Voluntary benefits

Commentary: As college costs continue to rise and student loan debt reaches unprecedented levels, a 529 plan can offer a valuable benefit for employees looking to meet their college savings objectives.

Commentary: Many employers are struggling to get employees to enroll in voluntary programs; busy workers often don’t take the time to understand what’s being offered.

Financial services programs are topping the list of non-insurance offerings from employers, who recognize the impact such stress can have on productivity.

When addressing group disability coverage, brokers should speak of real-life situations to convey the importance of such plans.

Five ways to tell if your employees are getting the service they deserve from your benefits company.

Offering minimum essential coverage plans not only helps employers stay compliant with the ACA, it can also provide solid compensation for brokers and can lead to gap coverage sales.

Employers more than ever are seeking innovative solutions for health care cost containment from their benefit advisers, and one industry expert says emerging strategies to help brokers thrive in the coming decade should include voluntary benefit sales and plan integration.

Despite thousands of dollars spent on marketing, one key item is missing for critical illness insurance sales. What is it and how can four simple questions help improve sales?

Workers value personalized benefits information yet few employers have implemented a tailored communications approach.

Commentary: Benefit professionals should take advantage of new technology and services to protect employees and help them resolve ID theft situations, says VEBA’s Tinker Kelly.

Sun Life Financial’s acquisition of the employee benefits unit of Assurant is just the latest move in the insurer’s growth strategy for the U.S. market.

Sun Life Financial Inc., Canada’s third-largest life insurer, has agreed to buy the employee-benefits business of Assurant Inc. to further expand its presence in the U.S.

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: There is a new normal when it comes to underwriting offers in the employer-sponsored or group LTCI marketplace.

New evidence is confirming how important workplace flexibility and family-friendly benefits are for recruiting and retention in today’s business environment.

The employee purchase program vendor enters the financial wellness space with a new service.

Commentary: EBA columnist Nelson Griswold says benefits RFPs are universally awful and HR should abandon them. Advisers, he says, should also be wary of them.

A successful employee benefit program has to be in harmony with the culture of the organization.

Trying to institute a wellness initiative in a poor corporate culture is like making dinner with rotten ingredients.

Despite potential savings offered, voluntary programs that provide discounts on products, services and tickets to employees are rarely used and seeing almost no growth year-over-year.