Real Living Inc., one of the nation’s largest residential real estate companies, has partnered with an insurance broker to make a benefits package available to its employees and affiliates.
The company this week announced a partnership with BenefitProtect LLC, which provides medical, discount health, prescription drug, critical illness, life insurance, dental insurance and accident insurance to a variety of associations and industries.
As many real estate agents are independent contractors who pay their own way for healthcare, the National Association of Realtors has supported legislation that would make it easier for trade associations and other industry groups to offer lower-cost healthcare to members. Affordable healthcare for its members is one of the trade group’s top legislative priorities.
The Real Living effort will allow the company’s agents, franchisees, staff and part-time associates to purchase healthcare through BenefitProtect.
Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, Real Living chief operating officer, said in a statement, “For the first time, all of our agents and associates now have the opportunity to select from a variety of insurance options at the best rates available.”
Real Living agents and associates can choose individual or family coverage, and there are various types of coverage with different deductible structures — with or without co-pays, the company announced.
“Affordable healthcare is one of the top concerns of Americans — and for our agents — and we wanted to do something about it,” Rouda said.
“The ability to offer health and other benefits to our agents is a wonderful benefit of being associated with Real Living. It makes good business sense because it helps us to attract and retain quality real estate professionals. It also supports our philosophy of treating the agent as a partner and helping them to achieve their personal as well as professional goals,” said Tripti Kasal, president and managing broker of Real Living Infinity in Chicago, in a statement.
Kasal also said the partnership should also benefit franchises, as many are small companies that do not have the resources to provide agents with benefits.
Insurance packages from BenefitProtect are available in all states. The company has a payroll deduction plan available for agents and franchisees with 10 or more employees. Real Living participants who enroll receive a prescription card available through PharmaCare free of charge. PharmaCare consists of about 47,000 national and regional chain pharmacies, as well as independent pharmacies.
Real Living has 4,000 agents and employees in 130 offices throughout 12 states. The company offers a range of real estate-related services, including home financing, title, relocation, corporate relocation management and home warranties.
