Group Health Benefits Built for Main Street, Not the Fortune 500
Health benefits help local businesses attract and keep good employees, but most group insurance is priced and structured for much larger companies. Main Street Benefits helps small business owners with 2 to 50 employees build group benefits packages sized to their real payroll, without adding a full-time HR role to manage them.
Group Insurance Options for Main Street Employers
Group Health Insurance
The core of any small business benefits package. Group health covers employees and their families under a single policy, with the employer typically contributing a share of the premium. We compare fully-insured and level-funded group health options to find the best fit for your business size and industry.
Group Dental and Vision
Frequently requested add-ons that use risk pooling to lower per-employee cost compared to individual plans, and are typically simple to bundle onto your existing group health renewal.
Group Life Insurance
Employer-paid group life insurance, often set at a multiple of an employee's salary, is a low-cost way to round out a competitive local benefits package.
Section 125 Cafeteria Plan
Lets employees pay their share of premiums with pre-tax dollars, reducing their taxable income and your payroll tax exposure at the same time. Main Street Benefits sets this up as part of your group package at no extra charge.
ICHRA and QSEHRA for Flexible Teams
For businesses with part-time, seasonal, or geographically spread staff, an ICHRA or QSEHRA reimbursement arrangement can be simpler to administer than a traditional group policy.
How Much Does Small Business Group Health Insurance Cost?
Costs vary by plan tier, carrier, employee ages, state rules, and participation rate. General benchmark ranges (employer cost per employee per month):
The Business Case for Offering Benefits on Main Street
Retention in a tight local labor market
Replacing a trained employee costs time, training, and lost productivity. Offering health benefits is one of the most direct levers a small business has for keeping experienced staff.
Tax advantages
Employer health insurance premiums are generally deductible as a business expense, and a Section 125 plan can reduce payroll tax exposure on the employee side as well. Confirm specifics with your tax advisor.
Competing with larger local employers
In many towns, national chains and regional employers can offer benefits that independent shops and restaurants struggle to match. A well-structured group plan narrows that gap.
How Setup Works for a Small Business
- Consultation - your dedicated Main Street Benefits specialist reviews your workforce, budget, and goals.
- Proposal - we present a comparison of 3-5 group plan options across carriers, with cost breakdowns for your actual payroll.
- Employee enrollment - we handle enrollment communication and paperwork at no cost to you.
- Ongoing support - we stay available for employee questions, mid-year changes, and annual renewals.
Ready to see your options?
Schedule a free consultation. A licensed advisor will walk you through carriers, plans, and trade-offs for your situation.