Selling P&C and selling employee benefits are two very different disciplines, yet market factors have created cross-selling opportunities.

The consolidation of the brokerage industry continues, and with that comes a trend that brings two distinct types of coverage under one roof: employee benefits and property and casualty insurance.

The two areas have different issues and different costs. P&C premium rates have been mostly steady or even decreased in recent years, while rising health care costs have continued to drive up premiums for employers.

This cost issue is playing a role in merging the two areas, according to industry experts. “Due to turmoil in the benefits environment from the cost standpoint, people are taking a much harder look at how to address those costs,” says Josh Fragoso, vice president and director of sales at Oswald Companies. “Even in the larger companies, you're seeing more of a collaborative approach because of the financial impact that benefits have as a risk to the profits and losses of an organization.”