Washington State Insurers: 2026 Guide

WA marketplace: Top 2026 insurance picks

In 2026, Washington's health insurance marketplace will feature 14 insurers offering individual and family plans through Washington Healthplanfinder, with projected average premium increases of about 21% compared with 2025. The largest carriers-such as Coordinated Care Corporation, Regence BlueShield, and Molina Healthcare of Washington, Inc.-continue to anchor the individual market, while new entrants like Wellpoint Washington, Inc. expand regional options in counties such as Grays Harbor and King.

Who's selling 2026 Washington plans?

For the 2026 plan year, the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner has formally approved 14 insurance companies to sell individual health insurance, including fully on-Exchange, off-Exchange, or both. These carriers collectively serve roughly 305,600 people statewide, with most Exchange-only plans bundled under the Washington Health Benefit Exchange platform known as Washington Healthplanfinder.

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Among the notable brands are Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest, which insures about 7,000 people and is seeing a relatively modest 6.1% average rate increase, and Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington, serving over 40,000 enrollees and facing a 9.8% average change. Coordinated Care Corporation remains the single largest insurer on the Washington Exchange, covering more than 107,000 people, despite a particularly steep 26.9% average rate hike for 2026.

2026 Washington marketplace insurers list

Here are the 14 insurers approved to sell individual health insurance in Washington for 2026, grouped by how they primarily distribute coverage:

• Asuris Northwest Health (primarily off-Exchange)
• BridgeSpan Health Company (on-Exchange)
• Community Health Plan of Washington (on-Exchange)
• Coordinated Care Corporation (on-Exchange)
• Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest (both on- and off-Exchange)
• Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington (both on- and off-Exchange)
• LifeWise Health Plan of Washington (on-Exchange)
• Molina Healthcare of Washington, Inc. (on-Exchange)
• Premera Blue Cross (on-Exchange)
• Providence Health Plan (primarily off-Exchange)
• Regence BlueShield (both on- and off-Exchange)
• Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oregon (both on- and off-Exchange)
• UnitedHealthcare of Oregon, Inc. (both on- and off-Exchange)
• Wellpoint Washington, Inc. (both on- and off-Exchange; new to the individual market in 2026)

Each of these insurers files annually with the Washington State Insurance Commissioner, documenting claims trends, drug costs, and utilization over the prior year. Regulators then certify that the requested 2026 rate changes-averaging 21% statewide-are "actuarially justified," meaning the increases are tied directly to rising medical costs rather than profit margin expansion.

How 2026 premiums changed by insurer

Insurers' rate filings for 2026 show wide variation in approved increases, even though the overall average across the Washington marketplace is 21%. For example, UnitedHealthcare of Oregon, Inc. saw its requested 37.3% rise bumped slightly to 38.0% upon approval, while Coordinated Care Corporation went from a 22% request to 26.9% after review.

A snapshot of key 2026 impacts by carrier is summarized in the table below, which illustrates the Washington individual health insurance landscape heading into the 2026 plan year.

This mix of changes reflects both regional differences-such as BridgeSpan Health Company's 10% outcome-and national carrier behavior, where UnitedHealthcare of Oregon, Inc. projects some of the sharpest jumps in the state. Taken together, the approved 2026 figures translate into roughly 300,000 Washington residents facing higher monthly premiums, with households earning between 200% and 400% of the federal poverty level most sensitive to any reduction in federal Advanced Premium Tax Credits.

When and how to enroll in 2026

Washington's official open enrollment period for 2026 individual and family coverage runs from November 1, 2025, through January 15, 2026, on Washington Healthplanfinder. During this window, Washingtonians can compare plans across all 14 approved insurers, apply premium subsidies, and enroll in either Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) or qualified private plans.

To maximize savings in 2026, residents should take these steps in sequence:

1. Check eligibility early by running a rough income estimate through Washington Healthplanfinder's subsidy calculator, ideally before October 1, 2025, to see how much of a 2026 premium reduction they might qualify for.
2. Compare networks across carriers-especially whether key systems such as Providence, Overlake, or MultiCare are fully in-network under 2026 contracts, since some carriers like Molina Healthcare of Washington, Inc. have dropped or restructured certain hospital partnerships.
3. Lock in an effective date of January 1, 2026, by enrolling by December 15, 2025; applications submitted from December 16 through January 15 typically start coverage February 1, 2026.
4. Reassess subsidy phase-outs if their income is projected to rise above 400% of the federal poverty level, given that the federal enhanced tax-credit regime is set to expire at the end of 2025 unless extended by Congress.

What should Washingtonians do differently for 2026 compared with 2025?

For 2026, Washingtonians should treat their marketplace shopping as a fresh process rather than a simple renewal, given the elevated 21% average rate hike and shifts in carrier participation and network structure. They should explicitly compare drug formularies and primary-care access metrics across carriers such as Community Health Plan of Washington