Voluntary benefits for HVAC, plumbing & trades

Trades work is physical and it's dangerous. Heights, heat, electrical, lifting, confined spaces, sharp tools — your crew is exposed to all of it every single day. The injury rate in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and roofing is among the highest of any field, and most owners don't have a way to protect their people against the income hit when it happens.

A group health plan is a five-figure commitment most small trades shops can't make. Voluntary benefits give your crew real coverage they pay for themselves through payroll deduction — at no cost to the business.

The gap workers' comp leaves wide open

Here's what most crews don't realize: workers' comp only covers an injury that happens on the job. The torn rotator cuff from a weekend project, the illness that keeps a tech out for three weeks, the car accident on the way home — none of that is covered by comp. And those off-the-job events are exactly the ones that drain a family with no safety net.

When your lead tech goes down, you're not just short a person — you're turning down jobs or running them shorthanded, sometimes for weeks. Coverage that keeps that tech financially stable makes it far more likely they're back on your crew when they recover.

Why it costs the business nothing

• Crew-paid through payroll deduction. No required employer contribution. It can be fully employee-paid and still be a real benefit.
• It pays the tech directly. Accident coverage sends a check for the injury; short-term disability replaces income while they're out. Cash in hand for the bills that don't stop.
• It helps you hold a crew. Good techs are hard to find and harder to keep. Offering benefits at no cost to you is a real edge in recruiting and retention.

What it covers

Accident pays set amounts for breaks, dislocations, burns, lacerations, and concussions — the injuries that actually happen on a job site. Short-term disability replaces part of the income for an off-the-job injury or illness that keeps a tech out. Hospital indemnity pays for each day admitted. Each crew member chooses what fits.

Setting it up

A licensed counselor runs a short enrollment window — virtual or at the shop — and meets with each crew member individually. Your only ongoing task is the payroll deduction. A licensed and independent broker can put the whole program together and handle the crew side.