Voluntary benefit participation increases with live assistance
Plan sponsors can raise the level of participation in voluntary benefits by providing live assistance to explain options to their employees, according to a recent survey.
Marli D. Riggs
NAHU convention attendees feel confident about the future
Hundreds of National Association of Health Underwriters members attended the organizations 81st annual convention in San Antonio, which concludes Wednesday.
NAHU convention in San Antonio attracts agents
The National Association of Health Underwriters is gathered in the most visited city in Texas for the organizations 81st annual convention from June 26 29.
Advisers can add value with CER
Benefit brokers have a growing opportunity to help clients incorporate comparative effectiveness research into value-based health plan design, a just-released survey suggests.
Fundamentals apply in driving health plan satisfaction
Advisers should work closely with health insurers to improve service fundamentals that drive employer satisfaction and commitment to benefit sponsorship, suggests new research that also identifies the best-performing vendors.
Lockton: Nearly 20% of employers may drop health coverage
As controversy continues to brew over the validity of a McKinsey survey finding 30% of respondents would likely drop employee health care coverage in the years following the implementation of health reforms state exchanges, a survey on the same topic from Lockton reveals a more conservative estimate: nearly one in five employers (18%) say they will consider terminating group coverage.
Advisers help employees, retirees meet savings goals
A recent survey from Principal Financial Group confirms that employees who use a financial adviser do significantly better at meeting their retirement savings goals than those who do not.
Benefit broker segment stays on top with largest percentage of sales
The benefit broker segment continues to be the largest producer segment according to Eastbridge Consulting Groups 2010 U.S. Worksite Sales Report.
New statutory regs concern life insurance CFOs
Less than 20% of chief financial officers consider themselves very knowledgeable about the new GAAP statutory principle-based framework, while 24% say that key personnel within their company know very little about the plans, according to a recent survey.
HSA enrollment jumps to 11.4 million
Enrollment in health savings accounts jumped to more than 11.4 million as of Jan. 1, 2011, according to an annual census released June 14.
Employers anticipate greater demand for advice of 401(k) plans
Almost 80 percent of employers anticipate that there will be an increased demand for access to savings and investment advice about their 401(k) plans, according to a new survey.
Survey: Voluntary executives deem product competition toughest obstacle
According to a recent survey by Eastbridge, "product competition" was named most frequently as an obstacle voluntary and worksite executives' businesses will face over the next few years. Forty percent of the executives deemed this a top issue.
Report: 66% of workers want to purchase additional benefits
Two out of three workers would purchase additional health insurance benefits to make sure they are protected, according to a report from Aflac. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said they would acquire voluntary insurance.
BenefitMall revamps website
BenefitMall has revamped the company's website, adding resources and information to assist brokers. Changes include an improved home page that provides quicker access to tools that can help brokers more effectively manage their businesses.
Almanac answers LTC questions
Hundreds of facts and statistics have been compiled from numerous industry reports to produce the first Long-Term Care Insurance Almanac and Book of Facts. The guide, produced by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, will help financial and insurance professionals address the increasing number of questions raised by prospective clients.
Premiums continue to rise, CIAB finds
Group medical premiums continue to increase nationwide, according to the May Employee Benefits Market Survey conducted by The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers. Since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted last year, many carriers and brokers blame the legislation for the increase rates, states a CIAB news release.
Retirement plan sponsors value their advisers, study finds
Plan sponsors say that they find comfort in their advisers and the services they deliver, according to preliminary results from a comprehensive study to research the benefits that plan sponsors gain from working with professional retirement plan advisers.
Size matters when it comes to voluntary plans
The mid-size market is a bright spot for voluntary sales in an otherwise stagnant economy, according to LIMRA research.
HHS reduces premiums for PPACA risk pools
New steps to reduce premiums and make it easier for Americans to enroll in the federally administrated Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan risk pool were announced May 31 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Finding new ways to market auto & home
Voluntary home and auto benefits are an increasingly important part of many brokers' product arrays – and revenue streams.