How to check an agent's Ohio license
- Get the agent's full name. Ask for the name on their license and, if you like, their National Producer Number (NPN).
- Open ODI's agent locator. The Ohio Department of Insurance's agent and agency locator is free to use.
- Search by name or NPN. You can limit the search to active licenses only.
- Read the result. Check that the license is active and includes health insurance (accident and health) authority, which Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Part D sales need. If you can't find the agent, call ODI at 1-800-686-1526.
Questions to ask
- Which companies do you work with in my county? Ohio has 119 Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone statewide for 2027, but the number varies by county, and no agent works with every company.
- Can you check my doctors, my prescriptions and my pharmacy before I enroll?
- If I'm an Ohio public retiree (OPERS, STRS Ohio, SERS, OP&F or HPRS), do you know how my retirement system's coverage works with Medicare? See Ohio public retirement systems and Medicare.
- Will you be there after I enroll, for example if my plan changes or ends?
Red flags: someone who calls you without your permission, says they're from Medicare, pressures you to decide today, offers a gift or "rebate" for switching, or asks for your Medicare number before explaining anything. Report it; see how to file a complaint about an insurance agent in Ohio.
Agents on this site
Our licensed insurance agents page lists independent licensed insurance agents who are licensed in Ohio and work with Benefits Life, the publisher of this site. They aren't Benefits Life employees, and when they enroll you in a plan, the agent and Benefits Life may be paid by the insurance company. They can explain plans from the companies they work with. You can also request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related questions
How do I complain about an insurance agent in Ohio?
When something goes wrong.
How do I report Medicare fraud in Ohio?
Scam calls and suspicious charges.
How can I help a parent with Medicare?
Meeting an agent together.
Sources
- Ohio Department of Insurance — Agent and agency locator
- Ohio Department of Insurance — Consumer complaint information
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.2264, beneficiary contact
- Medicare.gov — Reporting Medicare fraud and abuse
More questions in this guide
- How can I help my parent with Medicare in Ohio?
- How do I appeal a hospital discharge in Ohio if I'm not ready to go home?
- How do I appeal a Medicare denial in Ohio?
- How do I file a complaint about an insurance agent in Ohio?
- How do I find my area agency on aging in Ohio?
- How do I report Medicare fraud in Ohio?
- What are the Medicare phone numbers for Ohio?
- Where is the Social Security office near me in Ohio?
Part of the guide: Ohio Medicare contacts · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Does an agent have to live in Ohio?
No. An agent can hold an Ohio nonresident license. What matters is that the Ohio Department of Insurance issued the license and it is active; the agent locator shows both resident and nonresident licensees.
Does it cost anything to use an agent?
No. Licensed insurance agents are paid by the insurance companies whose plans they sell, so their help is at no cost to you. A plan's premium is the same whether you enroll through an agent or on your own.
Can an agent call me without my permission?
No. Medicare's marketing rules bar agents and plans from cold calls, unsolicited text messages and door-to-door visits about Medicare plans. If that happens, report it to 1-800-MEDICARE and the Ohio Department of Insurance at 1-800-686-1526.
Medicare in your Ohio county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Franklin · Cuyahoga · Hamilton · Summit · Montgomery · Lucas · Butler · Stark · Lorain · Warren · Delaware · Lake · Mahoning · Clermont · Trumbull · Licking · Medina · Greene · Fairfield · Portage · All 88 counties →
