Blog | Wenatchee Insurance Agency -

When do I sign up for Health Insurance?

Posted on June 14, 2023April 26, 2024 by Matt McColm

If you don’t have health insurance for some people the answer is right now. We will do the enrollment and if you have a special enrollment then it will start quickly. If you do not qualify then you are ready for the next enrollment period.

Suzie and Matt McColm for six plus years ran the Enrollment Center located in Wenatchee. We felt that everyone should be able to understand their plan, get help year round if there was a problem and not add any additional fees. We kept those functions while we added Medicare, Car Insurance, Home Insurance and options for clients needing assistance.

set appointment with Suzie

Some folks work a job where health insurance has an enrollment period as dictated by the employer. It is usually a couple of weeks a year. If you are under 26 then you can still be included in your parents’ health insurance plan. However, there may be some cases that you are better off with your own plan. For example, if you are going to school in another state. Ask your Human Resources Department when their open enrollment is.

Special Enrollment is year round. In addition to folks with low income that qualify for Apple Health, Native American Health Enrollments are year round. There is also special Enrollments. Some of them are:

Losing Health Insurance from a job.
Getting married when one of you has health insurance.
Moving and your health insurance plan is no longer in the network.
Giving birth or adopting a child opens a special enrollment.
Losing Apple Health or aging out of your parent’s plan opens a special enrollment.

These are just a few as we see some for emergencies. Also, a person making 250% of the poverty level that qualifies for Cascade Care Savings is able to enroll in the Special Enrollment. It is why we enroll everyone and if they don’t qualify then they are prepared for the next open enrollment.

Cascade Care Savings plans can have some additional savings to customers. It is an exciting program that Washington State has done to lower healthcare for thousands of us.

We are not Healthcare Authority employees nor do they contract with us for services. Here is a blog can can assist in simple questions for PEBB, SEBB, or other retirement health plans.

Starting November 1st, 2023, we will be enrolling people in health insurance regardless of immigration status. (Also called the 1332 Waiver) The details are still being worked out however if you do not have access to an employer plan then selecting an appointment today would be to your advantage.

The Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare runs from October 15th through December 7th of Each year. If you have a Medicare Plan (aka none Healthplanfinder plan) then each year, you can review and update plans. Select an appointment early as.

The Health Insurance Open Enrollment Period runs November 1st through December 15th for plans starting January 1st.
The Health Insurance Open Enrollment Period from December 15th through January 15th is for plans starting February 1st.

set appointment with Suzie

The Wenatchee Office takes appointments for Health and Medicare Insurance.

If you want to make a comment about the 2024 individual health plans, then you usually can make statements through August. We encourage people to review the proposed rates.

My car insurance lapsed, what next?

Posted on June 13, 2023April 26, 2024 by Matt McColm

first time driver or if you have a lapse in coverage then Wenatchee Insurance can help

We had a first-time client approach us the other week without coverage for a quote. They had not driven their car for a couple of weeks and had let their insurance lapse. It was an eye-opening experience for them.

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Continuous coverage is important for auto insurance for several reasons:

Gaps cost money: If you let your auto insurance coverage lapse, even for a short period, it can result in a coverage gap. A coverage gap means that there is no insurance in place during that time. Insurance companies may view coverage gaps unfavorably, resulting in higher premiums when you reinstate your policy or even difficulty in obtaining coverage in the future. With the hard market, insurance companies are less likely to accept a driver with a gap in coverage.

Legal Requirement: In Washington State, having auto insurance liability is mandatory by law. Continuous coverage ensures that you meet this legal requirement and avoid any penalties or fines that may be imposed for driving without insurance.

