurance plans with options including preventive care, office visits, hospitalization, immunizations, and other types of essential health care services. Aetna also provides access to HSA plans, which members can use with high-deductible plans.
Some of the upsides of Aetna include their HSAs, the comprehensive nationwide coverage, and their wellness programs. However, the company only received a 3.8-star overall rating from Insure.com although, when it comes to overall customer satisfaction, customers have indicated that they would recommend Aetna to a friend with a 4.4-star customer satisfaction rating.
3. Anthem Blue Cross
Anthem Blue Cross is the largest for-profit managed healthcare company in the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. In addition, it is also one of the largest healthcare companies in the United States. In June 2022, Anthem became Elevance Health, although policies continue to be marketed under the Anthem and Blue brands.
Anthem’s corporate website notes that,
“Through its affiliated companies, Anthem serves more than 106 million people, including more than 42 million within its family of health plans. We aim to be the most innovative, valuable, and inclusive partner.”
It adds, “One in eight Americans receives coverage for their medical care through Anthem’s affiliated plans.”
The company is the largest health insurer in the state of California, where it operates as Anthem Blue Cross and currently has about 800,000 members.
Insure.com gave Anthem Blue Cross a 3.6-star overall rating in their annual review of Best Health Insurance Companies. This was broken down as earning between 3.5 to 4 stars out of 5 in the category of claims, price, and customer service, while their website and apps earned them a 4-star rating.
4. Humana
Humana Inc., a for-profit health insurance company based in Louisville, Kentucky, had over 22 million members in the U.S. as of 2023.
Humana comes in as the fifth-largest health insurance company by membership but is currently the third-largest health insurance company in the nation in terms of market share, behind Aetna and UnitedHealthCare Group.
Humana, Inc. has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, although it only earned a composite score of 3.7 out of 5-star rating based on BBB customer reviews.
While Humana offers a wide variety of health insurance products and is considered a great choice for health insurance coverage, as of 2018, Humana is no longer offering individual medical insurance, according to its corporate website.
Humana offers its members a wide variety of products and services, including health, vision, and dental insurance plans. Furthermore, they are a good option for many Medicare Advantage plan options, and Humana provides Medicare and Medicaid.
Although the company has been given somewhat negative reviews, they have diligently attempted to fix issues and improve their member’s experience. The majority of complaints listed include programs with products or service issues, but this has not impacted their BBB accreditation.
Humana has earned kudos for its member benefits, its Medicare Advantage customer satisfaction, and its impressive financial stability.
On the downside, there is the issue of a lack of individual health insurance offerings and problems with customer service.
5. Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit health insurance providers, serving over 12 million members. It offers employer-provided plans, Medicaid, Medicare, charitable health insurance, and other private insurance plans.
The Kaiser Permanente website notes that,
“At Kaiser Permanente, physicians are responsible for medical decisions. The Permanente Medical Groups, which provide care for Kaiser Permanente members, continuously develop and refine medical practices to help ensure that care is delivered in the most efficient and effective manner possible.”
According to the 2020 J.D. Power & Associates Commercial Member Health Plan Study, Kaiser Permanente ranked at the top in California, Colorado, Maryland, and the Northwest and South Atlantic regions. In addition, Kaiser Permanente is No. 1 on Insure.com’s 2023 Best Health Insurance Companies list – earning 4.2 stars out of 5.
However, only 49 percent of people surveyed would definitely recommend Kaiser Permanente and an additional 38 percent said they would probably recommend it. On the other hand, a whopping 90 percent of its customers plan to renew their policies.
When it comes to pros and cons, Kaiser Permanente earns points with its strong customer service, HSA options, the variety of health plans they offer, and a plan selection that makes it easy for people to find good health insurance.
The “cons” include their limited coverage areas, though they are expanding a bit in places such as Nevada.
In addition to these five, at JC Lewis Insurance, we work with the following health insurance providers for our California customers (in alphabetical order):
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- Blue Shield of California
- CaliforniaChoice
- Centene/Health Net
- Sutter Health Plus
- Western Health Advantage
Exploring the Rise of Niche and Tech-Driven Health Insurance Providers
While the largest health insurance companies continue to dominate the market, a growing number of tech-driven, niche health insurance providers are beginning to carve out meaningful space—especially within the individual health insurance sector. Companies like Oscar Health and Bright Health have disrupted traditional models by focusing on user experience, telemedicine integration, and simplified plan structures that resonate with younger demographics and gig economy workers. These newer entrants are leveraging data-driven personalization and digital-first platforms to offer more agile, affordable coverage options on and off the ACA marketplaces.
This shift is fueled, in part, by changing consumer expectations and the evolving landscape of healthcare exchange plans. As more Americans seek plans tailored to their lifestyle—whether through enhanced ACA subsidies, flexible provider networks, or specialized coverage for chronic conditions—insurers that can deliver on accessibility and transparency are gaining traction. These emerging players are also capitalizing on gaps left by larger insurers who may not offer competitive options in every region, especially in underserved rural or semi-urban areas. As the market continues to expand toward an estimated $2.56 trillion valuation by 2030, expect more innovation from these agile health insurance companies looking to challenge the status quo.
Your Local Health Insurance Company Experts
JC Lewis Insurance, a family-owned firm of expert brokers based in Sonoma County, offers California health insurance plans only from the leading health insurance carriers licensed to do business in California.
Not only are we expert brokers, but we are also licensed and certified by each of these insurance carriers to offer coverage to individuals, families, and small group employers in addition to Medicare supplemental and prescription drug plans for seniors.
If you are self-employed or your employer doesn’t provide health benefits, an individual or family plan may be the best option for you or you and your family.
And if you’re a business and are looking to purchase medical insurance, you will likely have many questions and concerns. Bring your questions about health coverage insurance and you can be confident that JC Lewis Insurance Services will help you find the right solution.
