Insure the founder. The company depends on it
Your startup's most under-insured asset is probably you. Private PPO plans cover founders and early employees now — long before a group plan makes sense — with no waiting window and no benefits department required.
How many people in your household need health insurance coverage?
Including yourself.
The usual problem
- Too early for a group plan, too busy to research alternatives
- Founder pay that's deliberately low while equity builds
- Losing corporate coverage the day you commit full-time
- Early hires asking about benefits you don't have yet
The private PPO answer
- Coverage from day zero. Enroll the month you go full-time on the company.
- Runway-friendly premiums. Choose a plan that protects you without burning runway.
- A story for early hires. Point recruits to private plans with free advisor guidance until a group plan makes sense.
Health insurance for founders
Founders systematically under-insure themselves: COBRA feels expensive, the Marketplace subsidy math breaks when your salary is $40k but your ambitions aren't, and researching plans is nobody's highest-leverage hour. So it gets postponed — which works right up until it doesn't.
A private PPO takes an hour to sort out, costs a fixed amount you choose, and covers the person your company most depends on. When you're big enough for group benefits, you switch — nothing about a private plan locks you in.
What happens when you reach out
Answer three quick questions and a licensed California advisor gives you a call. From there they handle whatever you need — free, in one conversation, so you can get back to building.
Frequently asked questions
I just left my job to start a company — COBRA or private?
COBRA preserves your old plan at 102% of full cost; a private PPO is often cheaper for healthy founders and enrolls immediately. An advisor can lay out both without any pressure.
Can my co-founder and early employees do the same?
Yes — each person enrolls in their own plan with free advisor help. It's a common bridge until a group plan makes sense.
Is there a minimum company size?
No — private plans are individual coverage. Your company's size is irrelevant.