Personal Protection: Auto insurance provides liability coverage for injuries or damage caused to others in an accident. Continuous coverage ensures that you have this protection in place consistently, minimizing the risk of facing a significant financial burden due to an unforeseen event.

we shop multiple insurance companies — Independent broker with multiple insurance companies

Financial Protection: An important question to ask is how much you want to pay out of pocket before the insurance company starts to pay. When you move beyond liability coverage, auto insurance provides financial protection against potential losses and damage resulting from accidents, theft, vandalism, or other covered events. It is why we recommend talking with an agent so that you understand the coverage in an insurance policy prior to purchasing.

Uninterrupted Benefits: Some auto insurance companies offer additional benefits or discounts based on continuous coverage. These benefits can include lower premiums, loyalty rewards, accident forgiveness, or coverage extensions. By maintaining continuous coverage, you can take advantage of these benefits over time.

It’s important to note that the specific requirements and benefits of continuous coverage may vary depending on your insurance provider, local regulations, and the terms of your policy. It’s always recommended to review your insurance policy and consult with your insurance agent to understand the details of continuous coverage in your specific situation.

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As an independent insurance agency in Central Washington when policies come up for renewal, we like to review and shop for lower rates. Time is your friend in this case as we are able to find new carriers as you have established continuous liability with your auto insurance

The LGBTQIA community and us.

Posted on June 9, 2023April 26, 2024 by Matt McColm

We received our first harassing calls by an unlisted number for the first time. We have been running an insurance office in the Wenatchee Valley for years. As we saw the increase in outrage against the LGBTQIA+ community by extremists, we were waiting for the terrorism to start.

Shayla Winter with Wenatchee Insurance ad in Homefinder's Guide under Inclusive Flag

As a Veteran, Matt grew up defending American Values. While there may be debates and differences of opinion on specific human rights issues within the United States, the general commitment to human rights as a core value remains a significant aspect of American society and its national identity. The recognition and protection of individual freedoms and human dignity are considered essential components of American values.

Matt supported Gay marriage because of the difference that was occurring with annuities. Without marriage, gay couples were being discriminated against by being forced to cash out annuities instead of married couples that were allowed to transfer to another partner if one died early. It wasn’t until the Washington State voters passed Referendum 74 in November of 2012 that discrimination end in Washington State. Suzie & Matt even have the pleasure of meeting the first Wenatchee Couple that was married under that update a few years later thanks to Rotary.

Enter the ACA.

I have been a part of the ACA rollout since the beginning in Washington state. First as a producer then supporting the Enrollment Center in Washington. The ACA contains Section 1557 which granted protection nationwide for the first time for the LGBTQIA+ community for the first time.

Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) aimed to protect the LGBTQ community, among other groups, from discrimination in healthcare. The section prohibited discrimination based on various factors, including sex, in any health program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a rule in 2016 interpreting Section 1557 to include protections for transgender individuals and other LGBTQ individuals. The rule explicitly prohibited discrimination based on gender identity and sex stereotyping, which provided important protections for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

The rule required healthcare providers and insurers to treat individuals consistent with their gender identity and prohibited the denial of healthcare services or coverage based on a person’s transgender status. It also protected individuals from being subjected to discriminatory practices, such as the denial of care or coverage, harassment, or being treated less favorably due to their gender identity or transgender status.

Enter the Burning of Pride Flag at Pybus Public Market 2020.

This was the moment that we realized that we were not doing enough in the community. By being quiet, hate was festering in North Central Washington.

We became the first in-person assisters within 50 miles to train with Out2Enroll for specialized training with the LBBTQIA+ community.

We set down money to be a vendor at the 2021 Pride Festival which was moved to 2022. In 2022, we added our voice by contributing our outreach marketing to let everyone know that we were going to be at Wenatchee Pride. We handed out 800 bags and got in some great conversations about insurance.

We participated in the Inclusive Banners for 2022 and 2023 for the Elvis Foundation.

We saw that we could do more. When we did outreach for the American Rescue Plan Act, it was identified that LGBTQIA households were twice as likely to be uninsured than CIS households.

Enter Wenatchee Insurance.

