Providing employees with insurance coverage is one of the best ways for small business owners to support their employees. Employees with health insurance are happier, far more productive in the office, and are more likely to stay at a company if they are satisfied with their current benefits. In this digital age, online benefits marketplaces render finding employee insurance for employees as modern and straightforward as searching for and buying other high ticket items such as automobiles or homes. There are resources at employers' disposal should they have any questions throughout the insurance shopping and purchasing process. Below are three reasons online marketplaces help small business owners choose health insurance:

Convenience

Small business owners are exceedingly busy and their time is valuable. In a recent Vistaprint survey, small business owners reported spending their time on administrative duties, project management, marketing, product development, design and other countless tasks that are essential to growing their businesses. The availability to browse and shop from a laptop or tablet is a convenience that their hectic schedule requires. Compare employee health plan options digitally to save time that would otherwise be spent filling out lengthy paperwork, scheduling meetings or playing phone tag. Sophisticated technology modernizes employee benefits shopping it by removing any confusion or unknowns from the process. 

Breadth of options

Most small business owners want to know they have considered a wide range of employee health insurance options before making a purchasing decision. They don't want to sift through stacks of paper when considering choices but do want to make sure they haven't missed the best plan or plans for employees. Research shows that 43 percent of individuals shop online and purchase online. Look around the store the next time you are shopping and notice the amount of people searching the price of a commodity prior to buying it. Employee benefits are no different. It is important to utilize the online resources available when providing employees with benefits that suit both their needs and the employers' budget. 

Broker support

The digital experiences offered by online insurance shopping marketplaces does not indicate the death of the broker. People still benefit from having access to an expert in the field should they need any assistance. Even with the most streamlined of digital insurance shopping experiences, employers may have questions and concerns along the way, especially because this is a high-cost decision that impacts employees directly. It is helpful that employers have a licensed broker to answer questions, put them at ease, and act as an ally who can assist through the process. An online experience does not preclude them from having access to one of these valued resources. Licensed brokers are traditionally still made available to small business owners even online. 

Employees and their health are important to employers. Taking advantage of the ample resources provided by online health insurance marketplaces is the smartest and most cost-effective way to make sure the team is covered. You will save time overall and be presented with a variety of precise information faster, while still having access to support every step of the way.