Maryland employer health plans: what they cost and who gets paid
Updated plan year 2024, the most recent complete year
1,084 Maryland employers filed health plans with 100 or more participants for plan year 2024, covering 1,292,367 participants. They reported $483M in insurance premiums and $126M in broker commissions and fees. The median broker rate on commission-paying, fully insured medical plans was 5.5% of premium, 1.7 points above the national median of 3.8%.
Largest brokers
Reported commissions and fees, with the number of employer plans naming each.
Largest medical carriers
Medical premium written.
Cities in Maryland
Every Maryland city where 15 or more employers filed a health plan, by the sponsor's mailing address. Each page lists the city's largest plans, brokers and carriers.
| City | Employer plans | Premiums |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | 167 | $21M |
| Rockville | 100 | $45M |
| Columbia | 88 | $122M |
| Bethesda | 86 | $135M |
| Annapolis | 32 | $0 |
| Frederick | 32 | $34M |
| Silver Spring | 30 | $2.3M |
| Hanover | 23 | $3.8M |
| Gaithersburg | 20 | $742,678 |
| Hunt Valley | 20 | $3.0M |
| Sparks | 18 | $6.9M |
| Owings Mills | 17 | $0 |
| Lanham | 15 | $1.3M |
| Towson | 15 | $161,984 |
Largest employer plans
By health plan participants.
Highest broker pay
Employers reporting the most broker commissions and fees.
Highest commission rates
Fully insured medical plans with at least $500,000 in premium, ranked by broker compensation as a share of premium.
Source: DOL Form 5500 and Schedule A, plan year 2024; built October 24, 2026. Methodology.
What do Maryland employers pay health insurance brokers?
Across 17 fully insured medical plans in plan year 2024, among commission-paying fully insured medical plans, the median broker compensation for Maryland employers was 5.5% of premium (middle half 3.9% to 8.1%), against a national median of 3.8%. In dollars, the median employer that disclosed broker pay reported $77,915.
Which Maryland employers paid the most in broker commissions?
Allegis Group, Inc. reported the most in 2024, $3,688,689, followed by Lockheed Martin Corporation ($2.8M) and Fti Consulting, Inc. ($2.6M).
Which brokers and carriers dominate Maryland?
By reported compensation, the largest brokers are Kelly & Associates Insurance Group, Marsh McLennan Agency, The Meltzer Group Inc. By medical premium, the largest carriers are Carefirst of Maryland, Inc., Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Group Hospitalization Medical Services, Inc..
Which Maryland cities have the most employer health plans?
Baltimore (167 employer plans, $21M in premiums); Rockville (100 employer plans, $45M in premiums); Columbia (88 employer plans, $122M in premiums); Bethesda (86 employer plans, $135M in premiums); Annapolis (32 employer plans, $0 in premiums). 14 Maryland cities with 15 or more employer plans have their own page listing the largest plans, brokers and carriers.
Is your company on this page? Get its Form 5500 read next to the Maryland medians.
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