Voluntary

Shares of health insurers from Cigna to Aetna surged on speculation that the industry is heading for a round of mergers to boost profits.

Many employees are unaware of the causes of disability leave and about gaps in their coverage, and a DI advocate inside the firm can help educate individuals about these common misconceptions.

Applying the lens of behavioral economics to benefits choices helps employers understand why employees choose or don’t choose certain voluntary benefits.

Commentary: The guidelines establish a uniform methodology that must be followed in determining the maximum annual rate of index-based interest that can be used to calculate policy values in indexed universal life illustrations. The NAIC is set to vote on the issue next week.

While small employers may understand the benefits of long-term disability insurance to their workforce, many have misconceptions about its cost and may underestimate the desire employees have for this coverage.

More brokers are inquiring about the product these days, and industry experts anticipate recent growth to continue as awareness spreads.

Benefit advisers can be a ‘vital’ resource for low-income earners who, according to new research, need better understanding of and engagement with their employers’ benefit offerings.

If done poorly, the introduction of voluntary benefits can lead to a frustrated workforce that doesn’t have the right insurance.

Achieving better enrollment rates for voluntary benefits depends on high-quality, relevant data.

Data suggest a strong correlation between an employee’s overall sense of confidence in the future and the benefits they participate in at work – particularly non-medical benefits such as life insurance, accident insurance and critical illness insurance.