Group Benefits · Florida
Florida Group Health Insurance & Employee Benefits Plans
Great benefits help you hire and retain top talent. We compare small business group health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans side by side for Florida employers.
How does small business group health insurance work in Florida?
Small business group health insurance provides medical coverage to your employees and their dependents with broader provider networks than individual ACA policies. In Florida, carriers typically require employers to contribute at least 50% toward the employee's monthly premium to qualify for a group plan, and you must meet minimum employee participation thresholds.
Florida Group Health Insurance Rules for Employers
The rules below decide which plans you can buy and whether federal law expects you to offer coverage.
| The rule | What it means for your business |
|---|---|
| A small employer in Florida has at least 1 and no more than 50 employees, on average, during the prior year (§ 627.6699(3), Florida Statutes) | You buy in the small group market, where plans and rates follow the state and federal small group rules. |
| Carriers must offer and issue small group plans on a guaranteed-issue basis to every eligible employer with 2 to 50 eligible employees (§ 627.6699(5)(b)) | A carrier cannot turn your group down because someone on your team is sick. A one-person group has narrower options. |
| Carriers may set a minimum share of employees who must enroll and a minimum employer contribution, applied the same way to every group of your size (§ 627.6699(5)(e)) | Ask what each carrier requires before you choose. Most expect the employer to pay part of each employee's premium. |
| The federal employer mandate applies only to applicable large employers: 50 or more full-time employees, including full-time equivalents. Full time is 30 hours a week or 130 hours a month (IRS, Employer Shared Responsibility) | Below 50, federal law does not require you to offer coverage. At 50 or more, a penalty can apply if you do not offer affordable coverage. |
| Employers with fewer than 25 full-time equivalents who pay at least 50% of employee-only premiums for a plan bought through SHOP may qualify for a tax credit of up to 50% of premiums paid (35% for tax-exempt employers), for two consecutive years (IRS, Small Business Health Care Tax Credit) | Average wages must also fall under the IRS limit. Your tax adviser confirms eligibility; we place the plan that keeps the option open. |
These are the state and federal rules, not a quote. Plans, eligibility and pricing vary by carrier, by where your employees live and by the plans you choose.
Group vs. Individual Health Insurance
Both can cover the same doctors and benefits. The difference is who buys the plan and who pays for it.
Group health insurance
The employer buys one plan for the team and pays part of the premium. Employees pay their share before taxes through payroll. Each person's health does not change the group's rate. Employees can join at hire or during the group's open enrollment.
Individual health insurance
Each person buys their own plan, often through the Marketplace, and may qualify for a premium tax credit based on income. It goes with them from job to job. Self-employed? Start with our individual health insurance page.
Group Dental, Vision, Life and Disability
Group dental
Cleanings, fillings and major work for your team, often paid fully or partly by the employer.
Group vision
Eye exams, glasses and contacts, usually a low-cost plan employees value.
Group life
A death benefit for each employee, often a set amount or a multiple of salary, with the option to buy more.
Group disability
Part of an employee's income when an illness or injury off the job keeps them from working.
Have This Ready for Your Group Health Quote
- A list of employees with dates of birth, ZIP codes and who wants family coverage.
- How much of the premium you plan to pay for employees and for dependents.
- Your current plan's renewal notice and summary of benefits, if you have one.
- Your business tax ID and the most recent quarterly payroll report.
Who offers group health and employee benefits in Miami Lakes?
American US Insurance is an independent, bilingual insurance agency headquartered in Kendall that sets up group health and employee benefits for employers across South Florida. We start with your headcount, your budget and how much of the premium you plan to pay. Those three numbers narrow the small group health insurance plans worth showing you, with dental, vision and life coverage beside them. We work with employers in Miami Lakes, Kendall, Coral Gables and Fort Lauderdale, and across Florida. We run the enrollment meetings and answer employee questions.
Additional Business Insurance Options
Employee Benefits Guides for Employers
Business Owners Policy vs. General Liability: Which Fits?
Business owners policy vs. general liability: a BOP adds property and business income coverage to liability. How to tell which your Florida business needs.
Read More →
Payment Bond vs. Performance Bond: How Each One Works
Payment bond vs. performance bond: one guarantees the job gets finished, the other that subs and suppliers get paid. When Florida public jobs need both.
Read More →Get a Group Health Insurance Quote for Your Team
Tell us your employee headcount and desired offerings. We compare multiple A-rated Florida carriers to structure a benefits package that fits your budget and retains your best workers.
- No obligation, no pressure
- Renewal and claims help after you buy
- A licensed agent compares carriers
Request My Group Benefits Quote
Common Questions