Employee benefits for auto repair shops,made easy.
97% of U.S. general auto repair shops have fewer than 20 employees.
You want great benefits for your team. You don’t have the time or the resources to get them.
That isn’t on you. For decades, the benefits industry has been built for big companies, and small businesses have been left to figure it out alone. Cakewalk was built for you.
How it works
You run your business. We handle the benefits.
Tell us about your business.
Start with your business name. We fill in what we can find. Connect payroll and your team comes with it.
Hundreds of options. One tailored package.
We compare hundreds of plans for your team. You get one package, priced and ready to adjust.
We get your team covered.
We invite your team. You see who has started. Each person gets help choosing. Everyone is covered.
Benefits admin. Off your plate.
New hires and departures sync from payroll. Each employee gets a benefits wallet. Their questions come to us, not you.
Your benefits team. On the house.
You pay for coverage. Insurance carriers pay us a commission, so we can handle everything from building your package to supporting your team year round, at no cost to you.
Auto repair at a glance
Offering benefits at a repair shop
Good technicians are hard to find and easy to lose to a dealership. Here’s what shapes a benefits plan for an independent repair shop.
- of U.S. general auto repair shops have fewer than 20 employees
- 97%
- openings a year projected for automotive service technicians and mechanics, 2025–2035
- 66,200
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: automotive service technicians and mechanics
- average weekly hours in general automotive repair in 2025
- 38.3
Source: BLS Current Employment Statistics: general automotive repair, 2025
A full-time team
Most service technicians work full time. A SHOP marketplace plan has to be offered to every full-time employee, 30 or more hours a week, and at least 70% of them need to enroll in most states.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: automotive service technicians and mechanics; HealthCare.gov: who qualifies for SHOP
Family in the business
A SHOP marketplace plan needs employees who aren’t owners, partners, or family members. Family on the payroll doesn’t count toward qualifying.
Source: HealthCare.gov: SHOP overview
Competing with dealerships
Technicians are in demand, with about 66,200 openings a year projected through 2035. A benefits package helps an independent shop keep pace with larger employers.
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: automotive service technicians and mechanics
If you own the business through an S corporation
Premiums for an owner with more than 2% of an S corporation are deductible by the company and reported as wages on the owner’s W-2, but they aren’t subject to Social Security or Medicare tax. The owner may then be able to deduct them personally.
Source: IRS: S corporation compensation and medical insurance
Benefits are your choice under 50
Employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees, counting full-time equivalents, aren’t subject to the federal requirement to offer coverage. Offering benefits is a decision you make for your team, not a mandate.
Source: IRS: applicable large employers
The small business tax credit
The federal credit can cover up to 50% of premiums for employers with fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees and average wages under $68,200 in 2026, if you pay at least half of employee-only premiums and buy through the SHOP marketplace. Owners and their families don’t count toward the totals. SHOP plans aren’t offered everywhere, so check your state’s guide.
The whole benefits package.
Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and income protection. Built around your business and the people who power it.
Start with your team’s needs and your business’s budget. Explore medical coverage online, or work with a benefits advisor to understand your options and choose your next step.
Questions shop owners ask.
Not for a SHOP marketplace plan: you need 1 to 50 full-time equivalent employees who aren’t business owners, partners, or family members.
Tell us about your shop.
We’ll follow up to learn about your business and walk you through your options. There’s no cost to work with us.
Prefer to start on your own?