What reputable health insurance companies are out there?

What % of employee / spouse health insurance do young (i.e. seed funded; <5 employees) startup technology companies typically cover?

• It is common practice for young start-up companies to cover a % of employee / employee spouse insurance or a dollar amount?  What % of employee / employee spouse insurance do companies typically cover (e.g. 80% employee, 50% spouse)?

• Answer:

  Angus hints at a good question:  what % do you need to pay to attract the employees you want (i.e., how "competitive" is your marketplace for qualified people)?  As a start-up you will, in general, not wish to pay any more than necessary.  Most insurance contracts will expect the employer to pay at least 50% of the employee only premium (there's no requirement to pay anything for dependents). On the other hand, you need to remember that it's cheaper to pay for benefits than it is to pay for salary for your employees (because you, as the boss, must also contribute to FICA, WC, FUTA, etc., etc., all of which are based on your payroll).  You should set a "compensation" level that consists of salary, benefits, and so forth ( real "dollar" amount), and then see what's best for both you and your employee. There are a lot of ways to set all this up - a lot will depend on your specific situation, location, industry, finances, etc.  I'd recommend you talk with a broker who specializes in small business benefits.  How to find one?  Visit the professional association of broker who specialize in this (http://www.nahu.org/consumer/findagent.cfm) and click on the "find an agent" tab for someone in your area.  They'll be familiar with the rules & regulations in your state, what insurance companies would be best, and give you multiple options to set up a plan without being "discriminatory" to anyone.  Good luck!