When your group health insurance renewal arrives, it’s tempting to let it auto-renew and move on. Running a small business leaves little time to compare plans, review benefits, or research insurance carriers. That convenience could come at a significant price.

How Much Have Group Health Premiums Really Increased?

Group health insurance premiums have climbed steadily over the past 15 years. According to KFF, the average annual premium for family coverage increased from $13,770 in 2010 to $26,993 in 2025. Single coverage premiums have also risen significantly, growing from $5,049 to $9,325 during the same period.

Many employers assume annual rate increases are simply part of doing business. But accepting a 10% increase without exploring your options could mean paying more than you need to, or missing out on better benefits for the same budget.

But you don’t have to navigate the process on your own.

A Health Insurance Broker Can Save You Time and Money

Working with a health insurance broker doesn’t cost you anything. Broker commissions are built into Affordable Care Act health plan premiums, so your cost is the same whether you work with a broker or purchase coverage on your own. The difference is that a broker does the shopping for you.

Instead of reviewing plans from one carrier, your broker can compare multiple group health insurance options, helping you determine whether your current plan is still the best fit or if another option offers better value.

What a Broker Brings to the Table

They know the market.

Health insurance brokers understand the local insurance landscape and stay current on carrier offerings, provider networks, benefits, and pricing. They can compare your current plan against other available options and help you evaluate more than just the monthly premium. They’ll also look at employee costs like deductibles, copays, and out-of-pocket expenses to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.

They provide objective guidance.

Unlike agents who represent a single insurance company, independent brokers work with multiple carriers. Their job is to help you find the right balance of coverage, benefits, and cost for your business not steer you toward one specific plan.

They help your employees choose the right plan.

Offering employee benefits is only part of the equation. Your employees also need to understand their options.

A broker can guide employees through plan comparisons and provide online tools that help them confirm their preferred doctors, hospitals, specialists, and prescription medications are covered before they enroll.

They advocate for you when issues arise.

If there’s a claims issue, billing problem, or coverage question, your broker becomes your advocate. They can work directly with the insurance carrier on your behalf and help navigate appeals or independent medical reviews when needed.

They simplify administration.

Enrollment paperwork, eligibility changes, deadlines, carrier submissions—there’s a lot to manage. A broker helps keep everything organized and on schedule so you can spend less time on benefits administration and more time running your business.

Why Auto-Renewal Could Cost You

As we discussed in a prior blog post, group health premiums are up. Some employer groups are seeing increases as high as 32%, and early forecasts suggest another round of double-digit increases in 2027. That’s why reviewing your options each year matters.

Even if you ultimately stay with your current carrier, comparing plans gives you confidence that you’re getting the best value available. And in many cases, your broker may identify opportunities to lower costs, improve benefits, or both. You may also discover valuable extras included at no additional cost. For example, some health plans include employee discount programs, prescription savings, wellness resources, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Premium Only Plans (POPs), and other value-added benefits.

CaliforniaChoice offers additional employer and employee resources through its Member Value Suite and Business Solutions Suite, making it easier to get more value from your health benefits program.

Always Review Your Options at Renewal

Auto-renewing your group health plan may feel like the easiest option, but it could also be one of the most expensive. Taking a little time to review your options with a trusted health insurance broker could help your small business reduce costs, improve employee benefits, or simply confirm you’re already in the right plan. Either way, you’ll know you’re making an informed decision and not just accepting the first renewal that lands in your inbox. If you don’t already have a broker, it’s easy to search for one using the MyCalChoice website.