Leaving your employer's coverage doesn't mean giving up a nationwide PPO in Florida. If you're an elevator or escalator mechanic starting your own service operation or retiring early, here's how to find solid coverage without overpaying.
Hi, I'm Sam Jaber. I run my insurance practice from Tampa, hold licenses in 36 states and work with all my clients over the phone.
Elevator and escalator work stays busy across Florida. Condo buildings fill both coastlines, while airports, parking garages, hospitals and hotels require installation, inspection and maintenance. Most mechanics receive health benefits through their employer. I'm speaking to those moving away from that arrangement, whether they're launching a small repair and service operation, accepting contracts or leaving a company before reaching Medicare age. Once the employer plan ends, choosing health insurance becomes your responsibility, and the timing matters.
A nationwide PPO is still available in Florida. And when you're in good health, the price may be considerably lower than what you're seeing on the marketplace.
After leaving an employer PPO, a lot of mechanics check HealthCare.gov first. Across Florida, they'll find just one insurer offering a marketplace PPO, and it costs considerably more than the least expensive plans using different networks. Compare the prices by county: Indian River is 168% higher, Martin is 110% higher, Volusia is 110% higher and St. Lucie is 85% higher.
But HealthCare.gov isn't the only place to look. Medically underwritten private coverage uses PPO networks nationwide, with premiums determined by your health instead of marketplace pricing. If your family is healthy, that may give you something much closer to your former employer plan.
When your employer coverage is about to end, there are two factors that determine what makes sense next.
Start with the deadline. When you lose coverage through your job, that generally gives you 60 days to enroll through HealthCare.gov. This qualifying event applies throughout the year, meaning you don't have to hold off until open enrollment.
Then look at your earnings. The premium tax credit available through HealthCare.gov depends on your household income for the coverage year. Working for yourself means looking at what's left after expenses such as your van, equipment, licenses and insurance. That calculation is particularly important in Florida, where the regulator reported a 34.1% average increase in approved individual-plan rates for 2026, weighted by enrollment and calculated before credits.
If you're an experienced mechanic still bringing in a strong income, you may earn too much for the credit. In that case, you're responsible for the entire HealthCare.gov premium, including this year's increase. That's quite a change when you're accustomed to an employer covering most of it.
I'd also compare a nationwide PPO that uses medical underwriting. You'll answer questions about your health, after which the insurer can accept you, turn down the application or offer coverage excluding a previous condition. For healthy applicants, that process can mean a monthly premium below the marketplace's full price. Coverage details vary, though, so I'll explain exactly what each plan pays before you make a decision.
Next step: Give me a call with your current plan's end date. I'll compare the cost of a nationwide PPO with the HealthCare.gov choices available in your county.
COBRA lets you continue your employer plan, which can feel like the simplest solution. The catch is that you're now paying for it yourself. Let's compare the prices before you enroll, because COBRA can be a smart choice or a costly one depending on your situation.
Be careful about when you make that decision. Voluntarily canceling COBRA because another plan costs less won't trigger a special enrollment period. Exhausting your COBRA coverage will. That's why you want to evaluate the alternatives before your deadline to elect COBRA, rather than afterward.
Next step: Send over the COBRA documents from your employer. I'll compare that coverage with the other plans available to you in Florida before your decision window closes.
Building a customer base for a new elevator service business doesn't happen overnight. If your family's income qualifies for a premium tax credit, HealthCare.gov will generally offer the lowest cost because that credit can't be used elsewhere. Florida's less expensive plans are usually local-network HMOs and EPOs, so we'll check that your doctors participate before choosing.
There's another issue if your new business barely earns anything during its first year. Florida hasn't expanded Medicaid, leaving many adults with very low incomes ineligible. Meanwhile, HealthCare.gov credits generally begin at the poverty level. If your household falls below that threshold, you could be left without help from either program.
Workers' comp may be part of your new company's setup, but don't confuse it with family health insurance. It addresses workplace injuries, not routine medical visits or illnesses affecting your household.
Next step: Give me a call. We'll put together a realistic estimate for your first year in business and find coverage that makes sense in your county.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
Your employer plan will generally end when you leave the job. That usually starts a 60-day period to enroll through HealthCare.gov. If your household is healthy, you can also compare medically underwritten private PPO coverage during that time.
There's just one marketplace PPO insurer across Florida's counties, and its plans cost more than the lowest-priced alternatives, sometimes substantially more. Healthy mechanics may find better pricing on a nationwide PPO outside HealthCare.gov.
Canceling COBRA voluntarily doesn't qualify you for a new enrollment window. Losing your original employer coverage does, and so does reaching the end of your available COBRA coverage.
Florida's insurance regulator reported a 34.1% average increase in approved 2026 individual-plan premiums, weighted according to enrollment and calculated without subsidies.
Tell me where you live, when your existing plan expires and which family members need insurance. I'll compare the available plans and their prices. If keeping your current coverage makes more financial sense, I'll be upfront about that.
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