Connecticut regulators have approved average 2027 premium increases of 11.3% for state-regulated individual health plans and 15.1% for small-group coverage, setting up another year of sizable increases for residents and small employers who buy policies outside large-company plans.
The Connecticut Insurance Department posted its final 2027 decisions after reviewing five filings. The approved averages are below the 16.2% increase insurers requested for individual coverage and the 17.8% requested for small groups, according to Connecticut Mirror’s account of the rulings. Even so, both market segments will see double-digit average growth.
The decisions apply to policies covering about 220,000 people: roughly 157,000 in individual plans and 63,000 in small-group plans. They do not mean every policyholder’s bill will rise by exactly the statewide average. The change for a household or business can vary by carrier, plan, age mix, geography and any financial assistance available through the exchange.
Carrier-level decisions also differed. Anthem sought a 12.8% average increase for individual plans and received approval for 8.8%, while ConnectiCare requested 22.7% and received 16%, the Mirror reported. The reductions show the state’s actuarial review changed the filings, but they do not eliminate the practical affordability problem facing consumers and employers.
The market has already absorbed large changes. Regulators approved average 2026 increases of 16.8% for individual policies and 11% for small groups, according to the same reporting. The new decision therefore represents a smaller average increase for individual coverage than last year, but a larger one for small employers. It is not a reversal of the broader upward trend.
What consumers should do next
The most useful comparison will be the final monthly premium and total annual cost for each household, not the market-wide average. Consumers should review premiums together with deductibles, copayments, prescription coverage and provider networks before renewing. Anyone receiving advance premium tax credits should also update household income and family information because the net amount paid can differ substantially from the listed premium.
Access Health CT says 2027 open enrollment will run from Oct. 23, 2026, through Jan. 15, 2027. Enrollment by Dec. 15 is required for coverage beginning Jan. 1; applications completed by Jan. 15 begin coverage Feb. 1. The exchange is Connecticut’s official marketplace and the only place where eligible residents can receive financial assistance to reduce premiums.
Small employers should ask brokers or carriers for renewal details early enough to compare contribution levels and plan designs. An average 15.1% increase can force decisions about how much of the premium the business absorbs, how much shifts to workers and whether a different plan structure is viable.
The department’s decision page also points consumers to the underlying final filings, which are more useful than the headline averages for understanding a particular carrier. Comparing those documents with the renewal notice—and checking whether doctors and medications remain covered—will provide the clearest picture before the enrollment deadline.
