I have spent months struggling with health insurance, red tape, and clerical errors that weren't mine but left me without insurance. I was at my wit's end recently after being told that I had missed open enrollment (despite having applied before the deadline), and that I couldn't get an exception made. I have medications that I had to stop cold turkey months ago and have been without, and have been dealing with health issues I couldn't really afford to get care for because I was told I had to wait until November for open enrollment to start again. I posted on Facebook asking friends for advice, assuming it was pointless. But then one of them said I should look into a broker - an option I had no idea was available, nor that it was free. I looked through a list of brokers and found Gary Franke and his team; they sounded good, so I requested help from them. And thank god I did, because I tell you what - after months of metaphorically pulling my hair out over how stressful the runaround of insurance was, especially when I don't have much knowledge on the subject - Gary Franke and Heffernan Insurance Brokers had me squared away in a few emails and a single phone call. I couldn't believe how simple the process was. Gary got my information - how much I make a year, what exactly I'm looking for / need help with - and narrowed the insurance plans down to two that he said would be the most affordable and the most helpful for me based on my needs. Then all I had to do was choose from the two, let him know, and he got me enrolled and activated. No fuss, no stress. He was friendly, empathetic, understanding, and answered all of my questions thoroughly and without judgement - even the ones I personally thought were probably dumb questions. He was even willing to discuss my options with a family member that has been trying to help me with the process of getting on insurance, if she had any other questions she wanted to ask him. Even after I was on an active plan, Gary and his team have encouraged me to come to them if I have any further questions, and made sure I know they're available for any other advice I may need in the future. In conclusion, I literally cannot recommend Gary Franke and his team enough. They got done in less than a week - and only took as long as that because I had to make my choice on the plans and slept on it - what I was on the verge of a breakdown trying to do on my own for months. If any of the many people I had spoken to on the myriad of phone calls with WA Healthplan Finder, or any of the insurance companies, had just once suggested a broker, I could have escaped so much stress. If you're on the fence about a broker - do it. It's so worth it, and you can't go wrong with Heffernan Insurance Brokers, and Gary Franke and his team. They are extremely knowledgeable about all this stuff, and genuinely want to help you with what you need and where you're at. There's a reason they have so many 5-star reviews here; and I promise that those reviews are telling the truth, because I know mine is. Reach out to them. I promise you won't regret it. read more

Buyer beware, Gary is unethical. Back in 2017, I moved to Bellevue Wa. and was in need of health insurance. New to the game I was unaware broker's fees are paid by the health insurance companies. Tamara, who works with Gary, was the agent of record and did a good. However, months after I get a call from Gary stating, "Tamara forgot to bill you." Not knowing, I gave him my credit card info and was billed $75... Pretty slimy for a whopping $75. I would have sued if still live nearby. read more

Health insurance is complicated - and the insurance companies are intentionally not helpful in delivering the information you need to get the best coverage at the best price. . . . enter Gary Franke. He doesn't wear tights and a cape, but he's my Insurance Super Hero. He's obtained insurance for people with unique needs, and knows more than the insurers do about their coverage and quality. I consult with Gary every year for my family's health insurance needs as we get older and the kids need their own deal. I like him more every time I work with him. Plus, he's a super-nice person. Other than that, I've got nothing good to say about him. ;-) read more

I don't know about you but the minute I hear the word "insurance" my heart stops because it is a terrifying grown-up word that I still don't fully understand. If any of you are like that I HIGHLY recommend my insurance broker Gary Franke at Achieve Alpha Insurance. He is SO cool and knows his stuff inside and out and is super accessible. If you add him as your broker on the WA Healthcare Exchange the government pays for it so it's free for you. Seriously, this guy makes insurance tolerable. Email him and his team! There is a reason they have received all 5 Stars - Achieve Alpha is the BEST! health@achieve-alpha.com read more

I was going through a very difficult time. I had lost my job, didn't have the energy or ability to sort through things or do research which I normally could. Gary was empathetic, kind, and very knowledgable about the insurance market, and was able to get me the plan I needed to solve some very real emotional and physical health-related issues. He did in 30 minutes what I was unable to manage over days. What's more, Gary made himself available after the initial help to make sure everything kept moving in a positive direction. Call him. read more

Brianna Crawford was incredible to work with. Navigating the world of self-employment and choosing health insurance felt like a daunting task. However, she made it simple and guided me (with so much kindness!) to a selection I was very happy with. She also followed up repeatedly with insurance companies on my behalf so the application would go through. Brianna went above and beyond - cannot recommend her more! read more

