Family-owned since 1982, based in Santee. CBIS sets up group health, dental, vision, life, disability and Section 125 plans for San Diego employers, from the owner plus 1 employee to groups of about 250, with a named CBIS contact for each account.
As an independent broker, CBIS compares group health plans from many insurance companies and health plans, so you can see your options side by side.
Book a free call (opens in new tab) or Get a benefits quote.
Who can get a small group plan
In California, small group health insurance starts at the owner plus 1 employee and goes up to 100 employees. CBIS also works with larger groups of up to about 250 employees.
Carriers set their own participation and contribution rules. We check each carrier’s rules against your headcount before you choose.
Plan types CBIS offers
- Fully insured plans. HMO, PPO and EPO plans where you pay a set monthly premium and the carrier pays claims.
- Level-funded plans. A set monthly payment covers expected claims, plan administration and stop-loss coverage. Terms differ by carrier.
- Self-funded plans. The employer pays claims directly, usually with stop-loss coverage, and carries more of the cost risk. These are more common for larger groups.
- ICHRA. You set a monthly allowance, and employees buy individual health plans. Learn how an ICHRA works for San Diego employers.
Which one fits depends on your group size, budget, and how much cost risk you want to carry. Many groups add dental, vision, life and disability coverage too. See our group benefits for San Diego employers.
Covered California for Small Business
Covered California for Small Business is the state’s marketplace for small group health plans, and CBIS offers those plans along with plans sold directly by carriers. We lay them out side by side so you can weigh networks, deductibles and employer costs.
Some small employers that buy through Covered California for Small Business may qualify for the federal Small Business Health Care Tax Credit. Check with your CPA or tax professional about whether your business qualifies.
How CBIS helps
- Carrier comparison. We’re independent, so we compare plans across insurance companies.
- Network checks. We check how each network covers the doctors and hospitals your team uses.
- Setup and enrollment. We help with applications and employee meetings by phone or video, and set up online enrollment through Employee Navigator.
- Help at each renewal. We lay out your current plan next to other options so you can compare them.
- A named person to call. Each account has a named CBIS contact who handles carrier questions and enrollment changes.
- COBRA notices. We help with COBRA notices.
CBIS is family-owned since 1982, based in Santee, and has never been sold to a larger firm.
Online enrollment with Employee Navigator
CBIS sets up Employee Navigator for your group, so employees can enroll, update their information and see their benefits online. You can track enrollment and make changes in one place instead of on paper forms. Benefits administration is part of how we service your group. See benefits administration with Employee Navigator, or read our Employee Navigator blog post.
Small business health insurance questions
How many employees do I need for small business health insurance?
In California, small group starts at the owner plus 1 employee and goes up to 100 employees. CBIS works with groups of up to about 250 employees.
Do I have to buy through Covered California for Small Business?
No. CBIS offers Covered California for Small Business plans, and many carriers also sell small group plans directly. CBIS can help you compare both.
What if my business can’t meet the participation or contribution rules?
Each year from November 15 to December 15, small-group carriers have to accept groups that don’t meet their usual participation or employer contribution minimums. Coverage bought in that window generally starts January 1.
Can CBIS review my current plan at renewal?
Yes. CBIS can review your renewal and compare it with other plans as a second opinion. If you decide to switch, a broker-of-record letter makes CBIS your broker. Changing brokers doesn’t change your plan or carrier by itself.
When can group coverage start?
Group coverage usually starts on the 1st of a month. How soon depends on each carrier’s deadlines for applications and enrollment, so it helps to start early.
Is small business health insurance required in California?
Employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees aren’t required to offer health insurance. Employers with 50 or more full-time employees have federal ACA rules about offering coverage.
How much does small business health insurance cost?
It depends on your employees’ ages, where they live, the plans you pick and how much you pay toward them. In California, small group rates are based on age and location, not your team’s health. CBIS can quote plans across carriers so you see real numbers.
How much does the employer have to pay?
Each carrier sets a minimum employer contribution, often a share of the employee-only premium. From November 15 to December 15, carriers have to accept groups that don’t meet those minimums.
Do I have to cover employees’ families?
No. You choose whether to offer dependent coverage and how much of it you pay.
Can I get a plan for just myself as the owner?
A small group plan needs the owner plus at least 1 employee. If it’s just you, CBIS can help you compare individual plans, including through Covered California.
Can part-time employees be included?
Small group plans usually cover employees who work 30 or more hours a week, and some carriers allow fewer. An ICHRA can also treat part-time employees as their own class.
Can I add dental, vision and life insurance?
Yes. CBIS sets up group dental, vision, life and disability coverage along with your health plan.
Can employees pay their share before taxes?
Yes, with a Section 125 plan. CBIS sets those up for groups.
Can we handle everything by phone or video?
Yes. We do quotes, applications and employee meetings by phone or video.
What do I need to get a quote?
We usually need each employee’s age and ZIP code, who they want to cover, and your current plan and renewal if you have one. Call or text CBIS at (858) 283-7575, or use Get a benefits quote.
Get a small business health insurance quote
Call or text CBIS at (858) 283-7575, book a free call (opens in new tab), or Get a benefits quote.