Your next renewal:
a practical 60–90 day checklist.

Start early enough to compare the actual choices, resolve coverage questions and give employees a usable explanation. The dates below are planning windows, not carrier deadlines.

Renewal / target effective date:

Broker review meeting date:

Employer decision owner:

Carrier submission deadline (confirmed):

90–60 days out · define the review

Gather the current plan documents/SBCs, contribution schedule, billing and renewal notice if available.
Update the employee census through the agreed secure process, including employees who may waive coverage.
List priorities: hiring, employee deductions, access, administrative workload or renewal cost.
Set the employer budget and clarify dependent contributions and any account funding.
Ask which fully insured, eligible association, level-funded or HRA approaches merit review for this business.
Request carrier submission and enrollment deadlines; do not assume a standard date.

Owner / next date:

60–45 days out · compare like with like

Use the same census, effective date and contribution assumptions across proposals.
Separate premium changes from employer contribution changes and separate fees.
Check important provider/facility locations and prescription questions privately.
Compare employee deductions and care-cost scenarios, not premiums alone.
For an association option, check eligibility, membership fees and actual coverage.
For level funding, review maximum employer liability, stop-loss terms, run-out/termination and refund conditions. For an HRA, review eligibility, local individual coverage and tax-credit effects.

Owner / next date:

45–30 days out · make the decision

Resolve material coverage and contract questions; record any uncertainty that remains.
Stress-test company spending if enrollment or dependent coverage changes.
Choose the plan(s), employer contribution and start date; document the reason.
Confirm carrier acceptance requirements, deadlines and the person responsible for every application.
Prepare employee summaries, benefit booklets, deduction examples and a question channel.

Owner / decision date:

30 days to effective date · enroll and confirm

Hold employee education and provide a written enrollment deadline.
Collect elections/waivers through the approved process and reconcile every eligible employee.
Confirm carrier acceptance, effective date, membership records and initial payment.
Verify individual payroll deductions against actual rates and the payroll calendar.
Coordinate any old-plan termination after the new coverage is accepted and dates align.

Owner / completion date:

First month · verify the outcome

Check the first invoice and deductions; fix member/tier/date discrepancies.
Confirm employees know how to access ID cards and ask benefits questions.
Keep the comparison and decision record; schedule the next review.

Late renewal? Ask the broker and carrier what is still feasible. Prioritize actual deadlines, continuity, essential coverage questions and accepted enrollment. Do not rush into a new funding arrangement solely because a premium is lower.

Reading: Benefit Experts renewal guide · Level-funded contract questions · HRA employee-cost test

Discuss the next step

Discuss medical benefits with Benefit Experts. Bring your business goals and questions to a benefits review. Keep employee medical details out of a general inquiry.

Benefit Experts · 206.556.2993 · benefit-experts.com/contact/

Your next renewal:a practical 60–90 day checklist.

90–60 days out · define the review

60–45 days out · compare like with like

45–30 days out · make the decision

30 days to effective date · enroll and confirm

First month · verify the outcome

Discuss the next step

Your next renewal:
a practical 60–90 day checklist.