Prepare for your benefits renewal
A successful benefits renewal starts months before the renewal date. This 120/90/60/30-day guide helps employers prepare data, objectives, and communications — so renewal decisions rest on current information rather than last-minute pressure.
Turn the preparation questions into an organized planning conversation.
By SSGI Benefits
Reviewed by Laura Decker, Vice President
Published · Last reviewed
- 120 days out
Census and data
Gather your employee census, current plan details, claims data if available, and contribution structure. A clean, current census is the foundation of every renewal decision — without it, plan and contribution modeling later in the cycle will be guesswork.
- 90 days out
Objectives and feedback
Define your renewal objectives — cost, coverage, and satisfaction — and collect employee feedback. Clear objectives keep the renewal focused; employee feedback surfaces what is and is not working in the current plan before you commit to next year.
- 60 days out
Plan and funding alternatives
Evaluate plan and funding alternatives — carrier options, network changes, and plan design. This is the window to compare alternatives against your objectives and your current plan, not the window to start from scratch.
- 60 days out
Contribution modeling
Model contribution scenarios and budget impact. Run more than one scenario so you can see how different employer and employee share splits affect total cost and take-home impact before you finalize a contribution structure.
- 30 days out
Communications
Prepare employee communications. Timing varies by carrier and market, so coordinate with your carrier and any administration partners early — clear, timely communication reduces confusion during open enrollment.
Renewal and implementation
Confirm your selections, execute the renewal, and plan implementation. Coordinate with your carrier, payroll, and any administration partners so eligibility, enrollment, and contributions carry cleanly into the new plan year. For an educational walkthrough of the implementation phase, see the Benefits Implementation page.
Compare current plan documents
Request the current Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC) for each option. Compare covered benefits, deductibles, copays, coinsurance and out-of-pocket limits alongside premiums. Its standardized coverage examples help explain differences; they do not predict an employee's actual bill. Check provider networks and prescription coverage using each plan's current documents as well.
Build employee notices, SBC delivery and applicable reporting into the renewal plan. Employer responsibilities still apply when a carrier or administrator helps. The 120/90/60/30-day sequence here is a planning framework, not a statutory deadline; confirm actual carrier cutoffs and applicable requirements separately.
Follow-through
Monitor the new plan year and schedule a check-in. A post-renewal review — claims trends, employee feedback, and contribution outcomes — feeds directly into the next cycle's 120-day census and data step, so each renewal builds on the last.
What SSGI can help with
SSGI supports renewal preparation, plan evaluation, and contribution modeling. We help you gather the right data, weigh alternatives against your objectives, and prepare communications. For a full educational walkthrough of renewal timing and decisions, see the Renewal Planner, or browse Employee Benefits.
- SSGI provides no legal, actuarial, or fiduciary advice.
- SSGI makes no savings guarantee.
- Renewal timing varies by carrier and market.
Related guidance
- Employer Planning Workspace
Connect renewal priorities, budget comparisons and implementation preparation in one visit-only discussion brief.
- Employee benefits
Employee benefits strategy and brokerage guidance balancing cost control with competitive coverage.
- Contact SSGI about renewal strategy
Request a benefits review or ask about renewal timing, cost, and coverage priorities.
Information current as of . This guide reflects general employer benefits renewal best practices.
Sources
- HealthCare.gov — Summary of Benefits and CoverageOfficial guidance on comparing plan benefits, costs and coverage examples using the SBC.
- HealthCare.gov — How the ACA affects small businessesOfficial employer guidance on notices, SBC disclosures and applicable reporting responsibilities.
- SSGI — Renewal PlannerSSGI's educational walkthrough of renewal timing and the decisions that shape next year's costs and coverage.
- SSGI — Employee BenefitsSSGI's overview of benefits strategy and year-round support for large, national, multi-state and growing employers.
Official plan-comparison and employer-disclosure guidance checked on . Original publication and personal review dates are unchanged.
This article is educational only. Renewal timing varies by carrier and market. It is not legal, actuarial, or fiduciary advice, and SSGI makes no savings guarantee. Consult qualified counsel and your carrier before making renewal decisions.
Prepare your next renewal with a plan
Walk through the 120/90/60/30-day timeline with SSGI — data, objectives, alternatives, and communications — with clear next steps and no obligation.