Employee Benefit Systems

What Employee Benefit Systems does

Employee Benefit Systems, Inc. (EBS) is a Houston, Texas-based supplemental insurance brokerage and benefits administration firm founded in 1997 to serve union members and their families. The company distributes a portfolio of voluntary insurance products — Whole Life, Term Life, Lifetime Benefit Term, Critical Illness, Cancer, Accident, Short and Long Term Disability, and Hospital Indemnity — through two main programs: the Machinists Custom Choices Worksite Benefits Program and Union Benefit Advantage. EBS's go-to-market is community-led via Collective Bargaining Agreements with 18+ international unions (IAMAW, UWUA, METAL TRADES, UA, UFCW, OPEIU, FOP, BOILERMAKERS, LIUNA, SMART, IAFF, AFGE, ROOFERS, BMWED, OCSEA, CLEAT, ICWCU, AFA), with premium collection handled through worksite payroll deduction. The company also operates an EBS Retirement Division providing Medicare supplement and retiree dental coverage to retired union members.

EBS employs non-commissioned licensed benefit counselors who educate members on available products rather than selling on commission, distinguishing the firm from typical voluntary/worksite carriers. Carrier partnerships with major insurers (Aetna, CHUBB, Unum, Transamerica, Boston Mutual, Manhattan Life, EMC National Life) and add-on partners (Frontline Identity, prescription savings card) form the product backbone. EBS negotiates custom policy features — including guaranteed issue, portability, and strike waiver of premium — that are tailored to union population needs.

The revenue model is recurring commission-based: EBS earns commissions from carrier partners on premiums collected via payroll deduction across its enrolled member base. The firm is privately held, has 11-50 employees, and has been operating nationally since its founding at the request of the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers. No public listing, funding rounds, or M&A activity are disclosed. Core technology is not disclosed beyond a corporate website; there is no evidence of proprietary technology platforms, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Employee Benefit Systems

Legal name

Employee Benefit Systems, Inc.

Website

https://ebsworksite.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Employee Benefit Systems is a Houston-based supplemental insurance brokerage founded in 1997 that serves union members and their families through partnerships with 18+ international unions, distributing voluntary life, disability, critical illness, and accident insurance products via payroll deduction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Supplemental Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421), Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Life Insurance (6311), Accident & Health Insurance (6321)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Benefits Administration (Enrollment & Deductions) (BPACAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group/Employer-Sponsored Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity (FSAIAKAD), Benefits Administration & Enrollment Support (BPAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Supplemental insurance
• Worksite benefits
• Voluntary insurance
• Union benefits
• Benefits administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Insurance Premium Collection: EBS facilitates supplemental insurance products (Life, Critical Illness, Cancer, Accident, Disability, Hospital Indemnity) where premiums are collected through payroll deduction from union members' paychecks. The company earns commissions from insurance carrier partners while providing benefit counseling to members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Employee Benefit Systems (EBS) is a supplemental insurance brokerage and benefits administration firm that designs, distributes, and services voluntary insurance products for union members and their families. Through programs such as the Machinists Custom Choices Worksite Benefits Program and Union Benefit Advantage, EBS offers Life, Critical Illness, Cancer, Accident, Short and Long-Term Disability, and Hospital Indemnity policies—collected via payroll deduction—to fill gaps left by Collective Bargaining Agreement health plans.

Product overview

Employee Benefit Systems offers a comprehensive portfolio of supplemental insurance products organized into two main programs (Machinists Custom Choices Worksite Benefits Program and Union Benefit Advantage), plus a dedicated Retirement Division. The core product suite includes Whole Life, Term Life, Lifetime Benefit Term, Critical Illness, Cancer, Accident, Short and Long Term Disability Income, and Hospital Indemnity insurance policies. All products are supplemental coverage designed to fill gaps in employer-sponsored and union-negotiated health plans. Policies are offered through non-commissioned benefit counselors and premiums are collected via payroll deduction. Products are fully portable and include strike waiver provisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Machinists Custom Choices: A suite of supplemental insurance products designed to fill gaps of plans provided through Collective Bargaining Agreements, including Life, Catastrophic Loss rider, Critical Illness, Cancer, Accident, Short and Long-term Disability Income, and Hospital Indemnity policies.
• Union Benefit Advantage

