Before diving into the highlights of this year’s study, The US Health Insurers Experience Metrics Rankings, 2025, let’s first set some context. Since 2016, Forrester has been tracking the quality of brands’ customer experience (CX), using the Customer Experience Index (CX Index™), which links customers’ perceptions of CX quality to loyalty. This year, we are excited to launch the Total Experience Score, which measures how well brands win and serve customers. It combines the long-standing CX Index and a new Brand Experience Index (BX Index™). This new composite score helps firms understand how noncustomers’ and customers’ perceptions of their interactions with a brand drive loyalty.

Now for the results: US health insurers deliver the weakest total experience across all industries we track. The industry’s results across total experience, BX, and CX all fell flat, demonstrating just how poorly US health insurers are performing when it comes to winning and serving customers.

Specific highlights:

  • CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield led the field on total experience and BX, and it co-led on CX. CareFirst was chased by sister plans in the total experience (Blue Shield of California) and BX (Florida Blue) rankings, and it was in a statistical tie for CX with Kaiser Permanente and Florida Blue.
  • The industry showed little total-experience differentiation. All but two brands clustered within 5.4 points, with just the top-scoring and lowest-scoring brands showing any kind of differentiation. Six of the seven brands that beat the industry average on total experience cover a tight 2-point range.
  • Four brands earned the “leading” distinction in the Total Experience Score growth grid. The Growth Grid maps how well brands win noncustomers and serve customers, based on plots of their respective scores. CareFirst’s combined performance with customers and noncustomers propelled it deep into the coveted upper-right “leading” quadrant that shows it does well at winning and serving. It was joined by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Shield of California, and Health Net.
  • Poor BX Index scores reveal brand promise failures. Industry-average BX Index ratings from customers and noncustomers fell into the “poor” category, with more health insurers receiving poor scores from customers than noncustomers.
  • CX Index scores continue to decline. The industry average is hanging onto “OK” status by its fingernails, thanks to its third statistically significant decline in four years.

Let’s Explore The Insights Together

We’ll soon publish a deeper investigation into CX ratings by customer segment, along with an updated trust analysis for the industry. Join us later this year for a webinar covering the Total Experience Score, BX Index, CX Index, and key findings.

After you’ve read this initial report:

  • Forrester clients at brands tracked in our study can schedule their annual readout starting in July. A data analyst will guide you through the high points of your specific scores and drivers, and we can provide additional industry context through guidance sessions. Forrester clients with VIP access can work with their executive partner to schedule a deeper dive via a strategy session.
  • Forrester clients at brands not tracked in the study, but that are part of an industry covered in the study, should request a guidance session for an overview of key findings and scores.
  • If you’re not a Forrester client, reach out to our sales team!