Group Benefits FAQs

Yes, advisor commissions are included in the group benefits premiums. Insurance carriers build commission costs into their premium rates, so there are no separate fees or hidden charges—the premium you're quoted is the total cost you pay.

Working with an advisory firm like Wescan Insurance Brokers (WIB) doesn't cost extra compared to going directly to an insurance carrier. In fact, advisors often secure better rates because we have access to multiple carriers and can negotiate on your behalf. Our commission compensates us for the ongoing services we provide: comparing plans across different insurers, negotiating better rates from the group's incumbent carriers, providing employee education, and managing administrative details throughout the year.

Think of it this way: Wescan Insurance Brokers acts much like a fiduciary — our obligation is to you, not to any single carrier. Because the carrier compensates us directly, you receive independent guidance and ongoing support built into your existing premiums, with no hidden fees and no conflict of interest.

No. At Wescan Insurance Brokers (WIB), we believe in complete transparency. The premium quoted is the total cost to pay—there are no hidden fees, setup charges, or surprise administrative costs added later.

All of our services are included in the plan's premium - plan design consultation, carrier comparisons, employee education sessions, ongoing claims support, renewal management, and year-round account servicing. Our compensation comes from the insurance carrier through built-in commissions, not from additional fees charged to groups.

WIB's Full Disclosure Policy ensures our clients are always informed of our compensation arrangements. This is a commitment we have made on our own accord — not because regulators require it, but because transparency is fundamental to the trust we build with every client.

To prepare an accurate and competitive quote for your group, we ask for three categories of information:

Company information — Business name and location, the number of employees to be covered, and industry or type of business. Download the Request-to-Quote (RTQ) form

Employee details — For each employee: age, gender, coverage tier (single, couple, or family), annual earnings, and occupation. Download the employee data sheet

Coverage preferences — The types of benefits you're interested in (health, dental, life insurance, disability, and others), desired level of coverage (basic, standard, or comprehensive), and approximate budget or current premium costs.

That's all we need to get started. From receipt of your information, the process typically takes 7 to 10 business days. And if you don't have the requisite information, please contact us at info@wescaninsurance.ca. Click here to learn how we choose the right carrier.

Most group benefits proposals are ready within 7–10 business days after we receive your  Request-To-Quote (RTQ),  employee data/census, benefits booklet, claims experience, and detailed bill of the current carrier. For straightforward requests with basic information, we can often provide preliminary quotes within 24–48 hours.

The timeline depends on a few factors: the number of carriers we're comparing, the complexity of desired coverage, and whether we need additional information. Larger groups or custom plan designs may take slightly longer as we negotiate with multiple carriers to secure the best rates.

Once you receive your proposal, we'll walk you through all the options, answer questions, and help you make an informed decision. Implementation typically takes an additional 2–4 weeks after you select a plan, depending on the carrier's processing time and desired start date.

Need coverage quickly? Let us know your timeline and we'll prioritize your proposal accordingly. Click here to learn the process of choosing the right carrier.

Our initial consultation is a no-pressure conversation designed to understand business needs and explore how group benefits can work. The meeting typically lasts 30–45 minutes and can be done in person at your company's office location in Calgary or Edmonton, at our Calgary location, or via phone/video call.

During the consultation, we'll discuss:

• Business goals and budget for employee benefits
• Current coverage (if you have existing plans) and any pain points
• The types of benefits most important to your team (health, dental, disability, retirement, etc.)
• Employee demographics and any specific coverage needs
• Timeline and next steps

This is your opportunity to ask questions, learn about different plan options, and get expert advice tailored to your situation. There's no obligation—our goal is to provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for your business.

After the consultation, we'll prepare a customized proposal showing plan options and pricing from multiple carriers or  book an initial consultation.

1. After gathering employee information and coverage requirements, we submit group details to multiple carriers simultaneously.
2. Each carrier reviews your employee census data and provides customized quotes based on their underwriting guidelines and pricing.
3. Our proposal review goes beyond the numbers. We apply a structured evaluation that weighs both quantitative factors — such as premiums and plan costs — and qualitative considerations like plan design comparison, claims service reputation, online tools, and carrier stability, so you receive a recommendation grounded in the full picture.
4. We present our top 2–3 recommendations, explaining the pros and cons of each option so you can make an informed decision.

We manage annual renewals proactively to avoid surprises and secure the best possible rates. Approximately 45–60 days before your renewal date, we begin reviewing your plan's claims experience and upcoming rate adjustments from your current carrier.

Here's our renewal process:

• Analyze claims data — We identify cost drivers and opportunities for savings.
• Evaluate renewal terms — If the renewal increase is reasonable relative to your group's claims experience and Target Loss Ratio (TLR), and your current carrier remains competitive, we'll negotiate to minimize the increase. We shall also recommend some plan alternatives to reduce costs for the next renewal. If the renewal isn't favourable, we'll shop your group to other carriers to find better options.
• Present recommendation — We provide a clear renewal recommendation explaining any rate changes, plan adjustments, or alternative options. Groups will never be caught off-guard by unexpected premium increases or last-minute decisions.
• Manage Seamless Transition (if required) — WIB manages all the paperwork, coordinates with new carriers on onboarding, and ensures a seamless transition if you decide to switch providers.

Our goal is to keep benefits competitive and costs predictable year over year, with minimal disruption to employers' and employees' benefits.

We provide regular claims and utilization reports to help you understand how your group benefits are being used and identify opportunities for cost savings. Most clients receive detailed reports on a semi-annual or annual basis, depending on group size and preferences. On request, we can also provide quarterly claims experience reports.

Reports typically include:

• Claims summary by benefit category (drugs, paramedical, dental, etc.)
• Utilization rates and trending patterns
• Comparison to Target Loss Ratio (TLR)
• High-cost claimants (anonymized for privacy)
• Recommendations for plan adjustments or cost-control strategies

For larger groups or those approaching renewal, we may provide quarterly reports to monitor trends more closely. We also conduct an in-depth annual review meeting to walk through the claims data, discuss any concerns, and recommend plan optimization strategies for the year ahead.

Beyond scheduled reports, we're always available to pull custom reports or answer questions about your plan's performance. Our goal is to keep you informed and empowered to make smart decisions about employee benefits.

Rising claim costs are a natural part of group benefits, and we help manage this proactively. When employees' claims increase—whether from chronic medical conditions, high drug costs, or increased paramedical usage—the insurance carrier will typically adjust premiums at renewal to reflect the higher claims experience.

However, there are several options to manage these increases:

Before Renewal: We monitor claims throughout the year and can suggest adjustments like introducing or increasing deductibles, adjusting co-insurance levels, implementing drug cost management programs, or adding a Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) to offset traditional coverage costs.

At Renewal: If the group's rates increase significantly, we'll shop your group to other carriers who may price your risk differently. We'll also review your plan design to find the right balance between cost control and employee satisfaction—this is known as a plan optimization process, which requires a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the group's claims experience, employee feedback via surveys, budget analysis, and more.

Long-Term Strategy: We work on wellness initiatives, employee education about benefit utilization, and preventive care programs that can help reduce future claims and stabilize costs over time.

The key is catching trends early and being proactive rather than reactive.