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 offer wellness-related servicezs such as smoking cessation and weight management programs. The first Florida Blue store opened in Februaruy 2007 in Jacksonville at a costof $300,000-$500,000 for The company opened a second opened in January 2008 in Pembroke Pines, just outsidew Fort Lauderdale. “Our goal is to add severapl Florida Blue stores within the next saidLauralee Shapiro, spokeswoman for Jacksonville-based Blue Cross, the larges health insurer in Florida with 32 percenrt of the market and 4.2 million members.
The Orlandok store’s size and location haven’t been determined yet, nor have an architect or contractor been chosen. Blue Cross decided to open a store in Orlando becaus it has a steady influx of new many of whom areage 20-30, said Shapiro, who didn’tg disclose the anticipated cost of opening the The number of employees for the store hasn’y been determined, but they’ll include insurance agents and customer service About 15,000 to 20,000 or up to 50 a day, have visited the 2,500-square-foot Jacksonville store — which employs 10 people — since it openesd two years ago, said Nick Tant, store who declined to reveall the number of policies “We’ve been busy from Visitors to the stores can researcn plans and existing clients can get face-to-face Tant said.
General information seminarx and events alsoare held. The Jacksonville storee mainly deals with individual health care Business has picked up sincse the recession began because many people were used to having benefitss through their employersand aren’t sure how to find coverag e themselves, Tant said. Retail insurance is a niche Blue Crosx expectsto grow, said Shapiro, adding that researchg shows 20- to 40-year-olds and young families are “more comfortable makingv purchases in a retail store environment. The interactive nature makes it easier for consumers to understanx the plan differences and benefitas so they can make thebest decisions.
” Dave COO of Fringe Benefit Planse in Winter Park, doesn’t expect the planned new Floridaq Blue store to affect his Although it will be direct it will offer only Blue Cross And “most consumers are comparison shopper who want access to multiple insurance companied and options,” which is exactly what independenf insurance agents offer, said Gentry, who last year added individual policies. Local insurance specialist LeslieGlogau doesn’f expect to be hurt by the new Florida Blue stor e either. Blue Cross has some affordable she said, and it’s great if the insuret can reach people she can’t.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida won’t be the only insurer with a storefront presencre inCentral Florida. already has two local storefront Guidance Centers that opened inOctobere 2008, said spokeswoman Nancy Hanewinckel. Humanaz is Florida’s largest Medicare healty benefits company with nearlya half-milliob members statewide. However, the Humana staffed with a full-time customere service representative, primarily are aimesd at providing guidance for seniors who have questionss about theirMedicare policies, she said. They also offer senio r exercise andwellness programs.