Amazing expirience! The agent is very professional and friendly. Definitely recommend!!
Health Insurance Agent vs Broker vs Navigator: Who Should Help You?
Who can help you enroll, what each one does, and what it costs. Call or text 813-302-7151.
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813-302-7151
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Rguzman@coveredbyguzman.com
7 months ago
Excellent service and very professional staff. They made the process easy, answered all my questions, and helped me find the right coverage. Highly recommended!
3 months ago
I’ve worked with Ray for years and he’s always reliable and has been able to help my clients in need! I can always count on him to provide the best insurance advice and service
7 months ago
Great service, and always looking out for my commercial insurance. Thank you Ray
3 months ago
Great insurance agent to work with. Ray is the best!
3 months ago
Reviews reflect individual customer opinions and experiences. They do not guarantee specific coverage, pricing, service timing, or claim outcomes.
Three kinds of people can help you sign up for health insurance: agents, brokers and Marketplace Navigators. You can also apply on your own at HealthCare.gov. The title matters less than three questions: which plans can this person show you, will they check your doctors and medicines, and will they still help after you enroll?
Covered by Guzman is an independent insurance agency in Florida. We work in the agent and broker role: we compare the plans we are able to offer, explain why one fits, and stay with you after enrollment. We don’t represent the Marketplace or Medicare, and we don’t offer every plan.
Our help is free to you. The insurance company pays us a commission when you enroll, and your premium is the same as if you signed up on your own.
Agent, broker and Navigator at a glance
| Agent | Broker | Navigator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who they work with | May work for one insurance company | May represent several insurance companies | The Marketplace; does not sell plans for an insurer |
| Licensed by the state | Yes | Yes | Trained to help with Marketplace coverage |
| Can recommend a specific plan | Yes, among the plans they can sell | Yes, among the plans they can sell | No, must stay unbiased |
| Helps fill out the application | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| How they are paid | Often commissions from insurers | Often commissions from insurers | Free to you |
Sources: HealthCare.gov: agent and broker and HealthCare.gov: Navigator. HealthCare.gov also says you won’t pay anything additional for your plan if you enroll with an agent or broker.
What a licensed agent or broker does
An agent or broker helps you compare plans, fill out the application, understand your eligibility results and enroll. HealthCare.gov says agents and brokers must be licensed in their state and have signed agreements to sell Marketplace plans. A job title on social media is not proof of that.
Our review starts with you. We ask about your county, your current coverage, why you’re enrolling, your doctors and your prescriptions. If you want help paying for a Marketplace plan, we also go over your tax household and the income you expect for the year.
A good recommendation explains a tradeoff. One plan may include your specialist, while another covers your prescription at a lower cost. The lowest monthly payment alone leaves out what matters when you use care. Ask what was compared and what still needs checking.
An agent can’t approve a drug authorization, promise that a claim will be paid, or create an enrollment period you don’t qualify for. Those decisions belong to the insurer and the government program.
Agent vs broker: does the difference matter?
People use the two words loosely. HealthCare.gov says agents may work for one insurance company, while brokers may represent several, and both can make specific plan recommendations. See HealthCare.gov: broker.
Ask these three questions instead. Which insurers does this person represent? Which plans in my area are outside that list? Who helps me later with a bill, a renewal or a coverage question?
“Independent” does not mean “every plan.” A broker may still work with a limited set of insurers. You can see all Marketplace plans on HealthCare.gov and bring your questions back to the agent.
Also ask what kind of coverage you are looking at. A full ACA health plan, a dental plan, an employer reimbursement plan and a discount card do different jobs. A comparison that mixes them without saying so is not useful.
What a Marketplace Navigator can and can’t do
A Navigator is trained to help people look at Marketplace coverage and fill out eligibility and enrollment forms. HealthCare.gov says Navigators must be unbiased and their services are free.
Navigators can give detailed help with the application, but they stay neutral: they don’t sell an insurer’s plan or steer you toward one.
You make the decision either way. Ask a Navigator how plans differ and what a term means. Ask an agent why they recommend a plan and what else they looked at. With both, make sure your doctors and medicines are checked against the plan.
Find a Navigator near you with HealthCare.gov: find local help. Medicare counseling is separate: Florida’s SHINE program helps people with Medicare understand their options, and it is not an insurance agency.
How plan prices and agent pay work
An agent can’t make a Marketplace plan cheaper by sending in your application. The insurer sets the premium under the program rules, and your tax credit depends on your application. There is no private discount.
