As employers deal with increasing health insurance premium costs — 6.1 percent, twice the rate of inflation in 2007 — it's no surprise that fewer employers are offering health insurance to employees — 30,000 fewer in 2005, compared to 2001, according to The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In response to this growing need, SAF and its longtime partner, Hortica Insurance & Employee Benefits, have created the first Health Insurance Association plan available to all segments of the floral industry, exclusively to SAF members. Any type of floral industry business — retailer, wholesaler, grower or supplier — is eligible to participate as long as it belongs to SAF.  

The program uses a trust established by SAF, allowing participating member companies to join together to obtain coverage under a single policy of insurance. The resulting larger risk pool may lower insurance premiums for many businesses that would otherwise have to buy insurance individually.

"We continually look for ways to enhance our membership's array of services. The advent of this health plan gives us the opportunity to make vital services available and provides an alternative for those searching for help with their health insurance programs," says Peter Moran, executive vice president and CEO of SAF.

Together with the underwriter — Trustmark Affinity Markets, a division of Trustmark Life Insurance Company — SAF and Hortica have prepared a unique set of health insurance products custom-designed for SAF members. The plans are structured to help members better manage health insurance costs and to soften the impact of continuing health insurance inflation.

The program became available Tuesday, July 1 (some states may take longer to accept it) with Hortica as its first participant.

"Hortica is honored to be the first member employer to be insured under this plan. Like our fellow members, we are faced with the challenge of providing affordable health insurance to our employees. We firmly believe this plan will help us contain these costs in the long term," says Hortica president and CEO Mona Haberer.

For more information about the SAF Health Insurance Plan, contact Hortica at (800) 851-7740.

--Shelley Estersohn
sestersohn@safnow.org

 

Next Article