Highmark is the No. 5 health insurance company for 2026 with a score of 4.13 out of 5. It’s a BCBS company with a high score for customer satisfaction and for provider access in our survey.
Scott Nyerges is an insurance expert and managing editor, insurance. Previously, he was a senior insurance editor and content strategist at U.S. News & World Report, and worked for Consumer Reports, MSN and Cheapism.com.
Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance expert and the executive editor of Insurance.com. Before joining QuinStreet, she was managing editor at Quote.com has a decade of experience writing about insurance. She also spent four years in customer service with Farmers Insurance.
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Highmark (BCBS in Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia) ranked No. 5 in our analysis of the Best Health Insurance Companies of 2026, earning an overall score of 4.13 stars out of 5. It’s a good choice for customers who want a reliable carrier with an excellent provider network and a generally positive member experience, especially if they’re comfortable with midrange pricing.
Below is our review of Highmark. It’s based on third-party metrics and an in-depth survey of insurance customers. Find the full methodology here.
Highmark is a good choice for you if:
It might not be the best choice if:
Consumers often cite affordability as a key factor when selecting a health insurance plan. Among the companies we examined, Highmark earned a score of 3.76 stars out of 5, placing it in the middle of our ranking. By contrast, Humana scored the best (4.07 stars out of 5), while Elevance Health and BCBS of Michigan scored the lowest (3.52 out of 5).
Below is a look at Highmark’s rates. These are 2026 healthcare exchange rates for a single, 40-year-old man in excellent health with an annual income of $70,000 in Pennsylvania.
In addition to cost, consumers say good customer service is also a key factor when shopping for health insurance. Among carriers we analyzed, Highmark earned a score of 80%, tied with Horizon BCBS of New Jersey, BCBS of Michigan, BCBS of Florida and Cigna for second place. Only Humana (83%) scored higher in this category.
A robust website and app are also important for many policyholders. In this category, Highmark finished in fifth place with a score of 83%. Molina Healthcare (94%) finished first, while BCBS of Florida (66%) scored lowest.
When it comes to policy offerings, Highmark also earned a middling score of 78%, tied with BCBS of Florida.
When asked if they would recommend Highmark to others, 93% of those surveyed said they would. That puts Highmark in fourth place in this category behind Humana (94%), HCSC (95%), and Horizon BCBS of New Jersey (100%).
Highmark also placed fourth for trustworthiness, tied with Cigna at 87%. Elevance Health (88%), BCBS of Michigan (88%), Horizon BCBS of New Jersey(90%), BCBS of Florida (93%) and Humana (96%) all scored higher.
Ninety-six percent of policyholders said they planned to renew their coverage with Highmark, tied for third place with Blue Shield of California. Only Humana and HCSC (97%) and BCBS of Florida (98%) did better.
Although a low deductible can make healthcare more affordable, none of the insurers in our ranking scored particularly highly in this category. Highmark’s score (65%) places it in the lower half of carriers included in our survey. Humana (75%) was the top-rated carrier in this category.
A robust provider network is also crucial, particularly for individuals who require specialized care. In this category, Highmark’s score of 89% was strong enough to put it in first place, tied with BCBS of Florida.
Customers say they also appreciate a smooth payment service. In this category, Highmark scored 87%, tying with Cigna for second place behind top-rated Humana (88%).
Highmark provides a variety of health insurance plans. Plan details and availability vary by state, but include the following:
Highmark also offers the following coverages; availability varies by state and plan:
AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY
Policyholders can reach Highmark by logging into their online account. Representatives can also be reached via Facebook, Instagram, and X or by calling 1-800-241-5704 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, EST
Non-subscribers can also reach Highmark by phone at 1-412-544-7000 or by submitting a form on the insurer’s Contact Us page.
Methodology
In 2025, Insure.com surveyed more than 2,000 insurance consumers through independent research firm Dynata. Customers named their life insurer and rated it on customer satisfaction, ease of service, policy offerings, billing, and their experience across different applicant types (seniors, middle-aged adults, young adults, people with pre-existing conditions, people who are overweight, and people who prefer no-exam coverage). We also asked whether they planned to keep their policy, would recommend their insurer, and trusted their insurer.
For insurers with enough survey responses, we added:
With guidance from Prof. David Marlett, Ph.D., Managing Director of the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center at Appalachian State University, we applied the following weights to determine each company’s final score:
Each insurer received a rating between 0.5 and 5 stars, with 5 stars representing the highest performance.