If two quotes look different, compare the exact plan ID, the coverage year, your address, your household, the income estimate and the tax credit used. One of those is usually the reason.
Agents and brokers often get commissions from insurance companies when you enroll. That is how we are paid too: the insurer pays us, and you pay us nothing. It’s fair to ask any agent how they are paid and which insurers they represent.
Help after you enroll
Our clients contact us about renewal notices, bills, documents, online accounts and allowed plan changes. A new medicine or an upcoming procedure is also a good reason to review your benefits.
If a claim is denied, start with the insurer’s explanation of benefits or denial letter. We can help you find the problem and the next step. Your doctor’s office may need to fix a bill or send records, and the insurer decides coverage. We can’t promise how an appeal will turn out.
At tax time, we can help you get Form 1095-A with your permission. Your tax preparer uses it with Form 8962 when needed. We don’t give tax advice. Our 1095-A guide explains the form.
Before anything is submitted, you should see what was entered and confirm it is correct. CMS explains its consumer consent and application review rules. Never let anyone change your plan, make up income or get into your application without your permission.
How to check an agent’s Florida license
Don’t rely on a screenshot. The Florida Department of Financial Services consumer resources page links to the official agent and agency license search.
Search the person’s legal name and make sure the license is active. The agency and the individual agent are separate records. A license alone doesn’t show which insurers the person is appointed with.
If someone won’t name their agency, pushes you to enter false information, or says you can’t review your application, stop. Keep copies of what you sign and of the plan you picked. The same DFS page lists where to get help or file a complaint.
Talk to a licensed local agent
We help Florida clients in English and Spanish, and a member of our team speaks Arabic. Most appointments are by phone or video. Tell us what coverage you have now, what you want to change, your county, your doctors and your medicines. We will tell you what else we need.
Use our contact page or call or text 813-302-7151. Before we talk, these may help: our Florida Marketplace guide, our Medicare agent page and our health insurance glossary.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. For information on all of your options, please contact Medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, or contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to get health insurance through a broker?
No, not for the same plan. A Marketplace plan’s premium is set by the insurer and the program rules, so a broker can’t lower it just by submitting your application. Quotes can still look different because of the tax credit used, household details or a different plan, so compare the exact plan and application details.
What is the difference between a health insurance agent and a broker?
Mostly who they represent. Agents may work for one insurance company, while brokers may represent several. Both must be licensed, so ask which insurers the person actually represents.
What is a health insurance navigator?
A Navigator is a trained Marketplace helper who must give free, unbiased help with coverage options and eligibility and enrollment forms. A Navigator does not sell plans for an insurer.
Can a navigator recommend a plan?
No. A Navigator helps you understand and compare options but must stay neutral and can’t steer you to one insurer’s plan. An agent or broker can recommend a specific plan among the ones they sell. You make the final choice either way.
Are brokers better than going to HealthCare.gov myself?
Not automatically. You can enroll directly on HealthCare.gov. A broker helps when you want someone to check your doctors and medicines and stay with you after you enroll. Either way, check the plan before you pick it.
What is the downside of using an insurance broker?
The main downside is that the comparison may be limited to the plans the broker represents. Service also varies from one broker to another. Ask how they are paid, and review the application and the plan you picked yourself.
How are health insurance agents paid?
Most are paid commissions by insurance companies when you enroll. HealthCare.gov says you won’t pay anything additional when you enroll with an agent or broker. We are paid the same way, so there is no fee to you for our help.
Do I need an agent for Medicare?
No. You can use Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE or Florida’s SHINE program. An agent can help you compare the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans they represent and help after you enroll.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or medical advice. Your plan documents, including the Summary of Benefits and Coverage, control what is covered and what you pay.
About the Author
Raymundo Guzman
I am Raymundo Guzman, a licensed independent insurance agent and the owner of Covered by Guzman. On the health side, I help Florida individuals, families and small businesses compare ACA Marketplace plans, Medicare Advantage and Part D, and dental and vision coverage, checking doctors and medications before anything is submitted. I work in English and Spanish, and a member of our team speaks Arabic. We usually meet by phone or video, and I stay available after enrollment.
Independent Insurance Agent · License #W512374 | NPN #18906048 · 813-302-7151
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Send your county, household, doctors and medications and we will check the plans available to you. Call or text 813-302-7151.
