Voluntary Benefits

A more significant role for voluntary benefits in the employee benefits package is predicted for 2014.

While brokers have become comfortable with most traditional plans, pet insurance, identity theft coverage, legal plans and employee purchase programs also are becoming increasingly common in benefit packages.

The St. Louis company said its outlook for the new year does not include its now discontinued Kentucky business, which had been dragging down the company's results and led to litigation.

Issuers can let consumers pay for January coverage as late as Jan. 31.

In California and Washington state, many approved applicants have already picked plans.

The marketplace also took in 577 new agent applications.