Before subsidies, the average benchmark silver plan for a 40-year-old in Illinois costs $707 a month for 2027 (the national average is $704). Premium tax credits bring that down for many households, depending on income and family size.
Brokers in the Chicago area can quote individual, family and self-employed coverage from multiple carriers licensed in Illinois. Their commission is built into the premium, so using one doesn't raise your price. Here are 12 brokerages within reach of Chicago.
Health Insurance Brokers near Chicago
Licensed agents can compare plans available in Cook County, check your doctors and estimate your premium tax credit. Free to you.
Call 866-645-8540Local health care in Chicago
- UChicago Medicine, the academic system anchored by the University of Chicago Medical Center in Hyde Park with Ingalls Memorial and clinics downtown and in the south suburbs, is one of the networks worth confirming is in-network before you pick a Chicago plan. Source
- Inside city limits, public health services come from the Chicago Department of Public Health, a City of Chicago department focused on making the city healthier and safer. Source
Before you choose a plan, check that the hospitals and doctors you use are in its network. An agent can look that up for each plan you compare.
Do brokers cost more?
No. Health insurers pay brokers a commission that's already part of the premium. You pay the same price for a plan whether you buy it yourself or through a broker.
Broker or agent: what's the difference?
A captive agent sells one company's plans. An independent agent or broker is appointed with several insurers and can compare them. In everyday use the words overlap, so ask any office which carriers it can quote in Illinois.
What a broker can compare for you
Premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums; which doctors and hospitals are in each network; whether your prescriptions are covered; and whether you qualify for a premium tax credit.
Carriers a Chicago broker can quote
For 2027, marketplace plans in Illinois come from 5 insurers: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Ambetter (Celtic), MercyCare, Oscar Health and UnitedHealthcare. Not every insurer sells in every county. An independent broker appointed with several of them can compare prices and networks side by side.
Before you call an agent
- Write down the enrollment deadline and confirm your first premium payment.
- Make a list of your doctors, hospitals and prescriptions before you call anyone.
- Have a realistic estimate of next year's household income; subsidies are based on it.
- Ask each agent which carriers they can quote in your county.
Checking an agent's license in Illinois
- Illinois producer licenses are handled through the national State-Based Systems (SBS) platform, where a licensee's record can be searched by jurisdiction, name and national producer number. Source
- The Illinois Department of Insurance licenses insurance producers and regulates insurers and HMOs in the state. It investigates written consumer complaints about companies and producers. Source
Frequently asked questions
Can a broker help me get a subsidy?
Yes. Brokers certified with the marketplace can estimate your premium tax credit and enroll you in a subsidized plan.
Is there a fee to use a broker?
Most health insurance brokers charge nothing to individuals and families; the insurer pays them. Ask up front if you're unsure.
When can I buy a plan?
During open enrollment (Nov 1 to January 15 on the Get Covered Illinois), or within 60 days of a qualifying life event such as losing other coverage, moving, marriage or a new baby.
Brokers in nearby cities
- Cicero, IL 4 miles
- Stickney, IL 5 miles
- Berwyn, IL 5 miles
- Oak Park, IL 6 miles
- Riverside, IL 7 miles
- Forest Park, IL 7 miles
- Lyons, IL 7 miles
- North Riverside, IL 7 miles
- Summit, IL 7 miles
- Burbank, IL 8 miles