I have worked with Tamara for years as my insurance needs have changed. I know nothing about insurance so it is a huge relief to call Tamara and know she has my back. She is incredibly knowledgable, very responsive, and goes beyond what is necessary to make sure my needs are met. She does all of this very professionally with a personality that makes me feel cared about and comfortable.I can't recommend Tamara highly enough! read more

My wife and I were referred to Gary and his team. Not knowing what to expect, the team at Achieve Alpha Insurance made a normally stressful situation so simple and easy. They are top notch and are looking out for you, the consumer. read more

I'm truly grateful to Achieve Alpha, and feel so fortunate to have been referred to them for my health insurance needs. I've had experiences over and over that insurance providers suck. They don't give a crap about people. Their systems make no sense. Their people aren't motivated to serve. And people -- like me and my family -- suffer. Gary, Tamara, and the folks at Achieve Alpha are a breath of fresh air. They're like an oasis in the desert. They DO care. Their knowledge of this broken system is tremendous. And their effectiveness at getting problems solved means that my family has been well covered when on our own we would have been out of luck. When I've been at my wit's end, they've put in the time and given me the attention I needed. I'm so grateful! read more

Gary has always been extremely helpful with my insurance needs. He is an expert at individual health! You can count on him to give you the attention and time you need to make well-informed decisions. Give him a call if you need any help getting set up. read more

Julia is fantastic. She is responsive, attentive, and knowledgeable, and tries really hard to get you a policy that best fits your needs. Highly recommended. read more

I found Gary while I was looking for life insurance to replace an expiring 10-year term policy. I knew that I could do better on cost than what I was offered through my existing insurer. I was also interested in exploring other life insurance option as this was a policy that I did not plan to replace down the road. Gary was truly a partner rather than just a salesperson in guiding me through my choices and finding the best policy and rate for my needs. I had first contacted some online insurance brokerages and found that they were highly interested in moving my application along, but less eager to answer questions. I was interested in contacting an independent broker to see if working with an insurance broker in person might be a better experience. I had found Gary on Yelp and contacted him on the basis of his excellent reviews on Yelp. I am happy to confirm that my experience with Gary has been excellent and that I highly recommend contacting Gary for any insurance or financial planning needs that you might have. Although his focus is on placing insurance, he works with colleagues who are focused on other areas of financial planning. Gary was patient and helpful throughout the application process, but two instances stand out in my mind in which he went above and beyond in finding the right product for my needs: 1. I thought I knew exactly what life insurance product I needed, but at the 11th hour, had some questions come up about potential alternatives to a term product. Gary was able to provide a comprehensive, yet concise and impartial answer to my questions and help me confirm that I was on the right path. 2. The application and review process for insurers is far more subjective than would appear from the application forms. Gary advised me as to what references would be most useful in supporting my application for an insurance underwriter's review. In short, I had a great experience working with Gary and highly recommend working with him. read more

Tamera Chandler surpassed her usual great service w assisting me to sign up for Medicare. I knew signing up for Medicare was going to be a challenge. Tamera's knowledge and persistance to get me the best coverage possible was phenomenal! Thank you Tamera, U are the best! read more

I can't even begin to tell you how awesome Gary was. He knew ALL the answers and helped set me up with medical, vision and dental right there during our first phone call. Didn't hang up until things were purchased and confirmed. He answered every question I had. What incredible customer service AND what an incredible wealth of knowledge on what I think is a very confusing topic. LOVED Gary! read more

Gary was a breath of fresh air at a time when I really needed help! Starting my business and setting up health insurance for my family is a task I thought would be too daunting but Gary made it easy! read more

I was in touch with Tamara for my wife's and baby's insurance . She was just too cool to say the least . She literally hand held us to the right policy and more importantly she responds quickly to our queries. Overall the team at achieve alpha is exceptional and I recommend them for your insurance needs. read more

I cannot speak highly enough about Achieve Alpha and the service they provide. My son just returned from college after completing his summer term and the requirements for graduation. We realized he would be without coverage until he begins his new job and the complexity of getting coverage in place quickly was overwhelming. Gary was able to calm us down, explain all of the different options in a clear and concise way, and get coverage in place within 20 minutes. Thank you for the great service!! read more

Was in a hurry to get some immediate insurance due to an issue with my previous coverage. Even though I had some complexities with what was needed, Tamara was knowledgeable and quick to suggest something that worked well for us and saved a huge headache. Highly recommended. read more

