Hi, I'm Marshall.

Come back with me to the summer before my sophomore year of high school.

I'm sitting in a small doctor's office with my Mom, Dad, and Marlee (our close family friend and primary care physician).

I'm on the test table — you know, the one with paper stretched across? It smells like a hint of cleaning supplies and a lavender air freshener.

I'm sitting on the edge of the table anxiously fidgeting my fingers. We're waiting to hear the results of my labs, which will hopefully explain what's been going on with my body for the last 6 months. (It was a ghost chase for a bit.)

Finally, after what felt like hours, the doctor comes in and says something along the lines of:

“Congrats — we know the kind of freak you are. You have a rare neuromuscular condition called Myasthenia Gravis.”

(They didn't actually explain it like that.)

If you've never had a doctor diagnose you with a condition that makes no sense at all, it's like waking up in a class you didn't mean to sign up for, and it's way too advanced for you. (....wtf? 🤪😂)

I'm sharing this with you because since that point, I've had to navigate insurance and networks every year, which is most of my life now.

A few years with my family, and a lot more on my own — for a rare autoimmune condition, 4 knee surgeries (two on each knee), and a bunch of other weird health conditions.

I've learned a lot about prescriptions, doctors, labs, and of course, waiting times....

......

...

......

If you've been to a lot of doctor's appointments, you know what I mean. 😅

I didn't think about it at the time, but insurance was a momentous part of my family's life and mine. With a large family of 9, we've had tons of doctor appointments, surgeries, prescriptions, and hospital visits.

I've been through a lot of debilitating circumstances that I wouldn't have been able to get out of if it weren't for the people who helped me, and those who helped my family.

I've seen many doctors and met a lot of people in circumstances that were a lot more painful, confusing, or debilitating than mine — either physically, mentally, or financially.

People need help.

And in the years after my autoimmune diagnosis, I realized I wanted to help like I've been helped.

I wanted to give back in some way, to pay it forward for the goodness and support I felt from the hundreds (probably thousands now) of people who helped me along the way.

I wanted to be a helper. 💛

In time, this desire led me to become an insurance agent from 2019–2024 — a call center agent for 2 years, and an independent agent for 3.

My time as an insurance professional opened my eyes to insurance of all kinds and stories of all types — miracles and tragedies of our insurance systems.

Our current systems work well for some, okay for others, and awfully for many more.

I stopped being an insurance agent because I wanted to help differently. I still didn't know how I wanted to help, but I was determined to continue helping.

In time, this led me and my business partner (and friend of 18 years) to start Coverage Cove.

We both have a strong drive to create positive ripple effects, and that is the purpose for this site.

Our mission

To make it easy to find, understand, and enroll in coverage through our educational resources and the professionals we're connected to.

We'll do the research so you don't have to.