Client communications

In the first year of open enrollment on its private benefit exchange, brokerage Lovitt & Touché made some mistakes. But the firm won’t be repeating them, says the Phoenix-based brokerage’s senior vice president.

Many individuals think coverage is too expensive or unnecessary in certain stages of life — that’s why advisers need to emphasize the true cost of a policy and help clients think about their future when discussing life insurance.

Commentary: The company’s new tactic of comparing itself to brokerages across the country “goes beyond the line of ethical standards,” says HR Technology Advisors' Joe Markland.

Notable gap exists between what employers are demanding and what brokers are supplying

Commentary: Why exclude an individual if they want to sign up for short-term disability on their Xbox or refrigerator’s Wi-Fi enabled display? This is what people expect in 2015.

Employers have some decisions to make regarding coverage for spouses and domestic partners following the Obergefell ruling. If there are any modifications to a policy, it’s crucial they’re reflected in the plan document and that employees and TPAs are informed about such changes.

In its first day of hearings about the proposed fiduciary rule, the DOL has heard testimony from advisers, legal experts and other industry representatives — many seeking revisions to minimize the ‘burden’ of the rule’s future implementation.

Advisers who provide a variety of distribution methods, year-round support and targeted messages help employees better understand their benefits, which leads to increased participation.

With its streamlined technology platform and no fee business model, Zenefits has created quite a stir in the benefits industry. Should brokers be scared or should they be thanking Zenefits for pushing the envelope?

Advisers who excel in the vision field do the best job of making the connection between vision and medical plans, some experts say. Shannon Enders, a founding partner at Lakeshore Employee Benefits in Norton Shores, Mich., says when he brings the idea of connecting vision and health data to clients’ attention, “they quickly become very interested.”

Commentary: Delivering fee disclosure notices to both plan sponsors and plan participants has helped some plan sponsors to lower their costs, but the various fee disclosures are still difficult for many to understand. With such a national focus on fees, some plan sponsors have taken the opportunity to review and rethink how they handle plan fees.

Selecting the right partners, learning from colleagues and understanding the needs of each client will help agents who are new to this space.

Commentary: Chances of the industry ever being the way it was prior to the ACA are nonexistent, which we should all hail as a good thing, says columnist Wendy Keneipp following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold ACA subsidies.

Upfront information, auto features and tailoring communication and education specific to younger employees can help boost participation.

ADP filed a defamation lawsuit against Zenefits Tuesday, heating up a quarrel between the companies that ignited when ADP disabled Zenefits’ access to its systems for shared clients. The HR tech firm calls ADP's actions anti-competitive fear tactics.

Retirement relates to all other parts of the financial pie, and that’s the conversation advisers should be having with clients.

Commentary: Changing the course of ongoing consumer engagement will empower consumers to embrace the new consumer-directed health care dynamic and start changing their own behavior.

Commentary: Employers should be vigilant when developing strategies which can run afoul of new rules. The penalties are severe.

By now, some of your clients have come to you with a problem: How do I address this tax filing for IRS 6055/56? For some reason, their payroll vendor is unable to deliver or wants an arm and a leg to do the filing. You hold out hope that somehow this will blow over and get resolved. But as we get into the summer months, a greater number of your clients lacking in options will…

A bee will travel miles to pollenate an attractive flower, but it will only tell its hive about the experience if the nectar was wonderful. The same lesson applies to customer experience — and it’s one benefit advisers must keep in mind in this age of growing consumerism, said Martha Rogers, founding partner at management consulting firm Peppers & Rogers Group. …