Jeffrey Wade
Finding the best medical insurance in California depends on your needs and preferences, including factors such as age, maximum out-of-pocket costs, and plan types. Covered California is a popular option, set up by the state to help individuals and families find affordable health insurance. The platform provides quality ratings for health plans, ranking them on a scale of one to five stars. Other options include Kaiser Permanente, which offers strong plan options and low out-of-pocket costs, and Molina Healthcare, which provides affordable plan options and lower out-of-pocket expenses. Anthem Blue Cross is another choice, offering plans through Covered California, while Cigna Healthcare provides a range of products and services to clients and individuals in California.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Best Overall Health Insurer | Kaiser Permanente |
| Best for Young Adults | Kaiser Permanente |
| Best for Silver PPO Plans | Health Net |
| Best for Silver EPO Plans | Anthem Blue Cross |
| Best Cheap Provider | Molina Healthcare |
| Rating System | Covered California |
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What You'll Learn
Best overall health insurance in California
Kaiser Permanente is California's best overall health insurance provider in 2025. It offers strong plan options, low out-of-pocket costs, and manages claims well. For young adults, Kaiser Permanente is also MoneyGeek's top pick, with Bronze and Catastrophic plans averaging about $271 per month and a yearly maximum out-of-pocket cost of around $8,533.
MoneyGeek's ratings are based on a methodology that balances costs, claims approval, and plan types. The site also lists the best providers for various needs and preferences, analyzing factors such as age and maximum out-of-pocket (MOOP) costs.
For Silver PPO plans, MoneyGeek recommends Health Net, which offers an average premium of $560 with an average maximum out-of-pocket cost of $9,100. For Silver EPO plans, Anthem Blue Cross is the top pick, with an average plan rate of $634 and an average maximum out-of-pocket cost of $9,100.
Another option for Californians is Covered California, which offers an overall quality rating and individual ratings for three major aspects of health plan performance. Plans are rated on a scale of one to five stars, with five-star plans scoring among the top plans nationwide. Covered California helps Californians find affordable health insurance and offers tax credits and reduced out-of-pocket costs.
Anthem Blue Cross is a Qualified Health Plan issuer that offers plans through Covered California. Anthem plans include coverage for doctor visits, hospital care, and mental health benefits. They also offer virtual care visits using the Sydney Health app at no cost.
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Best cheap health insurance in California
The best cheap health insurance provider in California will depend on your location within the state, your age, and your healthcare needs.
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is California's best overall health insurer in 2025, with the highest possible plan quality and customer satisfaction. It has two Bronze plans and one Catastrophic plan, averaging about $271 per month, with a yearly maximum out-of-pocket cost of around $8,533. Kaiser Permanente is the cheapest health insurance provider in San Francisco, at $655 per month.
Molina Healthcare
Molina Healthcare is the best cheap provider for health insurance in California, earning a score of 70 out of 100. It offers more affordable plan options, lower out-of-pocket expenses, and denies fewer claims than most other providers. Molina has the lowest prices on health insurance in San Diego, at $415 per month.
Sharp Health Plan
Sharp Health Plan is the second-best health insurance company in California, with high customer satisfaction and affordable rates. However, it is only available in San Diego, and only received four stars for healthcare quality.
L.A. Care
L.A. Care is the cheapest health insurance company in Los Angeles, at $354 per month.
Health Net
Health Net is MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in California for Silver PPO plans. It offers an average premium of $560 with an average maximum out-of-pocket cost of $9,100.
Anthem Blue Cross
Anthem Blue Cross is MoneyGeek's top pick for the best health insurance in California for Silver EPO plans. It offers an average plan rate of $634 and an average maximum out-of-pocket cost of $9,100.
Covered California
Covered California is California's official health insurance marketplace, providing consumers with an overall quality rating and individual ratings for three major aspects of health plan performance. Plans are rated on a scale of one to five stars, with five-star plans scoring among the top plans nationwide.
Bronze and Silver Plans
If you are young and healthy, you may want to consider a Bronze plan, which features lower monthly payments with higher deductibles. A Silver plan may also be a good choice, as it balances affordable monthly costs with good coverage.
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Best health insurance for young adults in California
As a young adult in California, you have several options for health insurance. Firstly, it is important to know that health insurance is mandatory in California, and failure to have it may result in a tax penalty. Here are some of the best health insurance options for young adults in the state:
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is considered California's best overall health insurer and is highly recommended for young adults. It offers strong plan options, low out-of-pocket costs, and efficient claims management. Kaiser Permanente has two Bronze plans and one Catastrophic plan, with average monthly costs of $271 and a yearly maximum out-of-pocket expense of about $8,533. Their denial rate is about 8%, which is lower than most competitors. Additionally, they have the lowest average monthly premiums for people in their 20s on the ACA marketplace compared to other large insurance companies.