Gary helped me find a Health Insurance plan, very professional, attentive and knowledgeable, very fortunate I found him. Highly recommended! read more

Gary is THE man! I have legitimate health insurance for a little bit more than $100/mo. It's a "high deductible" policy...but I have 3 doctor's visits included. It works great for me. And more to the point, Gary took the time to learn what I needed and helped me to understand the options. It costs you NOTHING to work with him. The insurance costs exactly same as if you dealt with the insurance company yourself. If you are self employed there is NO reason not to hire Gary. I have been telling all of my self employed friends that they need to contact him. I'm excited for when I can afford a little more, and maybe switch to an HSA. I know that Gary will walk me through understanding my options, and make sure my needs are covered. Did I say that I was "excited" about my health care? YES! I threw my back out about 3 weeks ago, and I would be spending much more right now had I not hired Gary. My "little" 3 visit policy included 12 chiropractic follow-ups. I feel quite fortunate that this worked out for me. And if anything bigger happens I know that the policy is there so that some "health event" doesn't create bankruptcy for me. Give Gary a call. You'll be glad that you did. Dean Watkins read more

Gary was great to work with, knows his products and even helped me get a discount drug card over the phone.

Wonderful experience. Patience and overall professionalism and level of expertise was exactly what I was looking for. Got a great plan and have been happy with the services! read more

Personal Health Insurance Broker extraordinaire. When you are self employed, unemployed, a student, or in any other situation that calls for buying your own health plan, Gary is your man! Gary will take the time to explain your options, compare coverage from all of the carriers, and help you make a wise decision. When you have questions later about your coverage or how to use your plan, give Gary a call, he'll be there. An agent to trust, a partner to help you understand a confusing product we all need and yet hate to purchase. Gary makes it convenient, simple, affordable and (mostly) painless. Gary also offers disability insurance in case you get injured, this is, as Gary puts it, the selfish version of life insurance. Life insurance pays your family when you die, disability pays you when you can't work. (all joking aside, it is better to have that income when you are disabled than be a burden to your family). Gary's knowledge, friendliness, availiability and all around business acumen make him an easy recommendation in my book! read more

I felt like I hit the jackpot after I made the call to Achieve Alpha Insurance and spoke with Gary. Since Regence was no longer available in King County for 2018, I was left with the daunting task of finding new health insurance for my family. After a couple days of trying to figure out everything on my own and getting the run around I was frustrated and no further along than when I started. After my call with Gary in which he patiently talked me through and also linked me to his computer so I could visually see what we were discussing, I felt so much more knowledgeable about health insurance and how to properly cover my family's needs. He does have a broker fee but in the grand scheme of it all, the $198 fee I paid up front will save our family over $2k this year and that is with adding dental, which we didn't have before! I 100% recommend this company!! read more

Gary is an excellent insurance agent! He listened to the specific needs of my family, helped me research which health insurance plans were accepted by my current health care professionals, and helped me nail down a plan that fit my lifestyle and health care needs. In addition to all of those wonderful things, it didn't cost a thing to work with him! Does it get better than that, really? read more

Gary is extremely knowledgeable and helpful in selecting the best insurance plan, saving money and getting the best possible coverage. An excellent resource, none better! read more

Tamara was incredible about understanding my needs and then working quickly and efficiently find me a plan that made sense. She was able to quickly answer questions and do some digging when more detail needed to be found. She did it with grace all under a tight deadline. I'm very grateful to have been referred to her and the team and cannot recommend highly enough. read more

I do not usually write reviews, but if you want an insurance company that TRULY works for you and not just for their bottom line, please call Gary Franke at Achieve Alpha. I made one call to Gary and he had options for me that I was not even aware of which saved me a lot of money. He spent a lot of time with me on the phone and patiently walked me through everything. Highly recommended. Thank you Gary! read more

Gary Franke is always very clear with his presentations. He makes confusing insurance plans so much easier to understand. At the beginning of the COVID, I searched for an additional insurance, Gary recommended a very reasonable accident and hospital plan. Recently, my daughter broke her wrist while traveling out of State, this policy covers up to $15,000 cost that my medical insurance might not cover. I am so thankful and highly recommend Gary and his team! read more

Gary Franke took care of my insurance needs this morning in less than five minutes. He is friendly, knowledgeable and efficient! I have known Gary for many years through friends and BNI and have given him as a reference to others. Well, we all know that these are strange times and I needed to get healthcare coverage, though he does all kinds of insurance as well. He got me on a plan and I just feel relieved. Call him, email him whatever you need to do, hire him! read more

