Businesses with at least two full-time taxable employees or other associations such as labor unions qualify for California group health insurance. The provider usually writes one master contract to cover the entire group.

California group insurance plans offer small businesses additional benefits other than medical care for its employees. The financial risk for a group health plan is distributed between all the members of the group, usually resulting in greater coverage and lower premiums. CA group insurance also offers tax advantages because all of the employer contributions are usually tax deductible.

There are three key points that affect the premium of a group health insurance plan in California:

1. The preferred provider organization. A health provider generally must be a member of the plan's PPO before California group medical insurance will pay for any treatments.

2. The amount the employee must pay before a California group insurance company will cover the costs of treatment. A higher deductible usually means a lower premium.

3. The maximum amount that group health insurance in California will pay. This is known as the benefit cap or coverage limit.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get a quote on affordable California group health insurance

Group health insurance almost always has a lower premium and lower health requirements than an equivalent individual policy. Use a group policy where possible, even if there are only two members in the group.

I recommend: Check out the Consumers Well Being Insurance Agency if you need a full service agency that offers comprehensive plans for affordable California group health insurance.

Search for group health insurance in California by city or zip code

Many websites offer plans from the major health insurance companies that provide group health insurance in a given location. California residents can restrict the search by city or zip code.

I recommend: Go to Group Insurance California to get a California group health insurance quote. These quotes will be based on the zip code of your small business in California.

Solicit a customized quote from a group health insurance provider in California

To avoid any costly surprises, supply the most complete information you can about your business and its employees when seeking a quote from a specific agency for California group health insurance plans.

I recommend: Complete the application for group insurance at the GDI Insurance Agency. It is based in California and provides a wide range of insurance needs in California, Arizona and Nevada.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Offer a consumer-driven group health insurance plan for employees who wish to be more engaged in their health care. A California group health insurance quote for this type of insurance usually includes a low-cost, high-deductible plan with Health Reimbursement Accounts and Health Savings Accounts. This allows a member to manage their expenditures much more closely than with a traditional health care plan.