Free tool · California small group · Blue Shield of California
Free California small group health quote and contribution tool
Enter your business ZIP code and headcount, or drop your employee census. You get an interactive tool that prices Blue Shield of California plans for your team and shows what happens when you change how much the company contributes.
- Blue Shield of California only, at this time
- California small groups: 1 to 100 employees
- Your business ZIP code sets the rating region
- Free for employers without a broker
Blue Shield of California only, at this time.
We can quote every other carrier too: email us your employee census and we will quote it for you. Larger than 100 employees? We can help with large groups as well. Call (949) 394-2299 or email your census.
Get your tool
Six short steps. We need your contact details to release the tool. It opens on this page and you can save it to your computer.
Enter your ZIP and headcount
Type the counts by age group and coverage type, or drop your census (CSV or Excel). The census is read in your browser and never uploaded.
We price it by region and age
California small-group premiums follow your business ZIP and each person's age, so Blue Shield's published rates give a solid estimate.
Test your contribution
Set a monthly budget, change what you pay for employees and dependents, and see what each plan level costs you and your team.
What this is, and what it isn't
An estimate, not a quote. It uses Blue Shield of California's published January 2027 small-group rates for your region, which the carrier marks as pending regulatory approval. Final rates come from the carrier.
Other carriers: send us your census. We quote the rest of the market from your employee census. A census is also how we replace the estimated spouses and children with your real households.
Small group here, large group with us. The instant tool is for 1 to 100 employees. Larger groups are priced from carrier quotes, and we can help with those: see our large-group guide.
Your census never leaves your computer: the page reads it and keeps only the counts. Related: small business health insurance in California, open enrollment guide and HSA vs. FSA guide.
Questions about the tool
What does the employer contribution tool do?
It prices California small-group health plans by your business ZIP code and each employee's age, then lets you change how much the company contributes and see what each plan level costs you and your employees. You get one file you can save and email to your team.
Which carriers does the tool include?
Blue Shield of California only, at this time. It uses Blue Shield's published January 2027 small-group rates, which Blue Shield marks as pending regulatory approval. Other carriers are not loaded yet.
Can you quote other carriers?
Yes. Email us your employee census and we will quote the other carriers for you. You can also tick the box on the form and we will follow up.
Does it work for groups with more than 100 employees?
The instant tool covers California small groups of 1 to 100 employees, where premiums are standardized by region and age. Groups with more than 100 employees are priced from carrier quotes, and we can help with those too: enter your counts or email us your census.
Do I need a census to use it?
No. Type how many employees you have by age group and coverage type. If you do have a census, drop a CSV or Excel file on the page and it fills in the counts. The file is read in your browser and never uploaded.
Is it free?
Yes, it is free for California employers who do not already have a benefits broker. We ask for your contact details to release the tool, and a Blue Ocean advisor may follow up.
Why does my business ZIP code matter?
California carriers set small-group rates by the employer's business address (its rating region) and by each person's age, not by where employees live. Some ZIP codes sit in two regions, so the form asks for your county when that happens.
How accurate is the estimate?
It is an estimate from published rates, not a quote. Spouses and children are estimated from your counts, and final rates and eligibility come from the carrier. A real quote uses your actual census.
Ready for a real quote from every carrier? Book a free consultation or call (949) 394-2299.