WEIRTON — Municipal employees will continue to have the same types of insurance coverage for their health needs for 2026, although some of the plans will come with an increase in cost.

Weirton Council, during its meeting Monday, unanimously approved resolutions for health, vision, dental, and life insurance coverage for all eligible city employees.

Health insurance will be provided through Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, with a Gap plan provided by Pan American Accident and Health.

Vision Benefits of America will provide vision coverage, with dental insurance coming through Highmark Blue Edge, and life insurance from American United Life Insurance Co.

City Manager Mike Adams offered his thanks to Nathan Mazur, of USI Insurance Services, for his assistance in searching for the best plans to offer the city employees.

“We had probably nine different companies shopped out,” Adams said.

Adams previously explained, as a result of proposed rate increases of more than 50 percent from some companies, and others opting not to offer bids, the city ended with two options: Highmark or Aetna for health coverage. Of the two, Highmark offered a plan with the lowest increase in cost of 17.8 percent.

“We worked really hard with them,” he said.

Under the Highmark plan, single employee plans will have a monthly premium of $1,111.46, to include $967.30 for Highmark and $144.18 for the Gap plan. A plan for an employee plus child will be $2,104.38 per month; employee and spouse will be $2,305.45 per month; employee and children is $3,203.22 per month; and a family plan will have a premium of $3,347.17 per month.

Employees do not contribute to those premiums, according to the resolution.

The dental insurance plan through Highmark Blue Edge will have a 10 percent increase, with single plans costing $27.10 per month; employee/spouse $54.74 per month; employee/children $65.44 per month; and family plans at $93.06 per month. City employees contribute half of those costs.

Vision coverage, also with no employee contribution, costs $4.35 per month for an employee only plan; $8.28 for a two-person plan; and $11.10 per month for a family plan.

Life insurance, meanwhile, also with no employee contribution, will cost the city $15.50 per month for each employee. The city offers life/accidental death and disability insurance plans of $50,000 for all full-time employees, or plans of $32,500 upon an employee reaching the age of 65.

All plans become effective Jan. 1.