Insurance

A brokerage’s most valuable asset is not prouducts, but the quality of its relationship with clients, says Bottom Line Solutions’ Nelson Griswold.

Dependent eligibility verification audits are sometimes tough to communicate to employees, but as employers look for financial savings in their health plans, many are contemplating them.

Seeking an alternative to the DOL's controversial proposed fiduciary rule, some members of Congress are drafting their own proposal that would establish rules for advisers working with savers and plans without the regulatory burdens and litigation risks that critics see in the DOL's plan.

EBA Advisers of the Year, as well as other industry insiders, share their insight on some of the major issues employee benefit brokers face. Take a look as these experts reflect on everything from the Cadillac tax to benefits technology to voluntary products.

As LIMRA celebrates 100 years in the industry in 2016, the association will renew its focus on retirement research, education and training and continue to evaluate the impact of the DOL’s pending fiduciary rule.

The work ahead can seem daunting for those running a private exchange. Nonetheless, they have big visions for the future that come with a fair amount of patience as the employer-sponsored benefit system adjusts.

Bring many of the industry’ leading minds together with brokers and advisers from across the country who are eager to learn and share insights on the latest market trends and best practices, and you’ve got some of the year’s most thought-provoking conversations. For those who missed out, here are the highlights from EBA’s 2015 conferences.

Employee benefit departments are perceived by some as the “soft underbelly” in the world of corporate hacking targets, according to Adam Solander, a member of law firm Epstein Becker Green.

Commentary: Even the best hospitals are not immune to medical mistakes. However, there are steps employers can take to educate themselves about its costs.

During annual open enrollment, the focus of most people’s attention is squarely on health insurance coverage, and yet the season is an ideal time to consider other benefit elections, too.

Small employers such as Beehive PR and Beach Cities Health District create a culture of mental wellness with a suite of day-to-day programs that encourage work-life balance, employee involvement and employee growth and development opportunities.

ACA reporting becomes mandatory in 2016. Preparing employers to be compliant with reporting requirements is a core service that advisers should be offering, industry experts say.

Internship and mentoring programs are popular among some of the nation’s leading advisory firms, as is maintaining strong relationships with universities. But brokerages must also work to dispel misconceptions many people have about the industry if they want to ensure they can develop enough home-grown talent.

Employee Benefit Adviser, in partnership with business intelligence data analytics firm miEdge, introduces the second annual listing of top employee benefit firms in the country, ranked exclusively on health and welfare revenue. Revealed in descending order, the listing is based on Form 5500 reporting data as of Nov. 16, 2015.

When a stock deal is amended, typically the shareholders of one company feel they’re being shortchanged, says USI’s Michael Turpin, who shares his views on the new merger agreement and what it could mean for the industry as a whole.

The provider of benefit outsourcing solutions adds new tools to its private benefit exchange in collaboration with ConnectedHealth.

The biggest U.S. health insurer is considering pulling out of the Affordable Care Act as it loses hundreds of millions of dollars on the program, casting a pall over President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement.

TW shareholders sued Towers Watson over the original merger — now stockholders of both companies have a new agreement to consider.

Willis Group Holdings Plc, the third-largest insurance broker, agreed to better terms for Towers Watson & Co. shareholders in a proposed merger after the consulting firm’s investors said that a June agreement was inadequate.

Brokers have been largely an afterthought on the public health care exchanges, industry insiders say, and one company says it is trying to change that at no cost to the broker.