What Small Businesses Look for in Health Insurance

While entrepreneurs may have a reputation for taking risks, when it comes to health-care decisions, small-business owners tend to play it safe.

“In reality, they are more risk-averse,” says Christina Merhar, the director of content at Zane Benefits. Zane Benefits, which provides health-care solutions to SMBs, recently published an E-book based on the company’s experience with its clients.

“They’ve invested a lot of their own personal savings into the game, so they are more cautious and aware of financial risk,” says Merhar. “They don’t want to do something to harm their business.”

As a result, Merhar says small-business owners are extremely concerned about controlling costs.

“They don’t want to budget for a certain amount this year, and then next year see a 40% increase. They can’t have that unpredictability,” she says.

Getting the Most for the Least Amount of Money

When it comes to choosing a specific policy, Merhar says small-business owners are often driven by their own personal health needs, and those of their family members.

“They’re thinking about, ‘Is my wife going to have access to the same doctor? What will our co-pays be?’ They’re thinking about it through their own family lens,” says Merhar.

Small-business owners are also looking for a high return on investment when it comes to any spending on health care. This is seen by their attention to the quality of health care provided for a certain dollar amount, as well as a focus on keeping employees happy with the benefit.

“The cost of replacing employees is expensive,” says Merhar. By ensuring that staffers are happy with health-care benefits, she says small-business owners can help keep employee turnover low.