As a small business owner, you are generally not required to offer vision insurance to your employees. But just because it isn’t a requirement, doesn’t mean there aren’t good reasons to include vision insurance in your benefits package.

Surveys have shown that many workers value benefits like health and vision insurance more than a pay raise. By offering group vision insurance to your employees, you may find it easier to hire and retain the best workers for your small business. You can also choose to bundle vision in with health and dental insurance, which may lead to better prices, and will provide your employees with a valuable benefits package.

Group vision insurance is a great way to save on premiums per individual, but you have to meet a few criteria in order to get group vision insurance:

• You must be able to provide documented proof of being a legitimate business entity (e.g. articles of incorporation/organization, business license)
• Your small business must consist of one full-time employee besides yourself or a spouse (and they must be choosing to enroll in the group dental plan)
• You must be capable of meeting the minimum employer contribution set by the insurance company which your plan comes from

This list should be used only as a general guideline for group vision insurance eligibility, so consult your own tax, accounting, or legal advisor instead of relying on this article as tax, accounting, or legal advice.

Buying group vision insurance through eHealth does not come at any extra cost to you. If you buy a vision plan through eHealth, you will pay the regular monthly premium set by the insurance company, and it will be the same price for that plan on their website as ours.

Using an web-based entity like eHealth, you will find a wide selection of vision plans from different companies, free quotes, and assistance from licensed agents. If you have any questions about your small business’ eligibility or what type of vision plans are available, visit eHealth.com to compare plans, or call a licensed representative Mon-Fri, 9AM - 7PM EST at 1-877-456-6670.

There are two main types of vision insurance plans that you can buy for your group:

• Optional rider vision insurance - This is vision insurance that you can add onto a regular group health insurance plan. Usually you pay a monthly premium for this vision plan, and those insured under the group insurance policy have access to a fixed-dollar amount of services.
• Ancillary vision plan- This type of vision plan gives a fixed discount on all vision-related expenses (for example, the insurance company pays 30% and you pay 70% out-of-pocket). This is usually added on to a health insurance plan for an additional fee.

You can offer vision as an add-on to your health insurance plan. With add-ons like vision insurance, you can build a total benefits package for yourself and your employees, without making things complicated.