- Healthy freelancers can often lower premiums with a higher-deductible plan.
- Remote workers who travel should consider a nationwide PPO network.
- Self-employed St. Pete residents may be able to deduct 100% of their premiums.
- Check access to Bayfront, St. Anthony’s and Johns Hopkins All Children’s before you enroll.
St. Pete has become a magnet for creative and independent people. Artists in the Warehouse Arts District, designers and developers working remotely from the Edge District, brewery and restaurant owners in the Grand Central District, and charter captains working the Gulf. Most of them buy their own health insurance.
We’re an independent health insurance broker in Florida serving St. Petersburg and Pinellas County by phone and video. We compare health insurance plans from 30+ carriers for freelancers, self-employed and 1099 workers, families and small businesses. This guide covers choosing a deductible, PPO networks, COBRA and the self-employed premium write-off.
Choosing the Right Deductible as a St. Pete Freelancer
If you’re healthy and rarely see a doctor beyond a yearly checkup, paying for a low-deductible plan can mean buying coverage you don’t use. A high-deductible plan typically has a lower premium. The trade-off is paying more out of pocket if you do need care, so we size the deductible to what you could comfortably cover.
The premium itself may also qualify for the self-employed health insurance deduction, so freelancers can stack two tax benefits.
The trade-off is that you pay more upfront when you need care. If you have ongoing prescriptions, a chronic condition or kids, a lower deductible or lower max out-of-pocket may cost less over the year. We run both scenarios before you choose.
Individual and family coverage in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg and Pinellas County families often value access to children's specialty care and want predictable costs. We compare plans by pediatric network access, urgent care costs and the family deductible structure, and check that your children's doctors are included.
Self-employed and 1099 workers in St. Petersburg, such as artists, designers, developers, remote employees turned freelancers, charter captains and restaurant owners, can compare individual plans, private PPO options or ACA marketplace coverage. Families can start with our guide to family health insurance.
Small business health insurance in St. Petersburg
Creative agencies, small tech companies, restaurants and marine businesses in St. Pete often have remote or part-time staff. ICHRA arrangements can work well when employees live in different places, and we compare them against traditional group plans.
Whether you run a brewery or restaurant in the Grand Central District, a creative agency downtown, or a marine services business, see how small group health insurance works, including level-funded plans and ICHRA.
Doctors and hospitals in St. Petersburg
Health systems serving St. Petersburg and Pinellas County include Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, BayCare’s St. Anthony’s Hospital, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and HCA Florida St. Petersburg Hospital. Networks differ by carrier and plan, so we check your doctors, hospitals and prescriptions against each plan’s directory before recommending anything.
Situations we help with in St. Petersburg
Freelance designer, age 32
Healthy, wants the lowest sensible premium and a premium write-off.
Remote developer who travels
Needs a nationwide PPO network so coverage works outside Pinellas County.
Grand Central brewery owner with 7 staff
Comparing small business health insurance to reduce staff turnover.
How we help St. Petersburg residents compare options
Many St. Pete clients are freelancers or remote workers. We model a higher-deductible plan against a lower-deductible plan, so you can see the premium savings and the out-of-pocket risk before you choose.
There is no fee for our advice; carriers compensate brokers. Call (321) 442-6966 or request a free comparison below. Leaving a job? Compare COBRA alternatives first.
Areas we serve in and around St. Petersburg
- Downtown St. Pete
- Old Northeast
- Kenwood
- Grand Central District
- Edge District
- Warehouse Arts District
- Snell Isle
- Shore Acres
- Gulfport
- St. Pete Beach
General information only, not tax, legal or medical advice. Plan availability, networks, benefits and pricing vary by carrier, plan and ZIP code. Some plans are medically underwritten and may limit pre-existing conditions. Hospital names are listed for reference only and do not indicate network participation. Stratton Advisory Group is an independent agency and is not affiliated with any insurance carrier or health system.