Plans for teams of 2 to 50 across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco. We compare every carrier writing in Tampa Bay, handle the setup, and it costs you nothing — carriers pay our commission either way.
Health premiums are set by geographic rating area, and Florida’s are county-based. Across the state the gap between the cheapest county and the most expensive runs roughly 40 to 60 percent for comparable coverage. Miami-Dade sits at the high end of that range; Hillsborough is mid-range. Same carrier, same plan, same employee ages — a Tampa group generally prices below a Miami one. If you have been quoted using South Florida numbers, or you moved a team up from Miami, your real Tampa number is probably lower than you have been told.
The flip side is that a team split across the bay is not one price. Hillsborough and Pinellas are rated separately, so a company with an office in Tampa and a second in St. Petersburg can see different per-employee costs for identical coverage. It is worth modelling before you sign, not after.
The industries here create specific problems, and they are not the same ones South Florida has.
Most owners come to this with one question — what will it cost — and leave with four decisions. Here is the order they actually come in:
W-2 employees only, and only those meeting your hours threshold. 1099 contractors cannot go on a group plan, whatever you call them internally. Getting this wrong is the most common reason an application comes back.
Carriers typically require at least 50 percent of the employee-only premium. Going above that improves participation, which in turn keeps the plan viable and can widen the plan options available to you.
Check your people’s actual doctors by name in the plan’s own directory. Tampa Bay has good provider density, but plan names still oversell network breadth, and a narrow network discovered in February is an expensive surprise.
Group coverage is not tied to the ACA open enrollment calendar — a small business can start a plan in any month. Your renewal date then becomes your annual decision point. More on employer timing →
Budget roughly $350 to $650 per employee per month for an employee-only group plan in 2027, usually split between employer and employee. Hillsborough County sits in the middle of Florida's range rather than the top, so the same plan generally prices below what a Miami-Dade employer pays for it.
Premiums are set by geographic rating area, and Florida's areas are county-based. Across Florida the spread from the cheapest county to the most expensive runs roughly 40 to 60 percent for comparable coverage. Miami-Dade sits at the high end of that range and Hillsborough is mid-range, so a Tampa employer typically pays less than a Miami employer for the same plan and the same employee ages.
Florida's small-group market covers employers with 1 to 50 employees, so you can set up a group plan with as few as one W-2 employee besides the owner. Carriers generally require a minimum share of eligible employees to participate and that the employer contribute at least half of the employee-only premium.
Yes. We write group coverage across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties, which covers Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, Riverview and the surrounding area. Note that Pinellas and Hillsborough can price differently, so a team split across the bay is worth modelling before you commit.
Only if you average 50 or more full-time equivalent employees. Below that threshold there is no federal mandate and Florida has no state employer mandate. Most Tampa small employers offer coverage for hiring and retention reasons, not because they have to.
No. For a group of 1 to 50, the ACA allows premiums to vary only by employee age, geographic rating area, family size, tobacco use and the plan selected. Industry, injury rate and prior claims are not permitted rating factors. That is the opposite of workers' compensation.
Nothing. Carriers pay our commission, and it is built into the premium whether you use a broker or not. You pay the same rate going direct, so you may as well have someone shop the market and handle the paperwork.
Employee count and ages is enough to start. We come back with real numbers from every carrier writing in Hillsborough and Pinellas — not a range, your range. Licensed in Florida and 40+ states, bilingual, and free either way.