Health Insurance Cost Estimator
Choose the right health insurance plan. Enter your age, location tier, income, and health usage to compare total costs (premium + expected out-of-pocket) across all ACA plan tiers.
Plan Tier(s) to Compare
How to use Health Insurance Cost Estimator
The health insurance cost estimator compares ACA marketplace plan tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) by total annual cost — premium plus expected out-of-pocket — based on your age, income and estimated healthcare usage. It shows where ACA premium tax credits apply and which metal tier gives the best value for your usage level.
- Enter your age and household income as a percentage of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).
- Estimate your annual healthcare usage: low, average or high.
- Review estimated premium, deductible and out-of-pocket maximum for each plan tier.
- Compare total annual cost (premium + expected OOP) across tiers.
Your data never leaves your device — 100% private processing.
ACA metal tiers and the 60/40 cost-sharing rule
Each metal tier describes how costs are split between you and the insurer. Bronze: insurer pays 60%, you pay 40% — lowest premium, highest deductible. Silver: 70/30. Gold: 80/20. Platinum: 90/10 — highest premium, lowest deductible and OOP max. Silver plans are the only tier eligible for Cost Sharing Reduction (CSR) subsidies if income is 100–250% FPL — making them extremely valuable for qualifying households.
| Metal tier | Actuarial value | Avg premium/mo | Avg deductible | OOP max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 60% | ~$350 | ~$7,500 | $9,450 |
| Silver | 70% | ~$450 | ~$5,000 | $9,450 |
| Gold | 80% | ~$600 | ~$1,500 | $9,450 |
| Platinum | 90% | ~$750 | ~$0–500 | $9,450 |
Premium tax credits and income thresholds
ACA premium tax credits (PTCs) are available to households with income between 100% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (and, under the Inflation Reduction Act extension, beyond 400% FPL through 2025). PTCs cap your premium contribution at a percentage of income based on the second-lowest-cost Silver plan benchmark. The higher your income above FPL, the smaller the subsidy.
Glossary
- Deductible
- The amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance starts covering costs.
- OOP max
- Out-of-pocket maximum — the most you pay in a plan year; insurer covers 100% above this.
- Actuarial value
- The percentage of total health costs the plan pays for an average enrollee.
- CSR
- Cost Sharing Reduction — subsidy that lowers deductibles and OOP max on Silver plans for qualifying incomes.
Related reading
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why use Health Insurance Cost Estimator?
- Estimate premiums before talking to an agent
- Understand coverage types and deductibles clearly
- Compare term vs whole life insurance costs
- Supports health, auto, home, and life insurance calculations
Common use cases
- Estimate life insurance coverage needs for your family
- Calculate how much car insurance you should carry
- Understand the cost difference between deductible levels
- Estimate renters insurance cost for a new apartment
- Work out how much home insurance a property needs
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