Flexible Small Business Health Insurance Solutions

Small business health insurance is employer-sponsored medical coverage offered to employees, often alongside dental, vision, life, or disability benefits. Employers choose a plan design, contribution approach, and carrier, while employees enroll in available coverage. Options can include fully insured group plans, level-funded arrangements, self-funded plans, high-deductible plans paired with HSAs, and reimbursement-based strategies such as ICHRAs.

Eligibility rules vary by carrier, state, and plan design, but many small-group arrangements are designed for employers with at least one eligible employee besides the owner. Participation and employer-contribution requirements may also apply. A benefits advisor can review your employee count, ownership structure, employee classifications, and location to identify available group coverage and alternative benefit strategies.

With a fully insured plan, the employer pays a set premium and the carrier assumes claims risk. A level-funded plan typically has a fixed monthly payment but includes self-funding components, stop-loss protection, and the possibility of a surplus return if claims are favorable. Both approaches require careful comparison of costs, risk, plan design, and employee needs.

Yes. An HSA must be paired with a qualified high-deductible health plan and is owned by the employee, with tax-advantaged contributions available within applicable limits. An HRA is employer-funded and can reimburse eligible expenses according to the plan design. Unlike an HSA, unused HRA funds generally remain with the employer, creating additional design flexibility.

An Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement, or ICHRA, allows an employer to set reimbursement amounts for employees who purchase qualifying individual health coverage. It can be useful for businesses with part-time, seasonal, geographically distributed, or differently classified employees. Employers may vary contributions by permitted classes, family size, and age, subject to applicable regulations and affordability rules.

Costs are shaped by workforce size, employee ages, location, selected carrier, plan design, deductible, network, employer contribution, and funding method. Rather than evaluating premium alone, employers should compare total expected cost, out-of-pocket exposure, prescription coverage, and administrative requirements. A market analysis can help identify options that align with both budget goals and employee coverage needs.

Yes. Employers can generally designate a new broker through a Broker of Record letter during the plan year without changing the existing health plan or waiting for renewal. This allows Franklin Benefits Group to conduct an in-depth market analysis, request carrier quotes, and provide ongoing service. Your current coverage remains in place while the broker relationship changes.

Ongoing support can include renewal planning, claims assistance, employee communications, benefit statements, online enrollment, COBRA administration, ERISA plan documents, Section 125 documentation, ACA reporting support, and HR tools. Franklin Benefits Group helps employers address questions throughout the year, so benefits administration does not become an unnecessary burden on internal HR teams.