Rhode Island group health insurance providers usually cover the entire group with a single master contract. The group may consist of employees in a business, a professional trade organization or labor unions.

A provider of Rhode Island group health insurance offers small businesses other advantages besides medical care for its employees. Group insurance also has tax benefits because the employer contributions are usually tax deductible. Rhode Island group health insurance coverage usually has lower premiums and greater coverage because the financial risk is distributed between all the members.

There are three factors to consider when evaluating a group health insurance plan in Rhode Island:

1. Rhode Island medical insurance carriers must have enough local providers in their network to cover the medical requirements of your group.

2. The deductible must be appropriate to the general health of your employees. Rhode Island group health insurance providers that have a deductible that is too low can be just as costly as those that are too high.

3. Carefully determine the coverage limit Rhode Island group insurance companies will pay based on your employees' overall health.

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

Contact specific Rhode Island group health insurance agents

A broker represents a group of major insurance companies and has experience in bringing these providers together with employers seeking group health insurance.

I recommend: Use A&R Insurance for health plans on both large and small businesses (less than 50 employees). A&R can provide quotes for every insurance provider in southern New England.

Get a quote from a variety of group health insurance providers in Rhode Island

Group health insurance providers in Rhode Island almost always offer lower premiums and lower health requirements for a group plan. Group insurance is therefore preferable to individual insurance even if there are only two members.

I recommend: Go to Rhode Island Health Insurance for a free quote on group health insurance in Rhode Island. This insurer provides insurance only in Rhode Island and works with the largest carriers in the United States, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Healthcare.

Apply for enrollment directly with a carrier of group health insurance in Rhode Island

You should use this method if you have already decided on the carrier, especially if you don't have a broker.

I recommend: Go to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island and complete the application form for a small (50 or fewer employees) business or large (more than 50 employees) business. Blue Cross Blue Shield is by far the largest provider of health insurance in Rhode Island.

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. This type of Rhode Island health insurance coverage usually offsets a low-cost, high-deductible plan with Health Reimbursement Accounts and Health Savings Accounts that allow a member to manage their expenditures much more closely than with a traditional health care plan.