Legal benefits: High-utility player in a modern benefits strategy

For brokers, this creates a strategic opportunity. Elevating legal plans in the development of a benefits strategy can help you deliver meaningful value to clients and their teams – helping organizations attract and retain an engaged workforce while reinforcing your role as a trusted advisor.

Expectations are evolving – and so are legal benefits

As the voluntary benefits landscape matures, so do the expectations employees bring to the table. Increasingly, they’re looking for support that’s not just reactive in moments of crisis, but proactive, accessible, and tailored to everyday life. Legal insurance is steadily adapting to meet this shift.

• Anytime utility: Situations that could benefit from the help of a legal professional are more common than many realize. According to ARAG’s Stress Research Study, 75% of Americans experience at least one legal event each year. Legal guidance can help employees address a range of issues — from neighbor disputes and traffic citations to renting or purchasing a residence and debt management. Whether supporting exciting changes in life or addressing more daunting challenges – they all consume a lot of time and attention. Helping employees address these common legal events outside of work can keep them more engaged and productive at work.
• Cross-demographic relevance: Legal needs span workforce generations and income levels. Whether it is a Gen Z employee drafting the power of attorney, a millennial navigating adoption paperwork or a baby boomer managing elder care for a parent, legal plans provide meaningful support across life stages.
• Affordable access: For many, professional legal help is priced out of reach if you are paying fees out of pocket. Clio’s 2024 Legal Trends Report shows attorneys charge $340 per hour on average. Legal benefits bridge this gap by connecting employees to a network of attorneys at a fraction of the cost.
• Digital convenience: Legal plan providers are increasingly offering digital first access. Employees can create legal documents online, schedule virtual consultations with attorneys, and manage legal matters through mobile apps and secure online portals. Convenient access reduces barriers, saves time, and helps employees resolve issues quickly before they escalate.

This evolution mirrors a larger trend: employees expect benefits that integrate into their lives with minimal friction and maximum relevance. For brokers, understanding how legal insurance fits into this paradigm can unlock new ways to support clients’ benefits strategies — not just with coverage, but with solutions that reflect how people live and work.

Better together: Benefit synergies

As employers expand their voluntary benefits portfolios, legal benefits can extend the value of new and existing solutions. By complementing popular offerings like financial wellness solutions, caregiving support, or family-building benefits — legal benefits add a layer of protection and guidance that makes each program more complete.

Take financial wellness initiatives, for example. While these programs help employees better manage their finances and plan for the future, legal plans can provide additional capabilities by providing access to estate planning tools, debt resolution support, and legal advice that protects long-term financial goals.

For those employers with caregiving benefits, legal insurance helps employees navigate the legal complexities of elder care — from establishing powers of attorney to understanding guardianship laws or reviewing assisted living contracts. And for employees who are growing their families through fertility treatments, surrogacy or adoption, legal benefits ensure employees have access to a legal professional to help navigate the complicated legal aspects of these situations and grow their family with confidence.

Together, these benefits form a more cohesive support system — one that reflects the interconnected nature of employees’ lives.

Measurable impact

Legal issues do not just strain finances – they weigh heavily on employees’ mental health and productivity. As a benefits manager at a utilities company put it recently, “In our experience, stress related to personal legal situations can have a significant impact on employee wellbeing. What we have seen is reduced focus and productivity, higher absenteeism, and added emotional stress”.

When faced with legal issues, the added stress that employees’ experience is driven largely by being unsure where to turn, what their options are, or how to afford help. Legal insurance changes that. It gives employees a clear starting point, connects them with trusted attorneys and removes the financial burden of hourly legal fees. And the impact is real: employees with legal benefits report feeling less overwhelmed and more in control. With fewer legal distractions, they can stay focused, engaged, and productive, benefiting not just themselves, but their employers as well.

Like any benefit, the impact of legal insurance hinges on how well it is positioned and supported. HR teams and brokers are often stretched thin managing a broad set of benefits, so ease of implementation matters. Legal benefits are designed to be low-lift for HR teams and brokers — with straightforward setup, seamless payroll integration, and minimal administrative overhead.

To maximize value, it is also important to equip clients with the right tools: clear communication materials, onboarding resources, and usage guides that help employees understand and engage with their legal benefits. The more employees use the benefit, the more value they will experience — and the more satisfied your clients will be.

The bottom line

As the demand for meaningful, accessible benefits continues to grow, legal insurance stands out as a practical, high-impact addition to any voluntary benefits strategy. For brokers, it is an opportunity to help clients meet evolving employee needs with solutions that are relevant, accessible, and easy to implement.