Who We Serve
We learn how your business runs before we quote anything
Washington Insurance Brokers is an independent broker based in Auburn, working with employers across the state since 2009. We focus on businesses with 5 to 500 employees. Before we pull a single quote, we want to know who is full time and who is seasonal, where your people live, what you can comfortably spend, and what you want your benefits to do for hiring and keeping good employees.
From there, Brandon shops plans from carriers like Premera Blue Cross, Regence BlueShield, Kaiser Permanente, and Delta Dental, lays the options side by side, and helps you land on a package you can explain to your team and plan around at renewal.
The industries below are examples of the employers we work with and can help. They are not a client list, and not every plan is available to every business. Carrier rules, group size, employee participation, and location all play a part.
Industries we work with
Each one lists a few common examples and the topics we usually start with.
Construction & Skilled Trades
Examples: General contractors, electrical and plumbing contractors, HVAC and mechanical shops, excavation and site work, roofing and concrete crews.
Where we start: Field crews and office staff often need different things. We look at how your headcount moves with the season, whether any of your crew already has coverage through a union trust, and how to hold enrollment meetings that reach people before or after a shift, including on the jobsite.
Trucking, Transportation & Logistics
Examples: Trucking companies, freight brokers, courier and delivery services, moving companies, warehouse and distribution operators.
Where we start: Drivers may live far from the office or spend weeks on the road. We check that the provider network works where your people live and travel, and set up online enrollment through Employee Navigator so drivers can sign up without coming in.
Agriculture & Food Production
Examples: Farms, orchards, dairies, nurseries and greenhouses, food processors and packers.
Where we start: We separate year-round roles from seasonal ones, walk through eligibility rules and waiting periods, and check provider access in rural areas so the plan works for people who live outside the bigger cities.
Government & Public Agencies
Examples: Small cities and towns, fire districts, water and sewer districts, port and utility districts, library districts and housing authorities.
Where we start: Budget cycles and board or council approvals set the calendar, so we plan backward from your deadlines. We compare group plans with any public pool you already have access to and look at voluntary benefits that cost the agency nothing to offer.
Accounting, Legal & Professional Services
Examples: CPA firms, law offices, bookkeeping services, business consultants, financial planning practices.
Where we start: We look at what partners and staff each expect, keep the employer cost predictable, and schedule meetings and deadlines around your busy season. For an accounting firm, that usually means staying clear of tax season.
Manufacturing & Aerospace Suppliers
Examples: Machine shops, metal fabricators, aerospace and defense suppliers, plastics and composites makers, cabinet and millwork shops.
Where we start: Shift schedules shape everything. We hold enrollment sessions for each shift, look at disability and accident coverage for physical work, and build a package that works for both the production floor and the front office.
Medical, Dental & Health Practices
Examples: Medical clinics, dental offices, chiropractic and physical therapy practices, optometry offices, home care agencies.
Where we start: Your staff works in healthcare, so they tend to ask sharp questions. We compare networks and costs for owners, clinicians, and support staff, and fit enrollment around patient hours.
Automotive & Equipment
Examples: Auto repair shops, dealerships, collision centers, tire stores, equipment rental and repair businesses.
Where we start: Techs, sales staff, and office staff are often paid differently and want different things. We keep employee costs clear and set up an enrollment process that works around a busy shop schedule.
Retail & Local Shops
Examples: Grocery and specialty food stores, hardware stores, garden centers, boutiques, sporting goods stores.
Where we start: We sort out who is full time and who is part time, what employees can realistically pay per paycheck, and how to keep plan choices simple. Voluntary benefits can round out the package when the budget for employer-paid coverage is tight.
Restaurants, Hospitality & Lodging
Examples: Restaurants and cafes, breweries and taprooms, hotels and motels, catering companies, event venues.
Where we start: Hours change week to week and turnover can be high. We build a simple routine for enrolling new hires, and if you are getting close to 50 full-time equivalent employees, we talk through how the ACA counts variable-hour staff.
Nonprofits & Faith-Based Organizations
Examples: Charities, churches and ministries, social service agencies, trade and professional associations, arts and community groups.
Where we start: Budgets are often set by grants or giving, so we focus on a contribution level you can keep up year after year, with plan details that are easy to explain to your board.
Schools, Childcare & Education
Examples: Private and faith-based schools, childcare and early learning centers, tutoring centers, trade and vocational schools, before and after school programs.
