The honest picture

Why your benefits
cost more than
they should.

The health insurance industry is built around incentives that work against you. We're here to change that — and we'll show you exactly how.

The problem
Carriers are incentivized to keep your premiums high.

This isn't speculation — it's how the system is designed. Understanding it is the first step to paying less.

How commissions work
Commission is baked into the price you pay.

Every health insurance premium includes a built-in commission — paid by the carrier to the broker who sold the plan. That commission is a percentage of your premium. The higher your premium, the more everyone in the chain gets paid.

3–8%
of your annual premium paid as broker commission — every year
The conflict of interest
The system is twice incentivized to keep your costs up.

Carriers earn more when premiums are higher. The brokers they pay earn more when premiums are higher. Without competitive pressure, there's no motivation for anyone to find you a better rate at renewal time — so most businesses just keep renewing the same expensive plan.

87%
of small businesses renew without ever shopping the market
The incentive problem, visualized
Everyone profits from your high premium — except you.

Here's what happens at renewal when nobody creates competition for your business.

Without Aether Benefits
Your current carrier renews at a higher rate
  • No competitive quotes requested
  • Commission tied to premium size
  • Carrier and broker both benefit from renewal
  • You pay the increase. Every year.
VS
With Aether Benefits
Multiple carriers compete for your business
  • We request quotes from multiple carriers and PEOs
  • Competition drives rates down
  • We are paid only after you lock in savings
  • You keep the difference — every year.
Our process
How we negotiate a better rate for your company.

Four steps. No cost to you. No disruption to your team.

01
Free benefits review
We start with a simple conversation — your current plan, headcount, renewal date, and what you're paying now. No paperwork, no commitment. This takes about 20 minutes and gives us everything we need to go to work.
02
We create a competitive market for your business
Our team reaches out to multiple carriers, PEOs, and government-backed programs simultaneously. Each one knows they're competing. That competition is what drives your rate down — and it's something most businesses never create on their own.
03
We present your options in plain English
No jargon. No pressure. We lay out every option side by side — cost, coverage, tradeoffs — and give you our honest recommendation. You make the final call. If your current plan is genuinely the best option, we'll tell you that too.
04
Implementation and open enrollment support
If you decide to move forward, our partners will help you through implementation and open enrollment — at your pace, on your timeline. Your employees experience zero disruption.
Our payment model
We get paid by carriers — after you save.

Our business model is designed to be completely aligned with your interests. Here's exactly how it works.

The old way
Broker paid to sell you the plan

Traditional brokers earn commission on the plan they place you in — whether or not it's the best deal. The incentive is to close, not to save.

The Aether way
Carrier pays us — after you lock in savings

We're compensated by the carrier you choose — only after you've confirmed a lower rate. Our incentive is your savings. The better deal we find you, the better it is for everyone.

Your cost
Zero. Always.

There is no invoice, no retainer, no consulting fee. You pay nothing to Aether Benefits — ever. The only thing you spend is 20 minutes for a conversation.

Ready to see what you could save?

A 20-minute conversation with one of our benefit specialists costs you nothing.

Book a free consultation →