A. Employees as a group generally get lower rates on various types of insurance than they would if they purchased it individually; and employers often pay some or all of the insurance premiums.

In many countries, medical insurance is provided by the state. In the US, medical coverage became very generous during the periods when the government capped wages, and employers tried to attract better workers by offering more benefits. Currently, medical benefits are shrinking.

Most employers offer a choice of several medical insurance plans; depending on which one you choose, and whether you want coverage only for yourself or for your family as well, a certain amount is deducted from your paycheck.

Things to look out for in a medical package:

• Some plans don't cover pre-existing conditions. E.g., if you're pregnant, or if you already have an ulcer when you start working, none of the related medical expenses may be covered.
  
• Different components of coverage may begin on different dates: on the first day of work, after 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, etc.
  
• Health maintenance organizations provide inferior medical care at a lower cost to the employer.
  
• Many plans have deductibles (an amount you pay before you start being reimbursed; often a few thousand dollars per year) and co-pays (percentage of the expenses over the deductible that you pay; typically 20% to 30%).
  
• Many employers also provide life insurance benefits (which may be taxable in the US). If you choose to buy life insurance, you can usually get better rates through your job.
  

Some employers try to impress candidates with an array of insurance benefits that sound impressive, but are very unlikely to be used (and hence cost the company very little in premiums). For example, the company may provide an insurance policy that'll pay you a if you become disabled travelling on a company business. A general disability insurance may cost more but provide more realistic coverage. Or, limited dental plan might refer to a policy that'll only pay for replacing healthy teeth lost in an accident -- a rather uncommon dental procedure.