Employee Benefits
Design a competitive benefits package for your team
Why benefits matter
Why a real benefits package pays off
Recruit the right people
For many job seekers, benefits matter as much as salary. A strong package is often the deciding factor in a competitive offer.
Retain your best team
Replacing an employee can cost 50–200% of their annual salary. Benefits give people a reason to stay.
Real tax advantages
Employer contributions are deductible, and employee premiums can run pre-tax via Section 125, so both sides save.
What goes in the package
The building blocks of a real package
Group Health Insurance
The cornerstone of most packages. We help you pick between fully insured, level-funded, self-funded, and ICHRA structures.
Learn moreICHRA
Reimburse employees tax-free for individual coverage with full budget control and no participation requirements.
Learn moreDental Insurance
Often the second most-requested benefit. Preventive care typically covered at 100%.
Learn moreVision Insurance
One of the most affordable benefits to add. Covers exams, frames, lenses, and contacts.
Learn moreLife Insurance
Employer-paid base coverage (1–2× salary) plus voluntary supplemental options for employees and dependents.
Learn moreDisability Insurance
Short-term and long-term income protection. Especially important since SC has no state disability program.
Learn moreVoluntary & Supplemental
Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity coverage, paid by employees at group rates with no cost to the employer.
Learn more
Designing your package
There's no one-size-fits-all benefits package. The right mix depends on workforce demographics, industry, budget, and what you're trying to accomplish as an employer. We start with a needs assessment — census, age and dependent tier distribution, geography, what competitors offer, and any claims experience available from your current carrier — then model several funding and contribution scenarios so you can compare plan-design and employer-share strategies on a same-budget basis before committing.
- Census, demographics, and any available claims experience
- Industry and Columbia-market benchmarks
- Multiple funding and contribution scenarios with tax impact modeled
- Employer-paid core + voluntary menu under one enrollment
Budget strategy
Employer-paid + voluntary = competitive at any budget
Fund the core
Health insurance and basic life are usually employer-funded. These are the high-value items employees expect.
Offer voluntary extras
Dental, vision, and supplemental coverage can be offered through you but paid by employees at group rates, which means you expand the package at no additional cost.
Stay compliant
We coordinate ACA 1094-C/1095-C reporting, ERISA SPD and Form 5500 obligations, Section 125 cafeteria plan documents, and CAA Section 408(b)(2) compensation disclosures so the compliance work doesn't become a penalty.
Absolutely love this company. I tried another insurance company that didn't get me half the benefits this one did. Andrew Mayne helped me find coverage the day I called that met all my requirements. Highly recommend.
Arianna P.
Employee benefits client · South Carolina
Related coverage
Other ways we help employers
Group Health Insurance
Fully insured, level-funded, and self-funded plans for every size business.
Learn moreICHRA
Tax-free reimbursement for individual coverage, with a predictable budget and no participation threshold.
Learn moreSmall Business Health
Plan options and tax credits designed for businesses under 25 employees.
Learn more
Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
Real people. Real guidance. Real peace of mind.
I can't say enough nice things about Will Murdock and the hours he's spent helping me find the best plan. He sat on hold listening to elevator music for hours getting all the kinks worked out with my Medicare and Medicaid.
Stacey R.
Medicare client · South Carolina
I was looking for new health insurance and ended up with dental and vision too. Will offered different plans that worked for my budget. Finding insurance isn't always easy, but they made it simple.
Brittany P.
Individual & supplemental plan member · South Carolina
Sherri is incredible. In the 12 years I've handled our company's insurance, we were only ever offered the same two paths. She gave us options no previous agent had ever mentioned, worked directly with each employee, and answered every question.
Jill C.
Group benefits decision-maker · South Carolina
Kearah saved my sanity. She helped me navigate a very uncertain period of getting solid coverage — she was on every call with me and even did footwork on my behalf. I'll be calling her for life insurance next.
ILONA
Health & life client · South Carolina
Brandon is a wealth of information. He's personable, easy to talk to, and made the crazy world of Medicare make sense. He's my recommendation for friends and family getting ready to become eligible.
Matt L.
New Medicare enrollee · South Carolina
Sherri reached out to the Chamber to discuss our health plan and found us a plan with a wider range of benefits. Her knowledge of the health insurance market is remarkable, and her customer service is exceptional.
Irmo Chamber of Commerce
Member organisation · Irmo, SC
Brandon is super compassionate with older folks. He guided my mom through her Medicare open enrollment so smoothly. Thanks, Brandon.
Melissa F.
Family caregiver · South Carolina
As a self-employed small business owner, I'd always carried high deductibles and minimal coverage to make insurance work. Sherri found my family a plan with real coverage and was patient with every question I had.
Victoria A.
Self-employed plan member · South Carolina
The owner and employees were extremely knowledgeable in finding us insurance options. Sherri explained everything and answered every question. Kristian was professional and never made me feel like a burden — he was happy to help.
Allison H.
Long-time client · South Carolina
Andrew is amazing at serving his clients. He cares for them from the beginning to the end of the process. I'd recommend him to anyone looking to add health or life insurance.
Joy H.
Health & life client · South Carolina
Employee benefits carriers
Our Brokerage Partners
Blue Cross Blue Shield
UnitedHealthcare
Aetna
Ambetter
Molina
Why work with us
Your benefits partner, year-round
Every major carrier
We compare BlueCross BlueShield, Blue Choice, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Ambetter, and others side by side to find the right combination for your team.
Renewal strategy and service
Renewal negotiation, claims-experience review, open enrollment, ERISA/CAA compliance support, and employee escalations year-round — not a quote at renewal and silence the rest of the year.
Transparent broker compensation
Broker compensation is built into carrier premiums and disclosed in writing under CAA Section 408(b)(2). The rate you pay is identical to going direct.
Got Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question not listed here? Get in touch.
A comprehensive employee benefits package often includes group health insurance, dental coverage, vision coverage, life insurance, and short-term and long-term disability insurance. Many employers also offer voluntary or supplemental benefits such as accident insurance, critical illness coverage, hospital indemnity plans, and flexible spending accounts (FSAs). The specific mix depends on your budget, industry, and what your employees value most.
Costs vary widely depending on the benefits offered, the number of employees, and the contribution strategy. Health insurance is typically the largest expense, while ancillary benefits like dental, vision, and life insurance are significantly less expensive. Many ancillary benefits can also be offered on a voluntary (employee-paid) basis at no direct cost to the employer. We can quote your specific group so you see real numbers, not estimates.
Employer-paid benefits are fully or partially funded by the company as part of the compensation package. Voluntary benefits are offered through the employer but paid entirely by the employee through payroll deductions, typically at group rates that are lower than what employees would pay on the individual market. Offering voluntary benefits allows you to expand your benefits package without increasing your costs.
Yes. There is no minimum business size required to offer employee benefits in South Carolina. Even businesses with one or two employees can provide group health insurance, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage. Options like ICHRA allow very small businesses to offer health benefits with full budget control and no participation requirements. We help businesses of all sizes build benefits packages that make sense for their situation.
Build a better benefits package, free consultation
We help Columbia employers design benefits that attract talent without breaking the budget.