Updated April 2026 · Florida Plan Finder · Licensed Florida Health Insurance Producer

Florida Mini-COBRA Continuation Coverage Rules for Small Business

Florida's mini-COBRA statute (FL Statute 627.6692, the 'Health Insurance Coverage Continuation Act') gives employees of small employers — those with fewer than 20 employees not subject to federal COBRA — the right to continue group health insurance coverage after a qualifying event. The Florida law is similar to federal COBRA in structure but differs in important ways: 18-month continuation, 115% premium cap, 30-day election period, and applicability only to fully-insured small group plans. This guide is a complete reference for Florida small businesses administering mini-COBRA.

Statute Overview

Florida Statute 627.6692 requires fully-insured small group health plans (issued to employers with fewer than 20 employees) to include continuation-of-coverage provisions modeled on federal COBRA. The continuation right runs to qualified beneficiaries — covered employees, spouses, and dependent children — upon the occurrence of a qualifying event.

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Qualifying Events

Termination of employment (voluntary or involuntary, NOT for gross misconduct)
Reduction in hours of work below the eligibility threshold
Death of the covered employee
Divorce or legal separation
Dependent child reaching maximum age (typically 26)
Medicare entitlement of the covered employee (creates QE for spouse/dependents)

Continuation Length

Qualifying Event	Continuation Period
Termination or hour reduction	18 months
Disability extension (SSDI determination)	29 months total
Death, divorce, dependent age-out, Medicare entitlement	29 months for spouse/dependent

Premium Cap — 115%

Florida mini-COBRA caps the premium charge at 115% of the group rate. Federal COBRA caps at 102%. The 115% cap reflects the higher administrative cost of administering small group continuation. Mechanics:

Total premium = group rate × 1.15
Qualified beneficiary pays the full amount (no employer subsidy)
Premium is paid monthly to the carrier (or to the employer who forwards to carrier)

Notice Requirements

Notice	Deadline	Sender
Initial notice (at hire / enrollment)	Within 30 days of enrollment	Employer or carrier
Qualifying event notice (employer to carrier)	30 days from event	Employer
Election notice (carrier to qualified beneficiary)	14 days from carrier's receipt of QE notice	Carrier
Election by qualified beneficiary	30 days from election notice	Qualified beneficiary
First premium payment	45 days from election	Qualified beneficiary

Termination of Continuation

End of the 18-month (or 29-month) period
Failure to pay premium (with grace period)
Qualified beneficiary becomes covered under another group plan
Qualified beneficiary becomes entitled to Medicare
Plan terminates (because employer dropped coverage)
Fraud in obtaining coverage

How Mini-COBRA Differs from Federal COBRA

Feature	Federal COBRA	Florida Mini-COBRA
Employer threshold	20+ employees	Under 20 employees
Continuation period	18-36 months depending on QE	18-29 months
Premium cap	102%	115%
Election period	60 days	30 days
Carrier vs employer admin	Employer responsible	Carrier responsible (employer notifies)
Plan applicability	Both fully-insured and self-funded	Fully-insured only

Stay Compliant with Florida Mini-COBRA on Your Small Group Plan

A licensed Florida broker can confirm carrier processes for mini-COBRA notices.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to administer mini-COBRA myself?

No — Florida law makes the carrier responsible for sending election notices and collecting premium. The employer's role is to notify the carrier within 30 days of any qualifying event. Most administrative complexity is on the carrier side.

What is 'gross misconduct' for purposes of denial?

A high bar — embezzlement, theft, violence at work, willful destruction of property. Performance issues, attendance problems, and 'we just don't like the employee' do NOT meet the standard. Most terminations should result in mini-COBRA being offered.

Can a qualified beneficiary switch from mini-COBRA to ACA marketplace coverage?

Yes — and often the marketplace is cheaper if income qualifies for APTC. Loss of employer coverage is a SEP for marketplace enrollment. Many qualified beneficiaries elect mini-COBRA temporarily while shopping for marketplace coverage during their 60-day SEP.

Licensed Florida Health Insurance Producer · NPN #21249133Information on this page is for general reference and is updated regularly. Verify current plan availability and costs at HealthCare.gov before enrolling.