How does Service 1st Benefits support my business during open enrollment?

We personally manage the entire open enrollment process — from educating employees to handling enrollment forms and answering plan questions. Our goal is to make open enrollment smooth and stress-free for everyone.

Can employees contact you directly for help?

Yes. Employees can reach out to us anytime for questions about claims, coverage, ID cards, or plan details. We act as your team’s benefits partner, not just your broker.

What size businesses do you work with?

We specialize in serving small and medium-sized businesses, typically ranging from 1–200 employees. If you’re growing or planning to expand, we help scale your benefits as your team grows.

Do you handle communication with insurance carriers for us?

Absolutely. We take care of claims issues, employee changes, renewals, and any carrier communication so you don’t have to spend hours on hold.

Do you offer voluntary or supplemental benefits?

Yes. We can provide optional add-ons like disability, accident, or critical illness insurance to enhance your benefits package at little or no cost to the employer.

What types of group benefits do you offer?

We provide comprehensive group health, dental, vision, and life insurance options for small and medium-sized businesses. We help you compare plans, handle enrollment, and manage carrier communication.

What information do you need to provide a quote?

We typically need: Number of employees Basic employee census (age, gender, ZIP code) Current plan (if applicable) Desired benefits or coverage goals We keep the process as simple as possible.

Do you charge fees for your services?

No. Our services — including plan comparison, open enrollment, and year-round support — are provided at no additional cost to your business.

What Is a Qualifying Life Event, and What Does It Let You Change?

Charlie Hopgood

Sep 9

2 min read

Open enrollment isn't the only time employees can change their benefits elections — but the exceptions are narrower than most people assume.

What Counts as a Qualifying Life Event

Change in marital status — marriage, divorce, legal separation, or annulment.

Change in number of dependents — birth, adoption, placement for adoption, or death of a dependent.

Change in employment status — starting/ending employment, switching between part-time and full-time, or a change affecting eligibility.

Loss of other coverage — a spouse or dependent losing eligibility elsewhere.

Change in residence — a move affecting which plans are available.

Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP entitlement or loss of eligibility.

A court order — most often requiring adding/removing a dependent.

A new medical diagnosis, for example, isn't a QLE on its own — it doesn't change eligibility for coverage.

The Clock Starts Immediately

Employees generally have 30 days from the event to request a special enrollment change. For Medicaid/CHIP-related events, that window extends to 60 days. It's a hard deadline — miss it, and the election stands until the next open enrollment.

The Consistency Rule: Your Change Has to Match the Event

IRS rules require any election change be "on account of and correspond with" the qualifying event. A marriage lets you add a spouse — it doesn't justify switching plans for unrelated reasons. A new baby lets you add a dependent — it doesn't open the door to changing your dental carrier.

What Happens If You Miss the Window

There's no employer discretion to grant a late change outside the federal deadline just because the circumstances seem sympathetic.

What Employers Should Keep on File

The date the event occurred and the date the employee requested the change.

Documentation supporting the event.

A clear record of what changed, tied to the event that justified it.

What Employees Should Do

Report the event as soon as it happens.

Know your specific deadline.

Understand what the event actually allows.

Keep documentation ready.

Final Thoughts

A qualifying life event is a real opportunity to adjust coverage outside open enrollment — but it comes with a short deadline and a narrow scope tied directly to what actually happened.