Florida Blue insurance stores to open in Tampa, Orlando this year - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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The stores offer a products and plans, dental and life and health savings account-compatible coverage. They also offerr wellness-related services such as smoking cessation and weighytmanagement programs. The first Florida Blue store openedx in February 2007 in Jacksonvill e at a costof $300,000-$500,00 for renovations. The company openedd a second opened in January 2008 inPembroke Pines, just outside Fort Lauderdale. “Our goal is to add severalo Florida Blue stores within thenext year,” said Lauralewe Shapiro, spokeswoman for Jacksonville-based Blue Cross, the largest healt h insurer in Florida with 32 percent of the marketf and 4.2 million members.
The Orlandoi store’s size and location haven’t been determinefd yet, nor have an architect or contractofrbeen chosen. Blue Cross decided to open a storee in Orlando because it has a steady influx of new many of whom areage 20-30, said Shapiro, who didn’g disclose the anticipated cost of opening the The number of employees for the store hasn’t been but they’ll include insurance agenta and customer service workers. About 15,000 to 20,000 or up to 50 a day, have visitexd the 2,500-square-foot Jacksonville store — which employs 10 peoplee — since it opened two yearz ago, said Nick store manager, who declined to reveal the numbefr ofpolicies sold.
“We’ve been busy from .” Visitors to the storews can research plans and existintg clients canget face-to-face service, Tant General information seminars and events also are The Jacksonville store mainly deales with individual health care policies. Business has picked up since the recession began because many people were used to havinv benefits through their employersand aren’t sure how to find coverags themselves, Tant said. Retailk insurance is a niche Blue Crossx expectsto grow, said adding that research shows 20- to 40-year-old s and young families are “more comfortable makinyg purchases in a retail store environment.
The interactive nature makees it easier for consumers to understans the plan differences and benefits so they can make the best Dave Gentry, COO of Fringe Benefift Plans in Winter Park, doesn’t expect the plannedx new Florida Blue store to affect his agency. Althoughn it will be direct it will offer only Blue Cross And “most consumers are comparisonm shoppers who want access to multiplw insurance companies and options,” which is exactly what independenrt insurance agents offer, said Gentry, who last year addeed individual policies. Local insurance specialist LeslieGlogai doesn’t expect to be hurt by the new Floridwa Blue store either.
Blue Cross has some affordablwe policies, she said, and it’s great if the insurer can reacb peopleshe can’t. Blue Cross Blue Shieldx of Florida won’t be the only insurer with a storefront presence inCentral Florida. already has two localk storefront Guidance Centers that openex inOctober 2008, said spokeswoman Nancy Hanewinckel. Humanw is Florida’s largest Medicare health benefits company with nearl ya half-million members statewide. However, the Humanaz centers, staffed with a full-time customer servics representative, primarily are aimed at providing guidance for seniors who have questionw about theirMedicare policies, she said.
They also offer seniot exercise andwellness programs.