RadiomanATL
Senior Member
Given that insurance companies are all about $$$, I'd be willing to bet they don't calculate their family rates based upon only one child. They no doubt take an average (maybe a bit more) and go from there.
At my last job, the only choices were 'employee' and 'family'.
And finally the truth is skirted around.
Instead of taking the time to figure actual costs, the insurance lobby paid congress to allow them to charge small families, who decided to restrict the number of children they had for whatever reason, the same as large families, increasing their profits in doing so.
Since virtually all of the insurance plans sold through employers are like this and since employer provided insurance pretty much IS the marketplace here in America, I say with confidence, so much for the concept of 'competition' in the current insurance market.
Insurance lobby paid congress? Maybe, but not in the scenario in which you are complaining about. There's no reason to pay off congress when competing for group risk coverages offered to companies.
The competition is alive and well. What you are confused about is that the insurance companies aren't competing for your business with group coverage policies (you are not a group after all), and instead compete for your employers business.
You always may choose to opt out and research an individual policy. In that arena the insurance companies do compete for your business.
Don't like your current benefits package? Get a new employer. Your complaints have no basis in reality.