In Canada, citizens are fortunate enough to take part in universal health care run by the government, which provides basic care from physicians and hospitals. However, this care isn’t always comprehensive, and around three-quarters of Canadians look to their employers for supplemental insurance benefits.

Are you in the process of choosing group benefits for small business employees? If so, here are three important questions to ask yourself before you choose a small business health insurance plan.

1. How many employees will be on your plan? Roughly 98% of all companies in Canada are small businesses with between two and 100 employees. If your business falls into this category, then you don’t have to worry about paying for too many employees’ supplemental benefits. As such, you should be able to find a cost effective plan depending upon how many workers you have.

2. Which employees will be eligible for benefits? Are you offering your health care plan to everyone in your company or only full-time employees? While most businesses tend to hire full-time workers, many others hire part-time, seasonal, or temporary workers, all of whom may not need or be eligible for supplemental benefits. If you do decide to provide insurance benefits for all employees, then make sure that you have group benefits for small businesses that offer good value for money in health spending and gives employees the care they need.

3. How much do you plan to spend on your group benefits for small business? Finally, all employers need to take their budgets into consideration. Around 72% of Canadian small business owners report that they are concerned about the cost per employee for their health care, and 60% also list quality as a concern. Full small business health insurance benefits may cost you a lot more than a plan on a smaller scale. One such option to consider is the use of health spending accounts, which give employees the chance to put pre-taxed dollars into a private account to use on out-of-pocket costs. This plan allows employees to choose who provides their care and how much they have to spend, as the funds come from payroll deductions.

Need more information on choosing your company’s group benefits? Leave a comment in the space provided.