A Better Way to Do Benefits: Independent, Canadian, and Client-First

As an independent, Canadian-owned firm, we’re free to build custom benefits solutions based solely on what’s right for your business.

by Lindsay Byrka | B.A., B.Ed, CFP® | Vice President

The Immix Group Employee Benefits is Canadian and Independent

One thing that sets the Immix Group apart—especially in today’s world of frequent mergers and acquisitions—is our independence! We likely don’t talk about it enough, but did you know the Immix Group is a 100% independent, Canadian-owned and operated company? While the name The Immix Group Employee Benefits Ltd. was established in 2010, our roots date back over four decades.

Unlike the majority of our competitors who operate as subsidiaries of large corporations (usually American), we understand what it’s like to run an SMB in Canada.  This means we can relate to the experience of our clients, many of whom are owner-operators. We know they need to focus on their own business. When it comes to their benefits, they need a partner they trust, with expertise, access to the market, and the capability to support the ongoing management of the program.

The Immix Group is an extension of your team

Many of our smaller clients don’t employ HR professionals—or if they do, they prefer those team members to focus on other human resource activities, not benefits administration.

Even for the larger firms we work with who employ robust HR teams, they may not have the bandwidth or desire to administer their benefits, or to delve into understand the intricacies of pricing, plan design elements or other related aspects of an employee benefits program.

So why is it advantageous for SMBs to partner with benefits advisors who also provide administration services?

Because benefits administration doesn’t need to be an added burden for internal teams. With the right support in place, questions get answered faster, errors are avoided, and employees get the help they need—without the runaround.

A small company with around 35 employees had their payroll administrator also managing the benefits plan. While they were an experienced and capable administrator with deep knowledge of the company’s industry, employee benefits were not their area of expertise. Despite basic training on the insurer’s plan admin site, they regularly ran into confusing and complex situations—late applicants, dependent eligibility, billing confusion—and didn’t always know how to proceed.

While the company had an advisor, their role was limited to higher-level items (renewals, plan design changes, escalated situations) rather than the day-to-day. Employees were told to call 1-800 numbers for help, which left everyone frustrated. When the Immix Group came on board, this relieved them of this aspect of their week, freeing them up to focus on other higher-value activities to support the firm.

At Immix Group, we don’t expect your internal team to become benefits experts. That’s our job.

At Immix Group, we handle the daily benefits admin—so your team doesn’t have to. We resolve issues quickly, support employees directly, and keep your plan running smoothly.

For those in our Client Community, if you’re not already taking advantage of the Immix Group’s ability to handle your benefits administration, please reach out! We administer benefits for about 75% of those in our Client Community, but we’d love to see that number reach 100%. Providing daily benefits administration is included when you work with the advisors at the Immix Group; we do not charge additional third-party admin fees.

When it comes to your benefits program, one size does not fit all.

Expertise when it comes to benefits administration is just one part of the equation. Our process most often begins with collaborating with your team to design a program that meets the unique needs of your group of employees.

A mini case study: One of our long-time clients is comprised of nearly 100% women employees. They wanted to address the needs of their staff in a meaningful way, acknowledging that women have unique life experiences and needs. We collaborated with their team- starting with an employee survey- to implement benefits that included enhanced fertility and family planning coverage, additional mental health support (higher practitioner limits, enhanced EFAP with CBT), and a generous flexible spending account open to taxable benefits such as childcare, fitness and kids’ sports fees. On top of this, a robust virtual healthcare program to ensure the many busy moms in their employee base had access to virtual healthcare visits for themselves and their family members, as needed.

Whether it’s getting the right cost sharing formula in place, executive disability coverage, or robust flex spending, fertility and family planning benefits, a program can be tailored to meet your desired outcomes. We believe your benefits program should reflect the values and philosophy of your company, and that in doing so, it enhances culture.

Choosing the right provider for your programs enhances the employee experience

The Immix Group has longstanding and ever-expanding relationships with a myriad of insurance and investment providers. Because we are free to use the full range of industry suppliers, both large and small, this gives us flexibility and freedom to get it right.  

Because the Immix Group is independent, we have the freedom to share the details

When it comes to their group benefits plan, one concern most Canadian business owners have is over-paying for their benefits. There is the perception that insurance is often ‘money down the drain’. This is why transparency matters so much to us; we believe that you should understand where your benefits dollars are going, and the breakdown of premiums and claims.

So how can small and medium-sized businesses ensure they are not overpaying for benefits? By working with providers who are transparent when it comes to the financial details. It doesn’t have to be complicated, rather, it should be clear. We believe that employers should be able to see the financial elements such as where the claims dollars are directed and expenses on the program.

In contrast to how the Immix Group manages our pools, many other providers do not share details.

Despite some progress in the industry with a general movement towards greater transparency, many benefit providers still withhold claims data—especially in pools or association plans. These often come with preset plan designs and pricing that adjusts based on the performance of the overall group, not your individual company. In these cases, you typically can’t customize your plan or access your own claims breakdown.

Without that transparency, it’s hard to make informed decisions. Worse, you may face cost increases that don’t reflect your company’s actual usage.

If you’d like the Immix Group to take a second look at your benefits plan, please reach out! We love to hear from you.