Health Insurance (Individual) — Complaint Rankings
18 companies ranked by complaint ratio for health insurance (individual). Higher ratio = more complaints relative to industry average.
The health insurance (individual) segment tracked on PlainInsurer covers 18 companies reporting NAIC Market Conduct Annual Statement data for the 2024 reporting year. Across the ranked set, 2 companies earned a reputation grade of A (very few complaints relative to size), 6 landed in the B tier, and 1 carry an F grade (significantly above-average complaints). Health Insurance (Individual) complaint ratios differ from other insurance lines because individual health coverage complaints focus heavily on prior-authorization denials, network surprises, and claim payment timing.
Ranking by average complaint ratio — where lower is better — lets consumers see how each insurer performs relative to its peers in the same line, rather than comparing a national auto writer against a regional life insurer. The cleanest record in this table belongs to Kaiser Permanente (grade A), which logs the lowest complaint ratio among ranked health insurance (individual) writers. At the other end, Ambetter (Centene) (grade F) posts the highest complaint ratio in this line — not an accusation of wrongdoing, but a signal consumers should weigh when comparing quotes. Complaint ratios are normalized by premium volume so that larger insurers are not penalized for writing more policies; the ratio compares complaints received against the share of premiums each company wrote nationally.
Practical takeaway for shoppers: the health insurance (individual) ranking is one of several data points that should inform a purchase. It does not capture price, coverage breadth, discount eligibility, local agent quality, or financial strength (which A.M. Best and S&P rate separately). The rankings do show which insurers consistently generate more regulatory complaints per dollar of premium — a meaningful proxy for how disputes are handled when claims go wrong. For line-specific disputes, your state Department of Insurance accepts complaints directly; national context lives in the NAIC complaint database. This page is not financial, legal, or insurance advice — always verify current rates, coverage terms, and carrier availability directly before purchasing.
| # | Insurer | Grade | Avg Complaint Ratio | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ambetter (Centene) Centene | F | 2.33 +133% vs. avg
| 25 |
| 2 | Oscar Health Oscar Health | D | 2.14 +114% vs. avg
| 18 |
| 3 | Centene Corporation (WellCare) Centene | D | 1.89 +89% vs. avg
| 29 |
| 4 | Molina Healthcare Molina Healthcare | C | 1.67 +67% vs. avg
| 19 |
| 5 | CareFirst BCBS CareFirst | D | 1.43 +43% vs. avg
| 3 |
| 6 | Aetna (CVS Health) CVS Health | C | 1.31 +31% vs. avg
| 50 |
| 7 | Florida Blue (BCBS FL) Florida Blue | C | 1.22 +22% vs. avg
| 1 |
| 8 | BCBS of Texas HCSC | C | 1.14 +14% vs. avg
| 1 |
| 9 | UnitedHealthcare UnitedHealth Group | B | 1.12 +12% vs. avg
| 50 |
| 10 | BCBS of Illinois HCSC | C | 0.98 -2% vs. avg
| 1 |
| 11 | Anthem / Elevance Health Elevance Health | B | 0.94 -6% vs. avg
| 14 |
| 12 | Highmark Health Highmark | B | 0.89 -11% vs. avg
| 4 |
| 13 | Humana Health Humana | B | 0.87 -13% vs. avg
| 48 |
| 14 | Medica Health Plans Medica | C | 0.78 -22% vs. avg
| 3 |
| 15 | Cigna Health Cigna | B | 0.76 -24% vs. avg
| 44 |
| 16 | Independence Blue Cross Independence Blue Cross | B | 0.72 -28% vs. avg
| 1 |
| 17 | UPMC Health Plan UPMC | A | 0.71 -29% vs. avg
| 1 |
| 18 | Kaiser Permanente Kaiser Foundation | A | 0.43 -57% vs. avg
| 8 |
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.