Safeco Introduces Indemnity Health Plan for Evergreen State Employers

August 21, 2003 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Safeco Life has unveiled a group supplemental life and health insurance product aimed at smaller companies whose workforces are largely temporary, part-time or seasonal.

According to a news release, the Select Benefits Indemnity Plan is open to companies in the state of Washington with at least 51 full-time employees.  Safeco said agriculture, health care, hospitality and employee-leasing firms are particularly good fits for the offering.

The company said the Select Benefits Indemnity Plan offers a monthly premium for a middle-of-the road plan ranging from $70 to $130 per employee. Benefits paid for a doctor’s office visit, one of more than 15 benefits offered, range from $10 to $70 per visit with a calendar year maximum of $300 to $500 per person. Co-pays for prescription drugs range from $5 to $30 with varying per-person and per-family calendar year maximums. Other options include preventative care, emergency room, vision and dental benefits.

In addition to monthly premium plans, Steve Daiber, senior sales manager for Safeco Life & Investments, said employers can choose hourly plans where the premiums and benefits are based on the actual number of hours worked by the employee. Safeco performs all the administration, claims and customer service at no additional cost to the employer.  Select Benefits Indemnity Plan has no medical underwriting if employees enroll within 31 days of eligibility. Additionally, participants may see the provider of their choice because there are no preferred provider lists or networks.

Daiber said that while employers want to provide some level of benefits for their employees, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for many firms to fund part or all of the costs of traditional major medical programs.

For more information, go  www.safeco.com .

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