Products and services

• Whole Life Insurance + Long Term Care Rider Whole life insurance with a long-term care rider, available for members, spouses, dependent children under 26, and grandchildren under 16. Cost remains fixed and the death benefit is guaranteed never to decrease.
• Term Life Insurance Term life insurance purchased for a specific purpose or period, typically used for mortgage protection or income replacement upon loss of a spouse or parent.
• Lifetime Benefit Term Family protection term policy with guaranteed benefits and long-term care coverage. Members receive guaranteed issue up to $100,000 and spouses up to $30,000; pays death benefits in advance for home health care, assisted living, adult day care, and nursing home care.
• Critical Illness Insurance Aetna plan providing lump sum cash benefits of $15,000, $25,000, or $50,000 upon diagnosis of covered serious conditions including heart attack, stroke, cancer, and organ transplant. Includes skin cancer benefit, health screening benefit, and dependent children coverage at no additional cost.
• Cancer Insurance Insurance providing benefits directly to the insured for cancer treatment, including first diagnosis benefit of $5,000, radiation/chemotherapy therapy up to $5,000 per month, hospital confinement at $200 per day, hospital intensive care at $625 per day, and wellness screening up to $50 per year.
• Accident Plan Policy helping offset loss of income due to accidents occurring on or off the job, available to members and their families.
• Short Term Disability Income Tax-free weekly benefits up to 65% of salary for total or partial disabilities from accidents or illnesses off the job. Benefits begin after 7 days and are payable for up to 26 weeks.
• Long Term Disability Income Monthly benefits from $300 to $6,000 (up to 60-65% of salary) for disabilities lasting longer than 6 months, payable for up to 5 years. Tax-free benefits with guaranteed issue to members during first year of eligibility.
• Hospital Indemnity Customized supplemental coverage designed to help with deductible and out-of-pocket costs. Provides scheduled benefits for hospital admission, daily confinement, intensive care, wellness, emergency room, rehabilitation, outpatient surgery, and diagnostic procedures.
• Medicare Supplement & Retiree Dental Professionally certified specialists assist retiring and retired union members in choosing Medicare and retiree dental plans to address individual retirement needs.
• Machinists Custom Choices Worksite Benefits Program Suite of supplemental insurance products designed to fill gaps in collective bargaining agreement plans, including Life, Catastrophic Loss rider, Critical Illness, Cancer, Accident, Short and Long-term Disability Income, and Hospital Indemnity policies.
• Union Benefit Advantage Supplemental insurance organization providing voluntary coverage to union members and their families through payroll deduction, custom-designed for union members with negotiated features.
• EBS Retirement Division Division assisting retiring and retired union members with access to group Medicare and retiree dental coverages.

Quantifiable outcome

• 46% of the population has less than $1,000 in savings for unexpected healthcare expenses - EBS supplemental insurance addresses this gap
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CHUBBcoreTechnology or IntegrationCHUBB is a major insurance carrier partner providing accident insurance, lifetime benefit term, and hospital indemnity products through EBS. Customer service: 833-542-2013. Through collective bargaining power, EBS negotiates exclusive custom plans with preferred underwriting for union members.
• Boston MutualcoreTechnology or IntegrationBoston Mutual provides whole life insurance with long term care rider and term life insurance products. Customer Service: 877-624-2249. Serves as a key carrier partner for EBS supplemental insurance offerings to union members.
• EMC National Life CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationEMC National Life Company is an insurance carrier partner providing supplemental insurance products. Customer Service: 800-232-5818. Through EBS, provides coverage options for union members.
• Manhattan LifecoreTechnology or IntegrationManhattan Life provides cancer insurance products through EBS. Customer Service: 800-247-2045. Offers cancer coverage with benefits for diagnosis, treatment, and hospitalization.
• UnumcoreTechnology or IntegrationUnum provides disability income insurance including short term and long term disability products. Customer Service: (866)679-3054. Disability claims reference IAMAW not employer name.
• TransamericacoreTechnology or IntegrationTransamerica is an insurance carrier partner providing supplemental insurance coverage options. Customer Service: (800) 797-2643. Offers retirement and insurance products through EBS.
• AetnacoreTechnology or IntegrationAetna provides critical illness insurance through EBS with coverage amounts of $15,000, $25,000, or $50,000. Customer Service: 800-998-3797. Covers conditions including heart attack, stroke, cancer, organ transplant, and more.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Aflac: The dominant US worksite/voluntary supplemental insurance carrier (cancer, accident, hospital indemnity, critical illness) distributed largely through payroll deduction at employer and union worksites. Closest direct comparable to EBS in product set and distribution mechanism, though Aflac is the underwriting carrier rather than a broker.
• Voya Financial: Voya offers voluntary/worksite supplemental benefits (critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity) alongside retirement products, often through employer and group relationships. Overlaps with EBS in supplemental product set and worksite distribution.
• Allstate Benefits: Voluntary supplemental insurance arm of Allstate offering group disability, accident, critical illness, cancer, and hospital indemnity products sold at the worksite through employer and group channels. Comparable in product breadth and payroll-deduction distribution.
• MetLife Voluntary & Supplemental Benefits: MetLife's voluntary benefits division sells accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, disability, and life products through employer/worksite channels. Direct competitor for the same product categories EBS distributes via carrier partners.
• Colonial Life: Unum Group subsidiary focused on voluntary/worksite supplemental benefits (accident, cancer, critical illness, disability, life) sold primarily through benefit counselors at employer worksites. Directly mirrors EBS's worksite-counselor distribution model and product mix.
• The Cigna Group Supplemental Health: Cigna's supplemental health business (acquired through the Express Scripts integration) markets accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity coverage in worksite and group settings. Comparable product overlap to EBS.

Broad incumbents

• Unum: Major disability and supplemental benefits carrier that is both a direct competitor (short/long-term disability, critical illness) and an EBS carrier partner (provides STD/LTD through the Machinists Custom Choices program).
• Aetna (CVS Health): Large national health and supplemental benefits carrier that provides EBS's Critical Illness product and competes broadly in the accident/health and voluntary benefits space.
• Transamerica: Major carrier in life, supplemental, and retirement benefits, with a worksite/voluntary distribution arm. Both a partner (carrier for EBS supplemental coverage) and broader competitor in life and supplemental products.

Emerging players

• OneDigital: Fast-growing US employee benefits and HR advisory firm that brokers group health, supplemental, and voluntary benefits for mid-market and large employers, including union and public-sector workforces. Represents the digital/scaled brokerage model that could pressure EBS's incumbent counselor approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Employee Benefit Systems