Molina Healthcare
Molina Healthcare is California's best low-cost health insurance provider. They offer more affordable plan options, lower out-of-pocket expenses, and deny fewer claims than most other providers. Their Silver HMO plan is a budget-friendly choice for individuals who need health coverage.
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Blue Cross Blue Shield is also recommended as one of the best health insurance providers for young adults in California, according to Forbes Advisor's analysis.
UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is another top choice for young adults, as recognised by Forbes Advisor.
Covered California
Covered California is a free service provided by the state to help Californians of all ages, including young adults, find high-quality, affordable health insurance. They offer financial assistance to lower the cost of your plan, and 90% of enrollees receive such assistance. They provide an overall quality rating and individual ratings for three major aspects of health plan performance.
Student Health Insurance Plans
If you are a student, your college or university may offer a Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) that tends to be inexpensive. However, it is important to review the plan closely to ensure it fits your needs, especially if you plan to use out-of-network doctors or facilities.
Employer-Sponsored Insurance
Another option is to get health insurance through your employer, especially if it is cheap or free. However, be sure to review the plan's out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximums, as these can sometimes be very high.
These are some of the best health insurance options for young adults in California, offering a range of benefits to suit individual needs and preferences.
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Best Silver PPO plan in California
If you are looking for the best Silver PPO plan in California, you may want to consider Health Net. According to MoneyGeek, Health Net offers the best Silver PPO plan in California, with an average premium of $560 and an average maximum out-of-pocket cost of $9,100. PPO plans allow you to choose your doctors without needing a referral to see specialists, which can be very convenient. However, they tend to be more expensive than HMO plans.
MoneyGeek's recommendations are based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors. They evaluated 16 Silver plans in California, including one Silver EPO plan, two Silver PPO plans, and 13 Silver HMO plans. To determine the best options, they considered factors such as monthly premiums, out-of-pocket expenses, and claim denial rates.
In addition to Health Net, Kaiser Permanente is also worth considering for health insurance in California. While they do not offer PPO plans, their EPO plans can provide lower costs when utilising their network of doctors, and they have a low denial rate of about 8%. Their plans offer strong coverage options, keep out-of-pocket expenses low, and manage claims efficiently.
When choosing a health insurance plan, it's important to consider your individual needs and preferences. Covered California provides an overall quality rating and individual ratings for three major aspects of health plan performance. They assess areas such as getting the right care, staying healthy with preventive services, and the enrollee experience. These ratings can help Californians make informed decisions about their healthcare options and ensure they receive quality care at affordable prices.
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Best health insurance for families in California
There are several options for health insurance for families in California, with the most popular choice being managed care plans. These plans give you access to a network of hospitals, doctors, clinics, and specialists who provide medical services at affordable rates. The two most common kinds of managed care plans are:
PPOs (Preferred Provider Organization)
PPO plans provide flexible medical coverage. Each family member will have a primary care physician, but you can see any specialist you want without a referral. However, you’ll save more money when you go to an in-network doctor than when you go to an out-of-network doctor.
HMOs (Health Maintenance Organization)
With HMO plans, you choose a primary care physician who will be your go-to doctor whenever you need medical care.
You can also get health insurance through Covered California, California's official health insurance marketplace. Covered California works with health insurance companies to improve the quality and overall value of the coverage they offer. Plans are rated on a scale of one to five stars, with five-star plans scoring among the top plans nationwide, and one-star plans scoring among the lowest.
Additionally, adults or families can add dental coverage to their health plan purchase, and children under 19 get free dental and vision care with a Covered California health plan.
Another option for health insurance for families in California is Blue Shield of California, which offers individual and family healthcare plans. These plans cover individuals and families rather than employer groups or organizations. After purchasing a plan, you can then visit a doctor or hospital in the Blue Shield of California network, which offers lower costs for healthcare services.
Finally, eHealthInsurance works with California insurance providers that offer health insurance for individuals and families. You can compare plans from various providers and select the plan that best suits your healthcare needs.
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Frequently asked questions
Some of the best health insurance companies in California include Blue Shield of California, Anthem, and Kaiser Permanente.
Covered California is a health insurance marketplace that allows consumers to compare and shop for health plans. It works with health insurance companies to improve the quality and value of the coverage they offer and provides quality ratings for health plans to help Californians get better care at affordable prices.
When choosing a health insurance plan in California, it is important to consider factors such as pricing, network availability, and flexibility. It is also essential to review the quality ratings of the health plans to understand how they compare in terms of medical care and member experiences.
California offers a range of health insurance plans, including Bronze, Silver, and ACA (Affordable Care Act) plans. Bronze plans typically have lower monthly payments but higher deductibles, making them suitable for individuals or couples with infrequent doctor visits. Silver plans, like those offered by Kaiser Permanente, have lower average deductibles, resulting in lower out-of-pocket expenses. ACA plans are designed to be affordable and accessible, with financial assistance available based on income.
