Employers
Group employee benefits
Medical, dental and ancillary lines for small employers, with participation rules and contribution models explained.
$0 advisor fee on this line, including every review afterwards
Small-group benefits are a different discipline from individual coverage. The carrier is underwriting the group, not the person, and the rules that decide whether you can buy a plan at all are about participation and contribution, not health.
Most Florida small-group carriers require that a minimum share of eligible employees actually enrol, commonly around 70% of eligible employees after valid waivers are removed, and that the employer contributes a minimum share of the employee-only premium, commonly around 50%. Employees with other coverage, such as a spouse's plan or Medicare, are usually removed from the denominator, which is how a small group with several waivers still qualifies.
We build the census, run it across carriers, and show you two or three contribution models with the real payroll cost of each. Then we handle the enrolment meetings, the waivers, and the annual renewal. Owners rarely want to become benefits administrators; that part is ours.
What this covers
- Medical plan options by carrier. Usually a menu of two to four plans per carrier, from high-deductible with an HSA through to low-deductible copay plans.
- Dental, vision and ancillary lines. Dental, vision, group life, short and long-term disability, and accident or hospital indemnity as voluntary lines paid by the employee.
- A contribution model that fits payroll. Percentage of employee-only premium, a flat dollar defined contribution, or a tiered model that funds dependents differently. We show what each costs at your actual headcount.
- Enrolment meetings in English and Spanish. On site or by webinar, with one-to-one time for anyone who wants it. Employees enrol far better when someone explains it in their own language.
- Renewal management. We start the renewal 90 days out, market the group if the increase warrants it, and present the alternatives before the anniversary, not after.
How we work it with you
- Build the census. Date of birth, zip, and tier for each eligible employee, plus who already has other coverage. This is the input every carrier prices from.
- Test participation. We calculate eligible headcount, valid waivers and the resulting participation percentage so we know which carriers will accept the group before we quote.
- Quote across carriers. Same plan designs, same tiers, side by side, with the total monthly cost split between employer and employee under each contribution model.
- Run the enrolment. Meetings, forms, waivers and dependent verification. We collect what the carrier needs so the effective date does not slip.
- Service the group all year. ID card problems, claim questions, new hires, terminations and COBRA-equivalent continuation questions. One number for the owner, one for the employees.
Who this usually fits
- You have 2 to 50 employees and want to offer medical cover
- Your current renewal came in high and you want the group marketed
- You want dental and vision without adding cost to the company
- You need someone to run enrolment meetings in English and Spanish
When we would point you elsewhere
If you have one employee and no other eligible staff, a small-group plan usually is not available; an individual or Marketplace plan is the route, and we can do that too.
What drives the cost
Typical ranges for this area. Your own price depends on your address, your age and the plan you pick.
| Factor | Typical range or shape | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum participation | Around 70% of eligible employees | Valid waivers for other coverage are generally removed from the calculation. |
| Minimum employer contribution | Around 50% of employee-only premium | Dependent premium is often employee-paid in full, which is where most of the cost pressure sits. |
| Defined contribution model | A fixed dollar amount per employee per month | Caps the company's exposure and makes budgeting predictable, but shifts renewal increases to employees. |
| Renewal timeline | Marketed 90 days before the anniversary | Late marketing is the main reason groups accept a bad increase. |
Scroll the table sideways for the full row.
Carriers we can quote on this line
Medical, dental, vision and ancillary for Florida employers with 2 to 50 employees.
- Solace Benefit Group
- Mirrorlake Health
- Kestrel Health Plans
- Halcyon Benefit
Questions we are asked about group employee benefits
Most Florida small-group carriers will write a group with at least two enrolling employees, subject to participation rules. Owner-only arrangements are generally not eligible.
You must offer dependent coverage, but you are not usually required to contribute toward it. Many small employers fund employee-only and let staff buy up.
Waivers for other creditable coverage usually come out of the participation calculation. We run that test before quoting so you know where the group stands.
No. Our compensation comes from the carrier and is already built into the group rates. Using a broker does not raise your premium.
Related coverage
Self-employed health cover
For 1099 earners and one-person businesses, where income moves and the subsidy moves with it.
Compare coverage
Critical illness and supplemental
Policies that pay cash directly to you when a diagnosis or a hospital stay also stops your income.
Compare coverage
Life insurance
Term, permanent and final-expense cover, sized against an actual obligation rather than a rule of thumb.
Compare coverage
Call and ask us anything. Nothing is sold on the phone.
Twenty minutes with someone who will ask for your doctor list before naming a plan. If the right answer is the plan you already have, that is what you will hear.
(727) 555-0241Mon - Thu 8:30 am - 5:30 pm · Friday 8:30 am - 3:00 pm · TTY 711 · Se habla español
No cost to you, ever. We are compensated by carriers, not by the people we advise.