Rock stars. These guys are 100% rock stars. With a recent layoff, we lost the policy that was so important to us. A quick call to Tamara at Alpha hooked us up with her expertise where we landed a policy that will work perfectly in the interim as we get back to the job market. The deep level of knowledge and friendliness of the agents cannot be underscored enough. Sure, there is a charge for their services, but you are hiring an expert who will save money in the long run. Tamara and the rest of the Alpha team - thank you for being so on point with your expertise and salient advice! read more

I had contacted Tamara last summer when we lived in Denver. During the hectic time of selling our house and moving to Seattle Tamara was extremely helpful and I'm extremely grateful that she was able to work with us on our home insurance, car insurance and medical insurance. She always got back to me extremely fast with all my questions I was able to get me all the insurance that fit our budget while giving me the best coverage for our family. I was also able to met with Greg personally , my feelings is that he is a really good and honest man putting the customers needs first. I highly recommend this insurance agency for all your needs. read more

Gary has been a resource for me on more than one occasion. When I started my last job he was helpful in advising me on which additional benefits would make the most sense to pay for. When I lost my last job and relized the company didn't offer COBRA on the last day of the month he was the first person I thought of to call. Gary helped me after business hours and sent me an email with a breakdown of several plans which fit in the budget I gave him. When I had some questions about the benefits of Regence vs Lifewise he had tons of valuable info to share like the acupuncture and chiropratic visits that are covered with the Lifewise plan and not with Regence. Gary helped me apply for my policy in the evening on the last day of the month and was more than happy to do it. He is the only reason that I won't have a lapse in health insurance while I'm between jobs. I highly recommend Gary for any insurance needs. read more

Gary helped me out of a mess I had gotten myself in when I signed up for a plan from the state's marketplace that didn't suit my needs. He helped me understand the differences between plans on the Washington Healthplanfinder and plans directly through the insurance carriers. Working backwards from the provider/hospital where I wanted to have my care, he helped me find the plan that was right for my husband and I. As others have mentioned, since he is an independent broker he offers his services at no cost to you. If you have any questions about health insurance or other insurance, Gary is your man! read more

Having just finalized my divorce a month prior, I suddenly realized I no longer had health insurance and there was no warning from the carrier about this. With all the hassles of divorce, health insurance was last on my mind- dumb but true. I am self-employed and currently between contracts. I called Gary on Sunday, not expecting any response until Monday or later. But he called back within 15minutes and was just the person I needed to help me. He sent a write up of the plans to choose from and I selected one that works best for me. Peace of mind is priceless. Gary was right there to answer any and all questions I had. Stellar service. Stellar interaction. read more

Gary helped find me the proper health insurance. As a small business owner it is difficult to find a plan that is both affordable, and has enough coverage. Gary was great to work with, the whole process was quick and easy. I have referred him to my friends, they say the same thing. read more

Super responsive. I reviewed a few health insurance plans with Gary and he shared his insight on the ObamaCare (Affordable Healthcare Act) changes. He knows relevant details like health insurance company X is out of plan with Swedish and Harborview. Without Gary, I'd likely miss key differentiators of the plans and the fine print. As others have written, it costs you nothing to work with an independent agent; so I strongly suggest an independent agent, especially Gary. In addition to health insurance, Gary facilitates other insurance and investment services. read more

Gary Rocks! Being self employed, I was very concerned with the new Obama laws and how it was going to effect my current catastrophic yet affordable plan. Gary met with me and ran the whole thing down to me. He set me up with a decent plan that was reasonable. Thank God, the default plans net work didn't cover any of the typical major hospitals, not in network? If I hadn't met with Gary I never would have known until I tried to use it! It's good to have an expert in field to help me through all this new health care. Soon I will be talking to Gary about group plans. read more

Seriously, Gary is great. The world of insurance is intimidating and confusing, unless you talk to this guy. His presentation is clean and easy to follow. He breaks down every little part of your policy into manageable sizes so you know exactly what you're signed up for. I wouldn't refer to anyone else. Go Gary, go! read more

Gary spent an hour with me going over my personal health insurance (I am self employed) because I was facing some pretty steep rate hikes. In the end he suggested I stay with my plan because it is the best for my situation. He was so gracious and generous with his time, even though being my personal health insurance agent costs me nothing and I don't pay more to have his advice than if I chose that plan online. He takes a lot of the stress and worry out of deciphering all the plans. read more