How are rates for health plans determined in Washington?
Washington individual insurance rates are based on age and smoker status. As a general rule, the older you are, the more expensive the rate will be. Smokers are more expensive than non-smokers. In Washington State, all individual insurance rates must be approved by the Insurance Commissioner. That means that you will pay the exact same for a policy no matter where you buy it . Nobody may offer a higher, lower, or discounted rate on a policy; not a broker, not even the insurance company itself!
