Voluntary Benefits

Health care reform promises to change the landscape dramatically for brokers and carriers alike. In fact, many argue that the two need each more than ever before if they're going to survive this brave new world of health insurance.

To add more value to employer benefits, employees expect more paid voluntary benefits at a time when more employers are placing the financial burden on employees because of the down economy.

According to the 2010 U.S. Group Life and Group Disability Mid-Year Market Survey, the group life and disability markets continue to face slow growth after a tough 2009, finds South Portland, Maine-based JHA, a division of Gen Re.

Eastbridge Consulting Group, Avon, Conn., found an increased confidence in the future of the voluntary industry in its recent survey Voluntary Industry Confidence Index.

Those that had results below expectations cited "the overall economic slow down" and "fewer cases than anticipated" as primary reasons. Another top reason was because of "health care reform."

Roughly half of human resource managers and benefits administrators responding to a survey from Colonial Life say they're unsure of reform's impact.