Voluntary benefits

Numerous group disability insurance providers provide their take on the market and where it is going.

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 consulting firm finds that almost a third of voluntary sales in 2011 were to the largest employers, but no market has reached its saturation point.

Combining voluntary and permanent life to help employees.

Discount programs deliver financial savings of up to 50% to employees, increasing their loyalty to their employer.

Consumer-driven health plans have bypassed health maintenance organizations to become the second most common plan design offered by U.S. employers, according to an Aon Hewitt survey.

Companies like Dow Corning and IBM are jumping on the bandwagon for overseas employee volunteer assignments with an eye on insights into joint markets, improved skills and increased retention among the youngest and hungriest workers.

Participants in comprehensive workplace wellness programs achieve a significant reduction in health risks in as little as 18 months, according to a new study conducted by the Principal Financial Group, with the greatest impact among participants who also received personalized health coaching.

Nearly two-thirds of Canadians surveyed have fallen short of their savings goal, and many plan to work part-time to supplement their pension.

The 2012 Voluntary Benefit Adviser of the Year award recognizes excellent service to group benefit plan sponsors.

Getting Gen Y to take action on disability coverage by demonstrating need.

Discount programs offer employees exclusive savings.

Workplace Benefits Mania conference focuses on voluntary benefits in Las Vegas

How brokers advisers can expand the effectiveness of EAP program by emphasizing brain strength.

Baby boomers not taking advantage of available eye care benefits, leading to lost productivity.

Employers offering mini-med plans need to find alternatives.

Online life insurance calculators fare poorly in consumer report.

With more than 8.1 million Americans protected by long-term care insurance coverage, there is no doubt it’s a product that appeals to baby boomers who don’t want to end up in a nursing home or be dependent on others. However, it’s not a fit for everyone. For example, most young married men would be better off focusing on building a nest egg and buying life insurance protection. …

Consumer awareness of bank-sold life insurance has improved, and much of this improvement can be credited to generations X and Y, according to a report from LIMRA. The periodic report, "Bank on It! Opportunities With Today's Bank Customer,” found the majority of generations X and Y would consider buying life insurance policy from their bank—significantly higher than members of the older baby boomer and silent generations, where only about a third of these consumers say they would consider it.

Now that heath reform remains intact, it's official: compliance waivers on expense-incurred medical plans are set to expire on Dec. 31, 2013 - which will result in millions of uninsured hourly and part-time employees looking for new avenues of health care coverage.