Health insurance for Illinois appraisers: a new marketplace, a 28.8% increase and two insurers leaving

Sam Jaber, Licensed Health Insurance Advisor · Updated October 2026 · Last reviewed October 1, 2026

NPN 20698748 · Licensed in Illinois, one of 31 states where Sam Jaber holds a license · Licensing details

Short answer: If your appraisal earnings make you eligible for a tax credit, Get Covered Illinois will usually offer the most affordable coverage. Without that credit, you're facing full premiums following an average 28.8% increase for 2026. Healthy appraisers can also compare medically underwritten plans using nationwide PPO networks. A quick phone conversation can help determine which route makes sense.

• My income qualifies for a credit
• I earn too much for one
• I'm healthy and over the line
• I'm treating a condition
• My plan or COBRA is ending
• Not sure yet

When you're an Illinois appraiser buying your own insurance, the premium is generally your responsibility. That applies whether you operate a solo appraisal business or accept fee assignments from appraisal management companies. There's usually no employer contributing toward your health coverage, so you're the one making the decision.

Illinois appraisers are dealing with three changes this year. First, Get Covered Illinois replaced HealthCare.gov as the state's marketplace beginning with 2026 coverage. Second, the Illinois Department of Insurance reported a statewide weighted average increase of 28.8% for individual health plans. Third, two of the seven insurance companies participating in Get Covered Illinois during 2026 will exit after the year ends. Together, those changes make it especially important to compare your coverage choices.

Your next step largely depends on one question: does your expected annual appraisal income qualify you for a premium tax credit? Find the section that describes your situation and focus there.

When your fee income is low enough for a credit

In Illinois, premium tax credits are available only through Get Covered Illinois, the state's marketplace. If your projected appraisal earnings fall within the eligible income range, applying that credit to a marketplace plan will generally give you the lowest available premium.

Estimating annual earnings is where appraisers can run into trouble. Assignment volume follows mortgage activity, meaning a quiet beginning can become a busy year when interest rates fall and refinancing returns. Your monthly tax credit depends on projected income for the entire year, with the final amount reconciled at tax filing. Earn more than anticipated, and you could owe back some or all of the assistance. With enhanced credits ending after 2025, eligibility stops above 400% of the federal poverty level. For a single person, that's $63,840 for 2027 coverage purchased during open enrollment starting November 1, compared with $62,600 for 2026. See the subsidy cliff for how this affects households.

Here's an Illinois pricing detail worth checking. Because of the state's 2026 silver-plan pricing rule, some gold plans can have lower premiums than silver plans for people who don't qualify for additional cost-sharing assistance. Compare prices at both metal levels before making your choice.

When a busy year pushes you past the credit line

When your earnings exceed the credit threshold, you pay the entire premium from your appraisal income. That means the 28.8% weighted average increase affects you without subsidy relief. Remember, this percentage represents the statewide average for individual plans before financial assistance.

Think about that expense in terms of completed appraisals. For a 40-year-old Illinois resident, the average benchmark plan, meaning the second-lowest-cost silver option, was $646 monthly in 2026. That's $7,752 annually without subsidies. Those premiums require additional appraisal fees before you even pay yourself, on top of business expenses such as mileage, data subscriptions, and errors and omissions insurance.

Keep in mind that $646 reflects a statewide average for a particular age, while 28.8% represents an average increase across plans. Your actual premium depends on your county, age, household, and selected coverage.

For many appraisers earning too much for a tax credit, paying the full Get Covered Illinois premium becomes difficult to justify. Your health circumstances help determine which alternatives deserve consideration.

Past the line and in good health

Healthy appraisers may want to compare coverage beyond Get Covered Illinois. Some private plans offered outside the marketplace use medical underwriting and provide PPO networks spanning multiple states. Because these insurers evaluate applicants' health and cover a generally healthier pool of members, qualifying appraisers might pay less than the unsubsidized premium for a Get Covered Illinois plan.

• Expect the insurer to review your medical history. Your application answers determine whether you're accepted, declined, or offered coverage that excludes an existing condition.
• You can find in-network doctors beyond your home area. Nationwide PPO networks include providers across state lines, useful when appraisal assignments take you far from your county or you're visiting relatives elsewhere.
• Check the specific benefits of each policy. Off-marketplace plans don't have to follow marketplace benefit requirements, so verify exactly what's included. You can learn more in our medical underwriting guide.

To find out whether private coverage actually saves you money, compare genuine quotes for the same household. Put the medically underwritten premium beside the full Get Covered Illinois premium and see how the numbers differ.

Past the line with a condition you're treating

Having an ongoing medical condition doesn't automatically determine which coverage you should choose. The details of your situation matter. Discuss them with Sam Jaber so you can compare both routes before deciding.

No matter which type of coverage you're considering, verify that your preferred physicians, hospital, and medications are included. Review those details again each fall because insurance benefits and provider networks can change annually.

If your plan is ending: your insurer leaves, or COBRA runs out

Of the seven insurers currently participating in Get Covered Illinois, two are leaving at the end of 2026. If you're insured by either company, you'll need to select different coverage for 2027 during the upcoming open enrollment. Departing insurers must notify their members in writing beforehand. Watch for those notices in your mailbox and online account so you're aware of the change.

Similar timing matters when you're leaving an employed appraiser position or reaching the end of COBRA coverage. Losing employer-sponsored insurance gives you a 60-day enrollment period through Get Covered Illinois. The state's continuation requirements also apply to insured employer group plans regardless of company size, provided you had coverage for at least three months before leaving.

Regardless of which direction you take, being forced to switch coverage is an opportunity to reconsider your choices instead of settling for the first replacement. Begin by estimating next year's income, just as anyone else reading this page should. If you anticipate qualifying for credits, review the insurers remaining available and verify that your doctors participate. Managing a medical condition doesn't automatically rule out other coverage routes, and Sam Jaber can explain both. If you're healthy and expect income above the subsidy threshold, request underwritten quotes alongside the other choices.

Pick your scenario

Every row below leads to the same next step. A brief discussion about your actual appraisal earnings and household situation will tell you more than trying to make a decision from a chart alone.

Can't tell which situation describes you? That's a good reason to call. For additional state-specific details, see the Illinois guide for self-employed buyers. Real estate professionals facing similar premium pressure can also explore how Georgia realtors are working around their rate increase.

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