Health insurance is becoming more expensive and difficult to obtain, making the insurance options provided through the National Association of REALTORS(r) increasingly attractive to members.

Through its Realtor VIP program, NARHealth.com, members can go online and apply for domestic as well as international healthcare coverage.

Lots of associations provide access to insurance carriers to their members. What's unique about NARhealth? A lot, according to Mary Stark-Hood, NAR's vice president of member benefits.

"What’s changed is that many years ago it was easier to put in place a program with one carrier," explains Stark-Hood, "but with changes in insurance law and regulation by state insurance departments, it's not possible to do a 50-state program with one carrier, so instead the NAR uses an insurance broker who contracts with a number of carriers to provide the best solution possible in each state."

NAR's insurance broker partner is National Affinity Services, Inc. which offers as many as 25 carriers across the United States and the world.

National Affinity Services, Inc.'s CEO Mark Blocker oversees the NARhealth.com program for the NAR.

"We provide solutions to members who want health, dental, disability, and life insurance, through the program," says Blocker. "Members can obtain short-term or long-term health coverage."

The advantage of applying online is that members can speed the underwriting period. "Members have multiple ways to look at coverage, they can buy online with us which is unique," says Blocker. "They know quickly whether they can get coverage. It’s fast, and we are doing as much as we can on the Internet so we can expedite the process. When you apply manually, it would take 30 to 40 days. With the Internet, you can know as soon as a week if you are in good health.

But with the average Realtor in his/her early fifties, getting health coverage is an issue for many. "We encourage members to call us if there is a problem," says Blocker. "We have licensed insurance representatives who are knowledgeable on insurance issues. They can help the member figure out the level of coverage needed. They will direct members to the carrier that will provide the best coverage. If a broker is looking for a small group plan, or an individual has prior health issues, the representatives know where to get a quote in that particular state. They have experience to consult with the member and find the best and most cost-effective solution for the member. If the member has certain health conditions, the representative will know which carriers are more lenient for that condition. But some carriers will deny coverage and some will provide coverage with a rider."

While the program can provide lower costs on some insurance products, such as group rates for life insurance and disability, health care has become very regulated, so it is difficult to come up with special pricing for all products.

Says Blocker, "A retail agent is licensed with one or two companies, and we are licensed with about 25 different carriers, so in any given state, we have between three and nine insurance companies to pick from."

Explains Stark-Hood, "The member's choice is greater. There is more availability of products and physician networks, so if a member wanted to use a certain physician, it's more likely that the physician is in one of the networks supplied by the carriers. If NAR were only working with a couple of carriers, a lot more people would be excluded from coverage, and our program improves the possibility that a member with health issues would be accepted."

Insurance issues are destined to get worse, not better, with double-digit increases in health care premiums on the horizon, says Blocker. "We have had the largest increases in the last year, the highest increases in over a decade," he warns. "It is a chaotic market,"

That's one reason why Stark-Hood says she has noticed greater interest and participation in NARhealth.com.

"We have a lot of interest," says Stark-Hood. "About 600 to 700 members weekly."

Members are encouraged to go online and visit NARhealth.com, or to call 1-877-NAR-HLTH. "We encourage agents to look at alternative carriers to see if they are getting the best value," says Blocker. "It's not uncommon for these companies to raise rates, and they may be caught up politically in a given state situation such as a regulatory situation. We encourage our member customers to review their policies annually."

Published: July 22, 2002

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