WORKSITE PRODUCTS WRAPPED IN WELLNESS    Washington National promotes healthful living to complement its products Washington National Insurance Company, which provides voluntary life- and health-related products through approximately 25,000 employers, devotes significant resources to helping policyholders stay healthy. Healthier lifestyles ultimately can limit the need for filing claims under those products. “Promoting wellness might sound like you´re trying to drive yourself out of business,’ says Barbara Stewart, president of Washington National, “but it´s the right thing to do.’ Washington National´s voluntary worksite products are critical illness, accident, disability, hospitalization, term and universal life insurance. The company´s distribution force includes approximately 4,500 independent agents. It has been providing life and health products since 1911 and is a member of CNO Financial Group, which also includes Bankers Life and Casualty, Colonial Penn Life and Conseco Insurance Companies. Click here for the complete article …

A HANDS-ON APPROACH    Well-established benefits division provides its niches a strategic planning process Build up an employee benefits practice to support a property/casualty insurance specialty. Develop better customer service. Hire a human resources expert to offer some guidance and support for customers struggling with regulatory compliance and management issues. That´s the 2014 wish list for many small to medium-sized independent agents—but at Austin & Co. Inc., in Albany, New York, the competitors´ wishes are already the reality and the cornerstone of a comprehensive package of benefits consulting, brokerage and HR management services. Austin & Co. is practically its own chapter in New York history. The agency was founded in 1853, notes President James A. Sidford, providing property/casualty insurance to personal and commercial clients in New York City and the state capital. In the mid-1970s, management created an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) that made employees participants in agency ownership. Click here for the complete article …

VOLUNTARY BENEFITS: OPPORTUNITY AMID CHAOS    As PPACA takes hold, voluntary benefits will grow in importance As 2013 draws to a close, employee benefit managers and business owners find themselves dealing with continued uncertainty in the health care arena. “Many employers are focusing attention on emerging changes related to health care reform and what it means for their organizations,’ explains Robert Shestack, senior vice president and national voluntary benefits practice leader at AmWINS Group Benefits. “This, of course, is understandable.’ John Stanley, chief marketing officer at Transamerica Employee Benefits, concurs. “We expect to see continued emphasis on the impact of delayed implementation of Affordable Care Act requirements,’ he notes. “Employers will need to determine how they´ll respond to the financial and risk elements of providing employee benefits.’ Click here for the complete article … GETTING PERSONAL: AUTO AND HOMEOWNERS AS VOLUNTARY BENEFITS    Liberty Mutual´s affinity program leads the way in worksite marketing Faced with ever-increasing group health costs, tight budgets, and the complexities of the Affordable Care Act, more and more employers are offering an array of voluntary benefits to help ease the strain on employees. Among the popular voluntary products are life insurance, disability income, critical illness, vision, and dental coverage. Less common, but extremely well received, are personal auto and homeowners coverage at discounted group rates. Enter Liberty Mutual, which operates the largest sponsored auto and home insurance program in the United States. With more than 40 years´ experience in the affinity market, the insurer understands the dynamics of sponsored programs and has partnered with more than 8,800 companies and organizations. Click here for the complete article … BOOSTING VOLUNTARY BENEFIT PARTICIPATION    Agents can help plan sponsors overcome tepid employee interest Voluntary benefit programs seem like the perfect complement for employers, employees and the agents who market them. The products supplement group medical and disability coverage at no additional cost to employers, and the revenues they generate are a welcome addition to group insurance commissions. But year after year, sales are a little disappointing. With every open enrollment period, many employees fail to participate in annual enrollment events, ignore benefit communications and choose not to invest in additional coverage. Two of the biggest voluntary benefit insurers have been digging deep into the behaviors and attitudes that drive participation and have some suggestions that may help build sales the next time around. Click here for the complete article …  Click here to unsubscribe This message was sent by The Rough Notes Company, Inc., 11690 Technology Drive, Carmel, Indiana, 46032 1-800-428-4384