South Carolina Small Business Health Insurance

Find group health insurance in SC

South Carolina Group Health Insurance

South Carolina small business owners can learn about group medical plans and offer health care coverage to employees and their families.

We offer a broad selection of South Carolina group medical insurance plans from brand-name South Carolina carriers. Get free instant quotes and apply for small business health insurance.

Federal Small Business Health Tax Credit for SC Small Businesses

In 2010, the President signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which includes special federal tax credits for small businesses offering health insurance, dental insurance or vision insurance to employees. The credit is only available for tax years 2010-2013 and is designed to make health insurance benefits more affordable for small business owners before health reform is fully implemented in 2014.

The federal tax credit will reimburse qualifying small businesses for up to 35% of the premiums they pay towards employee medical, vision and dental insurance. Tax-exempt organizations may qualify for a tax credit of up to 25%. To qualify for the full credit, the following criteria must be met:

• The company employs fewer than 25 full-time workers (or equivalent)
• Average annual wage per worker must be less than $50,000
• The employer must currently pay at least 50% of the total premium for employee coverage (not counting dependents)

Small businesses with fewer than 10 full-time employees that pay average annual wages of $25,000 or less may qualify for the full credit. The amount of the credit is reduced for companies with more full-time workers and higher wages, until it is phased out entirely for those with 25 or more full-time workers and average annual wages over $50,000.

Because eligibility rules are based in part on the number of full-time employees, not the total number of all employees, businesses that use part-time help may qualify even if they employ more than 25 individuals.

South Carolina Resources for Small Businesses

South Carolina small business owners can also refer to the following resources about owning and operating a small business in South Carolina:

Information about starting and managing a business in South Carolina

Department responsible for income taxes for South Carolina for individuals and small businesses