Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

Commentary: To get beyond the barriers that keep us from engaging customers and avoid always asking the “who can I talk to today?” question, what’s needed is a pipeline mentality, says sales expert John Graham.

Commentary: There is one big problem with health insurance that continues to get bigger: health care deductibles continue to rise. This poses challenges for both employers who provide benefits and employees as well.

Commentary: The best of the emerging broker decision-support tools will inspire a more customized set of benefits options for workers, and a growth in voluntary benefits participation. Those brokers who seize this opportunity will become indispensable to the coming transformation of the group benefits space.

Commentary: Tracking of employee hours must begin in January 2015 in order to comply with ACA and IRS mandates, so make sure your clients know the pros and cons of available measuring methods now.

Commentary: Promote the need for life insurance coverage before enrollment season, says The Standard’s John West, who provides several talking points advisers can address with clients.

Commentary: High-limit personal umbrella coverage can be a door-opener for brokers and consultants, says Sam Fleet, president of AmWINS Group Benefits.

Commentary: Despite perceived cost savings, most narrow networks have actually missed the opportunity to improve value — and their lack of transparency threatens to unleash a ferocious consumer backlash, says Dartmouth's Scott Wallace.

Commentary: Evolving technologies are creating a major shift in the enrollment landscape. Brokers and benefit advisers hoping to offer clients customized solutions need to stay in the know.

Predictions for 2014 open enrollment include more than 3 million employees being covered under private exchanges. Is this the new trend in employer-sponsored health care coverage?

Commentary: Voluntary benefits used to be nice-to-have, now they are must-have benefits, says columnist Nelson Griswold. To sell voluntary to the client, don’t ask, tell.