Where we start: School-year calendars and 10-month staff change the timing. We plan enrollment so teachers and staff have time to review their options before the busy start of the year.
Real Estate, Property & Title
Examples: Real estate brokerages, property management companies, title and escrow offices, HOA management firms, appraisal companies.
Where we start: Many agents are independent contractors, and contractors usually are not eligible for a group plan. We start by confirming who is on payroll, then build benefits for that team and a simple process for staff changes.
Technology, Engineering & Design
Examples: Software companies, IT managed service providers, engineering firms, architecture studios, land surveyors.
Where we start: Skilled employees compare benefits closely when they choose a job. We look at where your people work, including anyone remote or out of state, and whether the network and plan design will help you recruit.
Landscaping, Cleaning & Home Services
Examples: Landscaping companies, janitorial services, pest control, restoration contractors, security and patrol companies.
Where we start: Crews are spread out and turnover can run high. We set up a repeatable new hire process in Employee Navigator and make it easy for supervisors to point employees to answers.
Salons, Fitness & Pet Care
Examples: Salons and barbershops, spas, gyms and fitness studios, veterinary clinics, pet grooming and boarding.
Where we start: We first confirm who is an employee and who rents a chair or works as a contractor. Then we look at what is affordable for a small team and explain the basics for people who may be getting benefits for the first time.
Wholesale, Distribution & Building Supply
Examples: Wholesale distributors, lumber and building supply yards, industrial supply companies, commercial equipment dealers, import and export businesses.
Where we start: Sales, warehouse, and office roles all need to fit in one plan. We account for multiple locations and set up a clean way to track elections and payroll deductions.
Marketing, Media & Printing
Examples: Marketing and ad agencies, print shops, sign companies, video and photo production, publishers.
Where we start: Project work can swing your staffing up and down. We focus on the core team you keep year round, a plan you can grow into, and employee communication that does not eat into billable time.
Where your business is right now matters too
Offering benefits for the first time
We explain the options in plain language, help you choose an employer contribution you can keep up, and gather what carriers need to quote. Our help costs you nothing, because carriers pay broker commissions.
Growing or adding a location
Hiring, opening a second location, or moving past 50 employees can change what makes sense. That is where Washington’s small group rules and the ACA’s employer requirements start to shift. We review your setup at every renewal and whenever the business changes.
Family-owned and owner-run companies
Many of our clients are run by the owner and a few family members. Eligibility rules for owners and relatives on payroll vary by carrier, so we check them up front and keep the plan simple enough to manage without an HR department.
Hourly, seasonal, and remote teams
We plan enrollment around shift work, crews in the field, and people who work from home, using on-site group meetings, one-on-one appointments, and virtual sessions.
What working with us includes
The right plan is only part of it. Here is the rest of what comes with Washington Insurance Brokers.
Core employee benefits
Group health, dental, vision, life, and disability, compared side by side for your budget and your team.
Explore employee benefits →Enrollment and education
Online enrollment through Employee Navigator, plus group meetings, one-on-one help, and virtual sessions for open enrollment and new hires.
See how enrollment works →Voluntary benefits
Accident, cancer, critical illness, and hospital plans employees can choose through payroll deduction, at no cost to the employer.
Learn about voluntary benefits →ACA and compliance
Help with ACA reporting, affordability, and the rules that change as your headcount grows.
Read about ACA compliance →Questions employers ask us
What if my industry is not listed here?
We can still help. Call or send us a note with what your business does, how many employees you have, and where they work. If we are not the right fit, we will tell you and point you in a better direction.
Do businesses in the same industry end up with the same plan?
Rarely. Two contractors with the same headcount can make very different choices based on budget, employee ages, where people live, and what the owner wants to offer.
Can you help if we have never offered benefits before?
Yes. Many of the employers we work with are setting up their first plan. We walk you through the options, the costs, and each step of enrollment.
Does it cost anything to work with you?
No. Insurance carriers pay broker commissions, so there is no fee to employers for our help. You pay only your insurance premiums.
What should I have ready for a first conversation?
Your number of employees, where they work, when you want coverage to start, a rough budget, and your current plan and renewal if you have one. Please do not send Social Security numbers or medical information through our website.
Tell us about your team
You do not need to know which plan you want. Start with how many people you have, where they work, and what you want to improve. We usually get back to you within one business day.
Get Started Call (206) 653-9636