Health Insurance for Trades and Contractors
Picture a roofing owner with four W-2 guys on the truck and two 1099 helpers he calls when the jobs stack up. His renewal letter lands between punch lists. The premium went up. The network list looks thinner. He figures a "contractor plan" is either for big GCs or for people with no crew at all.
It isn't. Creative Health Solutions helps Florida trades owners, including roofing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and landscaping shops, plus small crews and subcontractors with an EIN, compare health coverage for the people on the job and for the owner. We work by phone or Zoom video, and we're licensed in all 50 states. Request a quote, we compare your options, we apply together.
For owners, small crews and growing shops
Solo owners and owner-operators
who want a true group plan they can join, with eligibility that varies
Owners with a small W-2 crew
who need group benefits that still fit a job-site schedule
Growing shops
that just hired the second or third employee and got a renewal letter
Just covering yourself or your household, with no business? Start with individual and family health insurance. For the general Florida group menu, see small business health insurance.
Health options that fit a job-site business
We look at the setups that fit job-site businesses, in this order, and we can help if it's the right option for your team:
MEWAs.
Several businesses join one larger health plan together, so a five-person crew isn't shopping alone. Qualifying varies.
Group plans for solo owners and owner-operators.
We offer true group plans a self-employed person or owner-operator can join. Eligibility varies.
Level-funded plans.
A group plan with a set monthly payment priced closer to your own crew. We can help if it's the right option.
PEOs.
A professional employer organization that handles payroll and HR and lets your team join its larger benefits plan. We can help if it's the right option.
Group plans
for crews of any size. In Florida, small group means 1 to 50 employees, and we help larger teams too.
ICHRA (CHOICE Arrangement) and QSEHRA.
Both are offered. An ICHRA lets you set a monthly amount each eligible person can use toward an individual plan. A QSEHRA is for employers with fewer than 50 full-time-equivalent employees that don't offer a group health plan. It can leave out part-time staff, but everyone it covers gets generally the same terms. Useful when a standard group plan doesn't fit the crew. Neither one covers 1099 subcontractors. An ICHRA or QSEHRA can affect an employee's premium tax credit. More on ICHRA in our ICHRA guide for Florida small businesses.
Supplemental accident coverage
alongside a main plan. The Allstate and UnitedHealthcare accident plans we compare cover injuries on and off the job, depending on the plan. They are not a replacement for workers' comp. Benefits and prices depend on the policy.
Short-term plans
can bridge a gap, but they are not ACA plans. They may not cover pre-existing conditions, they can cap benefits, and they last for a limited time.
Health sharing.
We can also show you health sharing programs. Health sharing is not insurance. Members share medical bills under the program's rules, no member is required to pay, and payment is not guaranteed. You stay responsible for your own bills.
Workers' comp, not health insurance, is the coverage for on-the-job injuries, and Florida generally requires it for construction employers with one or more employees. We don't quote workers' comp, general liability, builders risk or bonds.
W-2 crew vs 1099 subcontractors
Group health plans are built for W-2 employees. A 1099 sub generally cannot sit on your group plan the way a payroll employee can. If your shop mixes W-2 and 1099 help, we often compare a group plan or an ICHRA for the W-2 crew, and individual plans for the people who stay 1099. Tax questions go to your CPA. We don't give tax advice.
Does your trade make the premium higher? For ACA small-group plans, the law lets rates vary only by age, tobacco use, location and family size, not by your trade. MEWAs and level-funded plans can price differently.
Year-round help, in plain language
Crew retention without the jargon. Your people care whether the plan covers the clinic near the shop and what they owe when they use it. We translate the renewal letter into that.
Year-round help by phone or Zoom. Job sites don't wait for an office visit. We work with you by phone or Zoom video, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM; after that, by appointment only.
Over 200 plans, licensed in all 50 states. Darius Mills, Founder and Senior Broker, leads a team with over 10 years of combined experience. We've helped over 450 clients save an average of $350 a month. Results vary. Savings are not guaranteed.
How the plan review works
You request a quote.
Tell us who is W-2, who is 1099, who needs coverage, and which doctors or clinics matter.
We compare
MEWA, association, level-funded, PEO, group, ICHRA, QSEHRA and accident options that fit that picture.
You decide.
If you're ready, we finish the application together on the same call.
There's no cost to talk to us, and we don't charge broker fees. Reach us at (321) 872-4940. Need help in Spanish? Alex Guerrero, a newer broker on our team, speaks Spanish. You'll talk with Darius, Fred, Matthew, Chris or Alex.
About Darius Mills
Darius Mills is the Founder and Senior Broker at Creative Health Solutions. We're based in Melbourne, Florida. This page is written for Florida trades owners first. We work by phone or Zoom video, and we're licensed in all 50 states.
Creative Health Solutions51 NW Carolina St #104
Melbourne, FL 32904
(321) 872-4940
We help trades owners across Florida and by phone or Zoom elsewhere. See areas we serve in Florida and Melbourne health insurance. Meet the team.
Questions from trades owners
Can a solo contractor with an EIN get a group-style plan?
Yes. We offer true group plans a self-employed person or owner-operator can join. Eligibility varies. We check the fit before you apply. For more on group and owner options, see small business health insurance.
Does my trade make group health more expensive?
For ACA small-group plans, industry or injury risk is not what sets the rate. What changes the price is things like ages, location, plan design and who enrolls. MEWAs and level-funded plans can price differently. We compare options for your crew without promising a rate.
Can I put 1099 subcontractors on my group plan?
Generally no. Group plans cover W-2 employees. For 1099 help, we look at individual plans. Your CPA handles the tax side.
What is a MEWA, and is it right for a small crew?
A MEWA lets several employers join one larger health plan. It can fit a small crew that wants group coverage without shopping alone. Qualifying varies, and we can help if it's the right option.
What is ICHRA or QSEHRA for a contractor with W-2 employees?
An ICHRA (also called a CHOICE Arrangement) lets you set a monthly amount people use toward their own individual plan. A QSEHRA is for employers with fewer than 50 full-time-equivalent employees and no group plan. Both are offered. Either can help when a standard group plan doesn't fit the crew. Both cover employees, not 1099 subcontractors. An ICHRA or QSEHRA can affect an employee's premium tax credit. We can help if it's the right option for your team.
Should I add supplemental accident coverage?
It can be worth comparing next to a main plan. The Allstate and UnitedHealthcare accident plans we compare cover injuries on and off the job, depending on the plan. They don't replace health insurance or workers' comp, and they aren't a paycheck. Benefits and prices depend on the policy.
Does working with Creative Health Solutions cost me anything?
There's no cost to talk to us, and we don't charge broker fees.
Do you only help in Florida?
No. This page is written for Florida trades owners first, but we're licensed in all 50 states and work by phone or Zoom video.
Put your renewal next to a real comparison
A renewal letter isn't the only door. Request a quote, put the crew roster and the letter side by side with a real comparison, and you'll know what fits before you sign.
Creative Health Solutions