Disability insurance

Barry Lundquist, president of the Council for Disability Awareness, says his group has had a solid start in its effort to educate on the dangerous gaps in long-term coverage.

Proposed changes would have required the tracking of unscheduled intermittent leave, a move opposed by the Society for Human Resource Management.

The overall pace of investment prompted Forrester to warn insurers making only limited mobile efforts soon will lose competitive ground to insurers more aggressively pursuing the technology.

Ninety-eight percent of American businesses have fewer than 100 employees and, according to new numbers from LIMRA, the number of small employers offering benefits is at its lowest level in 20 years.

Experts at Guardian Life Insurance Company emphasize the importance of smaller employers maintaining robust absence management programs.

The Hartford Group says its most recent survey indicates that more than 80% of workers would sign up for personalized voluntary disability coverage, given the option. The Hartford says it has a new offering to meet just that need.

Women worry about the financial futures of their families but many don’t take advantage of group life insurance.

Most of the 50 states have some statute protecting smokers’ rights or lifestyle choices, and one employment attorney advises that companies be very familiar with the ones applying to them before crafting smoke-free policies.

A new survey says both life insurance sales and premiums are up for 2012, with total policy count having gained 2% for the year-to-dates.

Even if the Justice Department allows state-level marijuana policies to legalize the drug, employers likely won't have to change their policies and procedures. Companies could, however, always make their manuals clearer.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission seems to indicate a willingness to expand gender and disability protections beyond existing statutory ADA rights, which could mean employers need to re-examine their policies.

Leading insurers come together for an education campaign in light of research showing LTD claims are rising as group coverage drops.

Most people believe the current economic climate has made life insurance more relevant, but a majority has not calculated their need and many avoid discussing the topic at home, according to a survey by ING.

Rates of hearing loss in the workplace are rising rapidly and screenings and treatments to deal with the problem need to be strategized by employers who want to keep experienced workers.

The health insurer’s interim CEO has announced plans to create four separate business units for Medicare, Medicaid, commercial and individual sales and dental, vision and disability insurance.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently overruled prior precedent on transferring disabled employees to vacant positions.

The passing of a worker is a traumatic time, and employers need to be prepared to deal with benefits, notifications and grief counseling.

Members of the Department of Labor’s ERISA Advisory Council have scheduled an open forum to discuss disability benefits in defined contribution plans, as well as other topics.

Large percentages of Americans lack confidence about their level of life insurance coverage or don’t discuss the benefit often at home.

Workers as young as their twenties are getting – and using – long-term benefits, according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.