Voluntary

Commentary: It’s time to start thinking outside the box and considering life insurance and fixed indexed annuities as alternative investments or sub investment classes within fixed income for retirement plans.

Everyone knows healthier employees are more productive employees, and focusing on wellness can help achieve that goal. But there are two things vital to us all missing from the equation: vision and hearing.

Year two under the ACA saw improved user experience, more choices for consumers and millions of Americans qualified for subsidies, Kevin Counihan says.

Commentary: Three common employer concerns about exchanges and how to address them.

Commentary: Agency growth is completely dependent on producer pipelines. Yet, we typically see producers struggling with one of two situations: either they have empty pipelines or ones filled with the wrong opportunities.

Despite the trend towards online enrollment, employers who deploy a self-service enrollment for their workforce often discover that it can backfire, resulting in frustrated employees.

Commentary: Brokers who can step in and learn the business of voluntary benefits and some of the newer products hitting the market will be well-suited to bring in new clients and keep them protected against financial loss with a combination of relevant and cost-efficient solutions, says AmWINS' Sam Fleet.

Commentary: There’s a lot for your clients to consider when carefully managing intermittent leaves. The Standard's Lincoln Dirks goes in-depth on the paperwork that outlines the parameters for an absence — certifications and recertifications.

Critical illness insurance is among the fastest growing voluntary benefits, but it’s also among the most difficult to grasp for employees. In developing its new CI insurance line, Trustmark did research to better understand the market.

Increasingly diverse workforces are creating a benefit communications challenge for employers and their advisers.