Employee Benefits

Whether you are a new to the group health market, or an existing employer considering a second opinion, we look forward to helping you implement a new and or improved benefit strategy that is essential to your success. As group health experts, we understand the issues you face as a small business managing employees and sponsoring benefits in today’s expensive insurance and complex healthcare landscape, and we help you take these challenges head on.

Making Benefits Affordable and Easy

At Castle Group Health, we don’t just sell health plans and contact you at renewal time! Our approach is client centered – a partnership that helps clients effectively curve rising healthcare costs, manage their benefit programs efficiently, and navigate the often complex landscape of healthcare options. We take the time to understand each client’s unique needs and challenges, ensuring that our solutions are tailored specifically for them. Our dedicated team is committed to providing ongoing support and guidance throughout the entire process, fostering long-lasting relationships that go beyond mere transactions.

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Types of Employee Benefits Available

We design, implement, communicate and manage benefit packages consisting of a variety of the following employer sponsored and employee paid benefits for small to medium groups up to 100 employees.

Traditional Group Benefits

Following are types of fully-funded and partially funded plans our top carriers offer:

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)
An HMO group health plan requires employees to appoint a primary care physician who directs treatment utilizing service providers affiliated with the HMO. HMOs offer access to a comprehensive package of health care for a low monthly premium. A small co-payment is often required for services, depending upon the type provided.

Preferred Provider Organization
PPO group health plans offer a vast network of quality healthcare providers and facilities. Employees save the most money on healthcare if they use providers within the network, as some services may be only partially covered or not even covered at all when outside providers are used. Also, many services may not be covered if deductibles are not first met, however, the plan includes important wellness and preventative services provided outside of the deductible with a small co-pay.

Point of Service Plans (POS)
POS plans combine features of HMOs and PPOs. Most POS plans require members to choose a primary care physician from within the POS network, but allow them to use out-of-network specialists with a referral from a primary care physician. Co-payments will be higher for out-of-network services.

Employees always appreciate dental coverage as part of the basic benefit package. Studies have shown that regular dental exams help employees to stay healthier and more productive in the work place. Additionally, you can detect serious underlying conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, through regular dental exams. In fact, the National Association of Dental Plans and the Centers for Disease Control have performed studies that show that employees with dental insurance have better attitudes and are less likely to suffer from depression, a common condition in today’s fast-paced world.

Dental insurance offers a variety of diagnostic, preventative care and corrective services. This includes cleanings, exams, x-rays, fillings, root canals, orthodontia for children, and emergency care while traveling.

Similar to dental policies, vision plans are inexpensive and save employees money on routine eye care. Examples of care include exams, eyeglass frames and lenses, contacts, and even discounts on procedures like LASIK. Additionally, monitoring your eye health with regular exams helps to prevent serious eye diseases like glaucoma and cataracts. In addition, regular eye exams help to detect early stages of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

It has been proven that employees are more productive when they feel secure that their loved ones will be taken care of, in the event of illness or an untimely death. That’s why smart employers consider life insurance a key part of the benefit package, and a valuable tool in attracting top talent. A good life insurance policy provides for an employee’s final expenses, taxes, mortgage and more. Additionally, it may even pay for their children’s education.

We offer the following life insurance options, either as part of the employer paid main benefit offering, or on a voluntary bases.  Coverage is typically for a flat amount or for up to 2x to 3x the employee’s salary, with the option for the employee to buy up the policy, and or include coverage for dependents (spouse and children). Typically there is no exam required up to a certain amount.  Coverage is portable when on a voluntary basis, meaning the employee can take the policy with them when they change employers.

Term Life Insurance 

This type of life insurance does not build cash value. However, it will pay a set amount to the named beneficiary upon the death of insured within the stated term. Additionally, some policies may also make payments upon terminal or critical illness.  If AD&D is added, the rider portion will pay a set amount for an unintentional death or dismemberment of the insured. Dismemberment includes the loss—or the loss of use—of body parts or functions (e.g., limbs, speech, eyesight, and hearing).

Permanent Life Insurance

A Term Life policy protects employees during their working years, however Permanent Life provides additional coverage that employees can utilize later in life. Employees can widen their safety net with premiums and benefits they can count on, as they don’t ever change.

Several advantages of Permanent Life include borrowing against the policy or building a tax deferred investment income, in addition to paying a death benefit.

Whole Life, Variable Life and Universal Life are all types of cash value life insurance. Cash value insurance is also known as permanent life insurance because it provides coverage for the policyholder’s entire life.

When an employee is unable to work due to illness or an accident, the financial impact can be devastating for them. When this happens, Disability Insurance replaces a portion of your employee’s income, while they are unable to work. While worst case scenario might seem remote, employees are often surprised to learn statistics show chances of becoming disabled are greater than dying between the ages of 25 & 45. In fact, more than one in four 20-year-olds will experience a disability for longer than 90 days before the age of 67.

With these statistics, it is no wonder that national surveys continue to show that Disability Insurance remains of high importance for most employees as an affordable strategy to widen their financial safety net. Those who wish to purchase a wrap-around policy to augment their employer provided coverage may do so.

Short Term Disability

During the time an employee is unable to work due to a qualifying disability (illness or injury), STD generally allows for income payments to the employee to begin after about a two-week waiting period and will continue to pay the employee until he/she recovers or maxes out the benefits–usually anywhere between one month to two years, depending on the policy.

Long Term Disability

During the time an employee is unable to work due to a qualifying disability (illness or injury), LTD generally allows for income payments to the employee to begin after about a 90-day waiting period. However, it could be much longer depending on the policy. The policy will pay the employee far longer than STD–for a few years, up to age 65, or even for life.