Colonial Life surveyed employee benefits brokers in June to find what brokers felt were the most important qualities in a voluntary benefits carrier. Brokers were asked to rank which services were most important to them. The most important quality, the survey found, is providing education for employees.

"With increasing health care costs, employers are investing more budget dollars in their benefits programs," Henry Price, Colonial Life's senior vice president of customer acquisition services, said in a press release. "When employees understand their benefits and their value, they're likely to have a greater appreciation for what their employer provides. Consistent and effective benefits education during one-to-one benefits counseling sessions can go a long way in helping employers get a better return on their benefits investment."

Enrollment featured heavily in brokers' wish lists.

1. Ability to educate employees about their benefits programs.
2. Efficient claims processing and payment.
3. Ability to create a consistent enrollment experience for all employees.
4. Receiving timely, accurate enrollment reports.
5. Enrolling employees in their benefits as quickly as possible to minimize time away from the job.
6. Supporting my clients with ongoing, in-person benefits support from a local team.
7. Assisting with new hire enrollment.
8. Helping with enrollments at little to no cost to my agency.
9. Enrolling employees at multiple locations and/or a variety of shifts.
10. Coordinating enrollment of multiple carriers in an account.