How to compare your renewal to the market

Short answer. Put the renewal and every alternative on the same footing: the same census, the same plan design, a network your people actually use, and the same funding type, or a clearly labeled difference. Then compare total annual cost, what employees pay per paycheck by tier, and the rate guarantee. Texas law lets you negotiate with your carrier after the renewal notice, and a documented market check is what you negotiate with.

Start with why the number moved

Before you compare prices, know what drove the renewal: market trend, your census, plan changes, or your own claims. Each one points to a different answer. What drives a renewal increase and how to get your claims report.

Make it apples to apples

1. Same census. Every option priced on the same employee list, ages and tiers.
2. Same plan, or a labeled difference. Deductible, out-of-pocket limit, copays and drug tiers. A lower price on a thinner plan isn’t a lower price.
3. Network check. Run your largest-use doctors and hospitals through each network.
4. Funding type in its own column. Fully insured, level funded and self funded options put different risk on the company. For anything with stop-loss, show the most the company could owe, not just the expected cost. Stop-loss basics.
5. Rate guarantee. How long the price holds, and what can change it.

What goes on the one page

One column for the current plan, one for the renewal, one for each alternative. Rows for:

• total annual cost, and the company’s share
• employee cost per paycheck, by tier
• deductible and out-of-pocket limit
• network fit for your people
• rate guarantee
• broker pay, disclosed in dollars

That page, dated, is what the owner approves and what goes in the file.

Benchmarks are context, not a target

• KFF’s 2026 survey: average premiums rose 5%. The average family premium was $28,303; single was $9,804.
• 16% of large firms (200 or more workers) said they changed insurers or plan administrators in response to projected cost increases (KFF, 2026).
• Public filings for 52 Texas contractors with 75 to 300 employees show cost per employee from about $2,700 to about $21,000, median $6,094. The studies.

When it lands on the calendar: the 120/90/60/45 day renewal calendar.

How do you compare a group health renewal to the market?

Price every alternative on the same census and the same plan design, check each network against the doctors and hospitals your people use, and keep fully insured, level funded and self funded options in separate columns. Then compare total cost, employee cost by tier, and the rate guarantee.

Is the lowest price the best option?

Not always. A lower price can come with a narrower network, a higher deductible, a shorter rate guarantee, or, on a level funded plan, more risk on the company. Put those next to the price.

Can we use the market check with our current carrier?

Yes. Under Texas Insurance Code §1254.001(f), the insurer can negotiate benefits or rates at your request after the renewal notice. Sometimes the right answer is to keep what you have, and the comparison goes in your decision file.

What's a normal increase to compare against?

KFF’s 2026 survey found average premiums rose 5% for both single and family coverage. Marsh (formerly Mercer) preliminary results put the 2027 rise in cost per employee at 8.2% after planned plan changes. Treat both as context, not a target.

What doesn't a price comparison show?

Service, claims handling, and what the broker does for the pay. Ask for those in writing too, along with the broker’s pay in dollars.

I built and sold a health insurance agency: grew it to 60 agents in about 3 years, then sold it. Licensed insurance agent since 2014: Texas license 2501238, NPN 17369817.