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Employee Health Benefits in Florida

Florida’s continuation act covers qualified beneficiaries of a small employer with fewer than 20 employees only when federal COBRA is unavailable, and provides at least 18 months after a qualifying event. A beneficiary must notify the insurer within 63 days and elect and pay within 30 days after carrier notice, so the employer and carrier need a clear handoff. 1,2

What Is Employee Health And Benefits?

Employer health benefits give eligible staff access to medical care through a group plan or another employer arrangement. When setting a budget or renewing, compare eligibility, provider networks, employee contributions and total cost. Read the national Employee health and benefits guide.

Florida Requirements

RequirementDetails
Florida small-employer continuationAt least 18 months after a qualifying event for employers with fewer than 20 employees, unless federal COBRA is available. 1

What to Watch for in Florida

  • Determine Federal COBRA Status First

    Florida’s under-20 limit for this continuation section comes from §627.6692, but it incorporates §627.6699’s small-employer definitions: grandfathered plans use eligible employees and require most employees to work in Florida, while nongrandfathered plans use ERISA definitions of employee and employer. Ask the carrier which plan status and counting method it applies before relying on headcount; federal COBRA availability separately excludes this state process. 1,2

  • Assign The Two Election Steps

    A beneficiary generally gives written notice to the insurer within 63 days of the event. The carrier sends an election notice; the person has 30 days after receipt to elect and pay the initial premium. Track both dates because they start separately. 1

  • Budget The Full Group-Rate Cost

    Premium can be up to 115% of applicable premium. Coverage can end earlier for missed payment, qualifying other group coverage, Medicare or termination of the group plan; compare cost and replacement start date. 1

Who Regulates Insurance in Florida

Florida Office of Insurance Regulation

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation licenses and regulates insurance companies and reviews rates and forms. The Department of Financial Services separately licenses insurance agents and handles consumer insurance complaints; its resource page links to both state license searches. 3,4,5

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 4.94% of gross premium plus a 0.03% FSLSO service fee for policies effective July 1, 2026 or later When Florida is the insured’s home state, Florida taxes the entire gross premium at 4.94%; the premium definition includes policy and similar insurance charges. The separate FSLSO service fee is 0.03% for policies effective July 1, 2026 or later. Surplus-lines policies do not receive Florida Insurance Guaranty Association protection. 6,7,8

Florida Surplus Lines Service Office

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Florida

  1. “Which §627.6699 employee-counting branch applies to our plan, and is federal COBRA available?”
  2. “Who reports the event within 63 days and tracks the carrier’s election notice?”
  3. “What premium applies, when is it due, and what other coverage ends continuation?”

Employee Health And Benefits in Florida: FAQ

How long can Florida continuation last for a small employer? 1

Florida provides at least 18 months after a qualifying event for an employer with fewer than 20 employees, unless federal COBRA applies. Payment, other coverage, Medicare or plan termination may end it earlier. 1

What is the Florida continuation election deadline? 1

The beneficiary generally notifies the insurer within 63 days after the event, then elects and pays within 30 days after receiving the carrier’s election notice. 1

Employee Health And Benefits in Other States

Other Coverage in Florida

Sources

  1. Fla. Stat. §627.6692 — Florida Health Insurance Coverage Continuation Act. Florida Legislature; Subsections (2)–(5), COBRA exclusion, size, duration and deadlines. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  2. 2026 Fla. Stat. §627.6699 — Employee Health Care Access Act. Florida Legislature; Subsections (3)(c), (f)–(k), (u)–(v), and (4)(a)(1): carrier, dependent, eligible employee, health benefit plan, small-employer definitions and group-plan scope; §627.6692(4)(h) separately sets the continuation under-20 threshold. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  3. Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Florida Office of Insurance Regulation; Official regulator homepage; insurer regulation. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Resources. Florida Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate; State page links to DFS agent search and OIR active company search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. Get Insurance Help. Florida Department of Financial Services; Insurance concern and formal complaint intake; consumer helpline. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Florida Statutes § 626.932: Surplus lines tax. Florida Legislature; 4.94% tax on gross premium; home-state taxation; statutory definition of premium. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. FSLSO Bulletin 2026-02. Florida Surplus Lines Service Office; Service-fee rate effective July 1, 2026: 0.03%. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  9. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  10. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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