What is Open Enrollment?

Open enrollment, sometimes called annual enrollment, is the period when you can freely change your insurance plans. Open/annual enrollment occurs both for individual plans and employer-sponsored plans.

With employer-sponsored plans, open enrollment usually occurs 11 months from your original effective date. Any changes made will begin 12 months from your original effective date. For example, if your plan was initially effective July 1, open enrollment would occur each year in June. There are ways to change your open enrollment period, but this is a rare practice.

Several months before your open enrollment period, your broker will strategize with you and review your options for benefits in the coming year. During this time, you will learn if your carriers are increasing or decreasing rates, and your broker should be quoting your coverage to be sure you are still offering the best option for your employees.

Open Enrollment is the only time of year when any benefit-eligible employee can elect, drop, or change their plan without a qualifying event.