Americana Holdings to provide health insurance for Realtors

“Unfortunately, most Realtors either go without health insurance or pay exorbitant premiums for their own coverage because real estate firms traditionally don’t provide health insurance options for their independent contractors,” said Mark Stark, CEO of Americana Holdings, the largest independently owned Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices franchise in its global network. “Group health insurance was a top request from our sales executives, and so finding a solution became our highest priority.” Stark said he has been working to find a way to provide health insurance to his agents for more than two years.

“It was not easy, but it was worth it,” Stark said. “We have already seen tremendous savings for those who have joined the plan.”

Among those who have seen great benefits from the new plan is Gary Morlock, real estate sales executive with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, based in La Quinta, California. “I just signed up for health insurance and it is saving me $300 a month,” he said. “My deductible went from $4,000 to $2,500. I’m extremely happy and impressed.”

Sherry Farsany with the company’s Yorba Linda, California office, also saved with the new plan. “I am saving $2,000 on my deductible and $420 a month on my premium,” she said. “I am also saving money on my co-pay and it is much better coverage than I had before.”

Americana Holdings is one of the first real estate companies in the country to offer group health insurance. Sales executives who are considered independent contractors with the firm will be eligible to apply at any time throughout the year.

According to recent 2019 survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), as many as 33 percent of all NAR member Realtors in the U.S. (approximately 1.4 million) are uninsured in any given year, and roughly 46 percent pay out of pocket for their health insurance.