CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE: COVERING THE UNEXPECTED
Employee education on the product is key for success
The evolving healthcare environment continues to push employers to find new ways to fill coverage gaps and provide their employees viable alternatives. Agents and brokers are helping them do just that. "We are seeing more and more brokers-and it doesn't matter whether you're talking about large national brokers, regional brokers or smaller agencies-thinking about and selling voluntary benefits," explains Dan Lebish, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Aflac Group Insurance.
Increase your revenue by developing proficiency in voluntary benefits
Year-end is done. You've pretty much closed the books on 2015. And you're moving forward in 2016. Now is a great time to find ways to build capacity to increase revenue. Developing proficiency in voluntary and worksite benefits may be an area worthy of focus.
"In the benefits arena, the year is pretty much divided in two halves, which start on July 1 and January 1," explains Joel Ray, CEO of New Benefits. "Brokers, particularly those working in the benefits space, typically will divide their year in half, as well.
Aflac's Wingman program helps brokers build volume and profits
These days, the buzz in benefits is all about voluntary: employee-paid coverages for accident and health, critical illness, disability income, dental, vision, and life insurance. As group health costs continue their inexorable rise, employers increasingly are looking to voluntary benefits as a way to offer their employees valuable protection that they choose and pay for themselves.
"Ten years ago, brokers weren't heavily involved in the voluntary market," says Drew Niziak, senior vice president of broker sales and Aflac Benefits Solutions.
Think long term. That's what retirement plan representatives urge employees to do in order to take full advantage of their defined contribution retirement plan. It also is good advice for employers who are trying to decide how to spend their benefits dollars. Are employers willing to think long term when they evaluate their wellness program-a discretionary expense, and potentially a large one? According to a recent study by Willis North America's Human Capital Practice, employers increasingly are doing just that.