We saw that more work needed to be done locally across insurance lines. Our vision for Wenatchee Insurance is to create a safe space so that everyone can understand and select needed coverage free from judgment. Shayla, Suzie, and Matt have spent years building an Insurance Agency from the ground up. Shayla had been doing account management with a crop insurance company, working with Progressive Devilry to update the region with human rights concerns, and was a member of the Wenatchee Pride board.

Keep an eye out for safe space businesses at Friends of Stella and OutNCW.ORG for resources.

We became the first business in Wenatchee to join the GSBA. GSBA is Washington State’s LGBTQ+ and allied chamber of commerce, and the largest in North America. As we saw a means to recruit additional resources into Eastern Washington.

We did our first of it’s kind business networking event to provide Headshots to the LGBTQIA+ community and allies in April of 2022.

June and July of 2022, we began our Pride Tour. We are working with Pride Festivals in Washington State. We wanted to make sure that they had funds while we did our outreach to drive down the uninsured rates. Sometimes we tabled and sometimes we were able to do a sponsorship as funds allowed.

Pride Festivals we are directly supporting.

Snohomish Pride

Yakima Pride

Tri-Pride

The outreach is incredibly important as hundreds of thousands of people are having to verify their Apple Health for the first time in years. There are only 10 Enrollment Centers for the Washington Healthplanfinder and we are the only one located in North Central Washingto

Back to the harassing call.

It shows us that we are needed and that our support of LGBTQIA+ and allies is more important than ever. If you want insurance then let us know and if you want to take potshots from unlisted numbers well, we are still standing tall after 30+ years of supporting the Great Melting Pot that is America.

Rainbow bags for Central Washington Pride tour

How To Get Cheap Insurance For My Teen Driver

Posted on June 8, 2023April 26, 2024 by Matt McColm

Wenatchee Insurance was set up to get cheap insurance for teen drivers . We recognized that it can be a challenge because teens are considered high-risk drivers due to their lack of experience. Suzie and Matt have a teen driver in their household, so we understand how tough it is to get good coverage that is affordable.

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Here are several strategies you can consider to potentially lower the cost of insurance for a teen driver:

Compare Multiple Insurance Quotes: We use and internal exchange to shop for and obtain quotes for our clients. Prices can vary significantly, and as an independent insurance agency, we do the work of multiple applications and present you with options. We are your personal shopper.

Insurance for young drivers

Add the Teen Driver to an Existing Policy: Instead of purchasing a separate policy for the teen driver, consider adding them to an existing family policy. This can often be cheaper than getting an individual policy. As long as everyone is in the same household or all garage addresses are listed, a family policy is often the cheapest approach.

Take Advantage of Good Student Discounts: Many insurance providers offer discounts for teen drivers who maintain good grades. Encourage your teen to work hard in school and provide the required documentation to the insurance company to access this discount.

Opt for a Safe Vehicle: The type of car your teen drives can affect insurance rates. Choose a safe and reliable vehicle with good safety features, as insurance premiums tend to be lower for such cars. There are cars that insurance companies refuse to cover or have higher rates do to their theft potential.

Increase Deductibles: Increasing the deductible—the amount you pay out of pocket in the event of a claim—can lower insurance premiums. The question to ask yourself is how much you want to pay out of pocket before the insurance company takes over.

Limit Coverage: Evaluate the coverage options you need and consider excluding certain coverage types that may not be necessary for your teen driver. Be cautious, though, as it’s important to maintain adequate coverage for protection.

Telemetrics: Some companies will use an application on a smartphone. Depending on when a person drives, how a person brakes and starts, and how fast they go is tracked and this can lead to some significant savings.

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Remember that insurance rates vary based on factors such as location, driving record, and the insurance company’s policies. It’s essential to discuss your specific situation with insurance providers to get accurate quotes and determine the best options for your teen driver.

Let’s chat and see what we can do.

chat with Shayla