There is a lot of talk these daysabout the growth of the voluntary benefits industry. Voluntary benefits is a trending topic, and has moved from beingconsidered a separate silo to becoming a core component of employeebenefits adopted by employers, brokers, and carriers alike.

Some people measure the success of this industry by the amountof premium they write, the number of cases they sell, or by therevenue they bring in.  Others may try to hitch theirsales pitch to the bandwagon by rebranding the industry and sellingtheir sales process, and letting you know that you are leavingmoney on the table if you don't partner withthem.

Personally, I measure the success of the voluntary benefitsindustry by taking several items into account, starting with cold,hard facts.  According to Eastbridge Consulting Group,Inc., growth in the industry holds steady at 3percent to 5 percent year after year. Over 40 percent of accountsoffer three to five different traditional voluntary products, with20 percent to 40 percent of employers considering adding additionaloptions over the next couple of years.