Virginia employer health plans: what they cost and who gets paid
Updated plan year 2024, the most recent complete year
1,613 Virginia employers filed health plans with 100 or more participants for plan year 2024, covering 2,323,987 participants. They reported $388M in insurance premiums and $208M in broker commissions and fees. The median broker rate on commission-paying, fully insured medical plans was 4.6% of premium, 0.8 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 Virginia
Every Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Arlington | 148 | $57M |
| Richmond | 123 | $41M |
| Reston | 98 | $41M |
| McLean | 97 | $36M |
| Herndon | 77 | $26M |
| Virginia Beach | 71 | $5.2M |
| Alexandria | 70 | $3.5M |
| Fairfax | 63 | $14M |
| Norfolk | 52 | $1.1M |
| Chantilly | 50 | $20M |
| Roanoke | 48 | $33M |
| Vienna | 43 | $7.8M |
| Charlottesville | 38 | $3.9M |
| Glen Allen | 33 | $7.9M |
| Chesapeake | 29 | $11M |
| Falls Church | 26 | $398,002 |
| Newport News | 25 | $14M |
| Ashburn | 23 | $18M |
| Manassas | 22 | $1.5M |
| Lynchburg | 21 | $254,781 |
| Sterling | 21 | $0 |
| Winchester | 16 | $1.5M |
| Woodbridge | 15 | $2.5M |
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 Virginia employers pay health insurance brokers?
Across 27 fully insured medical plans in plan year 2024, among commission-paying fully insured medical plans, the median broker compensation for Virginia employers was 4.6% of premium (middle half 3.2% to 6.4%), against a national median of 3.8%. In dollars, the median employer that disclosed broker pay reported $71,889.
Which Virginia employers paid the most in broker commissions?
General Dynamics Corporation reported the most in 2024, $8,947,442, followed by Computer Sciences Corporation ($3.4M) and Northrop Grumman Corporation ($3.0M).
Which brokers and carriers dominate Virginia?
By reported compensation, the largest brokers are Marsh McLennan Agency, Lockton, USI Insurance Services. By medical premium, the largest carriers are Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc., Aetna Life Insurance Company.
Which Virginia cities have the most employer health plans?
Arlington (148 employer plans, $57M in premiums); Richmond (123 employer plans, $41M in premiums); Reston (98 employer plans, $41M in premiums); McLean (97 employer plans, $36M in premiums); Herndon (77 employer plans, $26M in premiums). 23 Virginia cities with 15 or more employer plans have their own page listing the largest plans, brokers and carriers.
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