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Health insurance advisor for self-employed people and early retirees in Virginia
Prefer to talk? (269) 953-2357 — a licensed advisor, not a call center · 7 days, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET
Advisors in this network are licensed in Virginia · license details on our disclosures page · one advisor per person, never a call list · not a government site — marketplace plans are also at HealthCare.gov or your state marketplace
SmartHealthMatch matches Virginia residents who are self-employed or retiring before 65 with one Virginia-licensed health insurance advisor who compares private underwritten plans against plans on Virginia's Insurance Marketplace (the state exchange, not HealthCare.gov) and says which costs less for your household. The check takes two minutes, is free, and your information is never sold.
Licensed in Virginia
The operating advisor's Virginia license: 1594005. Partner advisors in the network hold their own Virginia licenses, available on request. Verify any producer at nipr.com/help/look-up-your-license or through the Virginia Bureau of Insurance at scc.virginia.gov (toll-free 1-877-310-6560).
Your four coverage routes in Virginia (2026)
| Route | Who it fits | Guaranteed issue? | Pre-existing conditions | When you can enroll |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplace plan with a subsidy | Households under about $62,600 (one person) or $128,600 (family of four) | Yes | Fully covered, no questions asked | Open enrollment Nov 1, 2026 – Jan 29, 2027, or a qualifying life event |
| Marketplace plan at full price | Higher earners with health history, or anyone who wants guaranteed acceptance | Yes | Fully covered | Same windows as above |
| Private underwritten plan | Healthy higher earners past the subsidy line who want a broader network or a lower premium | No — carrier reviews your health history | May be rated up, excluded by rider, or declined | Generally year-round, subject to approval |
| Spouse's employer plan | Married applicants whose spouse has group coverage | Yes, during the employer's window | Covered | Employer open enrollment or a qualifying event |
Private underwritten plans are not guaranteed issue: the carrier can decline your application, charge more, or exclude pre-existing conditions. They are not ACA coverage and do not qualify for premium tax credits. For many Virginia households — anyone with a subsidy or a real health history — the marketplace plan is plainly better, and when it is, your advisor says so.
Three Virginia numbers worth knowing for 2026
- The 2026 benchmark premium for a 40-year-old in Virginia is $455 a month statewide — the second-lowest-cost silver plan, up from $372 in 2025 (KFF, Marketplace Average Benchmark Premiums, county-weighted by plan selections; checked September 14, 2026). County-level Virginia premiums are not in the federal plan file; your advisor pulls them for your ZIP code.
- Virginia's approved average individual-market rate change for 2026 is +21.6%, a weighted average of unsubsidized premiums, with individual filings from +1.1% to +40.2% (ACA Signups, Virginia 2026 rate changes, final as of September 23, 2025; checked September 14, 2026). KFF counts 7 insurers on the exchange for 2026; healthinsurance.org lists 8 filing entities.
- The 2026 subsidy line is $62,600 for one person and $128,600 for a family of four — 400% of the 2025 federal poverty guidelines, which set 2026 eligibility. The enhanced premium tax credits expired December 31, 2025 and had not been extended as of September 14, 2026, so above that line marketplace plans are full price (HHS 2025 Poverty Guidelines, 90 FR 5917; KFF, July 28, 2026; checked September 14, 2026).
Virginia expanded Medicaid on January 1, 2019, so an adult projecting income below $21,597 (one person, 138% of the poverty line) is generally routed to Medicaid, not left in a coverage gap (KFF, August 2026).
How the match works
- Tell us your ZIP code, situation and household. Self-employed, 1099, retiring early or between jobs; household size; rough 2026 income. No health questions online.
- You are matched with one licensed advisor for Virginia. Not a call list. One person, licensed in the Commonwealth, in English or Spanish — Spanish-speaking advisors are available.
- You get a written side-by-side. Your subsidized and full-price marketplace numbers plus, if you are a candidate, a private underwritten quote, with your doctors checked against each network — usually within the hour, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, seven days a week.
Who this is for
This page is for you if you are: self-employed or a 1099 contractor; an owner-only business with no group plan; retiring before 65 and losing employer coverage; or between jobs. The question is the same in each case: does a private underwritten plan beat the marketplace for your household, or not?
It is not for you if: you are 65 or older — Medicare is federal insurance for people 65 and up, and enrollment is at medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE. And if your household qualifies for a meaningful subsidy, or someone in it has a chronic condition or specialty medication, a guaranteed-issue marketplace plan is very often the better buy. We say so, and the advisor helps you enroll there.
Frequently asked questions
Is SmartHealthMatch free?
Yes. The two-minute check is free and there is never a fee to work with the advisor. Licensed advisors are paid by insurance carriers when a policy is issued, never by you, and you are under no obligation to buy anything.
Will my information be sold?
No. Your details go to one Virginia-licensed advisor and no one else. SmartHealthMatch does not sell, auction or share your information with other agents.
Do I have to answer health questions?
Not online. The check asks for your ZIP code, situation and household, not your medical history. If a private underwritten plan turns out to be worth pricing, the advisor will explain what the carrier asks and you decide whether to apply. Plans on Virginia's Insurance Marketplace never ask health questions.
What if a marketplace plan is my best option?
Then that is what you will be told. For households that qualify for a premium subsidy, or that have real health history, the guaranteed-issue plan on Virginia's Insurance Marketplace is usually the right answer, and your advisor will say so and help you enroll there rather than sell you something else.
Can I get covered outside open enrollment in Virginia?
Sometimes. Open enrollment on Virginia's Insurance Marketplace for 2027 coverage runs November 1, 2026 through January 29, 2027; outside that window you need a qualifying event such as losing other coverage, moving or getting married. Private underwritten plans generally take applications year-round, but approval is not guaranteed.
Sources
- KFF, Marketplace Average Benchmark Premiums (fetched Sep 14, 2026) — kff.org.
- ACA Signups, Virginia 2026 rate changes (Sep 23, 2025) — acasignups.net.
- healthinsurance.org, Virginia marketplace guide (Dec 29, 2025) — healthinsurance.org.
- HHS 2025 Poverty Guidelines, 90 FR 5917 — govinfo.gov.
- KFF, ACA Marketplace enrollment across states in 2026 (Jul 28, 2026) — kff.org.
- Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, FAQs — PY2027 open enrollment (accessed Sep 14, 2026) — marketplace.virginia.gov.
- KFF, State Medicaid Expansion Decisions (Aug 2026) — kff.org.
- Virginia SCC Bureau of Insurance, consumer services — scc.virginia.gov; NIPR — nipr.com; Medicare basics — medicare.gov.
One licensed advisor, marketplace and private plans compared side by side, your info never sold.
Get my Virginia numbers →Read the Virginia guides: self-employed health insurance in Virginia · retiring before 65 in Virginia.
Not a government website. SmartHealthMatch is not connected with or endorsed by Virginia's Insurance Marketplace, HealthCare.gov, or the federal Medicare program.