Florida group health insurance
Florida's small employer rules sit in the Employee Health Care Access Act, section 627.6699 of the Florida Statutes. Rates and forms are reviewed by the Office of Insurance Regulation, while agents are licensed through the Department of Financial Services.
Florida uses the federal 50-employee small group line, and employers reach the SHOP Marketplace through healthcare.gov.
A free matching service for employers, not a broker or insurer. We introduce you to a licensed broker and tell you who they are before anything is shared. No plan, tax or legal advice. How it works
What Florida employers should know
- Small employer plans follow the Employee Health Care Access Act.
- The small group line is the federal 50 employees.
- The Office of Insurance Regulation reviews carriers' rates and forms.
- The Department of Financial Services licenses agents and handles consumer help.
- Seasonal and part-time staff make eligibility counting important.
- There is no state-run marketplace: SHOP is through healthcare.gov.
Florida at a glance
| Item | Florida |
|---|---|
| Small group size Federal definition | 1 to 50 |
| State law Employee Health Care Access Act | s. 627.6699 |
| Rate and form review Office of Insurance Regulation | OIR |
| Agent licensing Department of Financial Services | DFS |
Sources: Fla. Stat. 627.6699, floir.com, myfloridacfo.com. Read October 28, 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Seasonal work and the headcount question
Many Florida employers in hospitality, construction and tourism have a workforce that swells and shrinks through the year. That makes two counts matter: who is eligible for your plan (usually employees working 30 hours a week or more, under carrier rules), and your average headcount for the federal 50 full-time equivalent test. A broker should help you work out both before you choose a plan, and an accountant should confirm the federal count.
Florida splits regulation between two agencies. If your question is about a carrier's rates or policy forms, it is the Office of Insurance Regulation. If it is about an agent or a complaint, it is the Department of Financial Services.
| Small employer health law | Section 627.6699, Florida Statutes |
|---|---|
| Carrier rates and policy forms | Office of Insurance Regulation |
| Agent licensing and complaints | Department of Financial Services |
| Marketplace for employers | Federal SHOP on healthcare.gov |
General information, not legal advice.
Six questions for a Florida broker
The standard questions, plus one for seasonal employers.
Their license, in your state
A resident or non-resident producer license with accident and health authority wherever you have employees. You can check it on your state insurance department's site (the NAIC lists every department).
How they are paid
Commission from the carrier, a flat fee from you, or both. Federal rules require brokers to disclose expected pay of $1,000 or more for a group health plan in writing before you sign (DOL guidance, 2021).
Which carriers they can quote
Brokers can only place cover with carriers that have appointed them. Ask which carriers and funding types they will take your group to, and whether any are left out.
Seasonal and variable-hour staff
How the carriers they quote treat seasonal and part-time employees for eligibility and participation.
What happens after you sign
Who handles enrollment, adding and removing employees, billing errors and claim problems during the year, and how quickly they reply.
Compliance help
Whether they help with ACA reporting, Section 125 premium-only plans, COBRA or state continuation notices and plan documents, or expect your payroll provider or attorney to do it.
A Florida employer, seasonal or year-round? We will find a licensed Florida broker who works with groups your size.
Find a licensed brokerSetting up a Florida group plan
Eligibility rules
Decide who is eligible (hours, waiting period) before the census goes out.
Census and quotes
Ages, ZIP codes and cover tier for each eligible employee.
Applications
Employer and employee forms, waivers and the first premium.
Through the year
New hires join after the waiting period; leavers get continuation notices.
Questions people ask
What is a small employer in Florida for health insurance?
Florida follows the federal 1 to 50 employee small group line. The state rules are in the Employee Health Care Access Act.
Who regulates group health insurance in Florida?
The Office of Insurance Regulation reviews carriers' rates and forms; the Department of Financial Services licenses agents and handles consumer complaints.
Do seasonal workers have to be offered cover?
Carriers set eligibility rules, commonly employees working 30 or more hours a week. Federal rules for employers with 50 or more full-time equivalents have their own tests for variable-hour and seasonal staff. A broker and an accountant should look at your situation together.
Is there a Florida marketplace for small businesses?
Florida has no state-run SHOP. Employers use the federal SHOP Marketplace or buy through a broker directly from carriers.
Are you a Florida insurance agency?
No. We hold no insurance license. We introduce you to a broker licensed in Florida.
Find a Florida group health broker
Three short steps: where the business is, what you have now, and who to speak to. It takes about two minutes and asks nothing about anyone's health.
- Free for employers. The broker pays us a flat fee per introduction.
- One broker, named to you first, with their state license number.
- No advice from us. Plans, rates and tax questions go to the licensed broker.
We are a free matching service, not a broker or insurer, and we do not quote or recommend plans. We look for a licensed benefits broker who suits your business and tell you who it is; your enquiry goes to them only with your go-ahead.
Thanks, your enquiry is in.
- Within one business day we will email or call to tell you which licensed benefits broker we have found, with their license number.
- Your details reach that broker only if you say yes.
- The broker reviews your renewal or your options and talks you through them. Whether to work with them is your choice. No marketing from us, ever.