Straight from the carriers, we have info to help you choose which voluntary benefits to present to your clients. The survey of carriers is intended to help agents and brokers stay on top of plan changes from year to year and many of the survey questions come directly from readers. In fact, we depend on you to properly update our surveys. If you have a question you’d like us to add for next time around, please send it our way: editor@calbrokermag.com.
- Please list the voluntary/employee-paid benefits that you offer along with the minimum group size for each offering:
Stephanie Shields, senior vice president of broker sales, Aflac:
Aflac’s voluntary plans can complement any benefits package by offering an additional layer of financial protection if the unexpected happens. Aflac offers the best of both worlds – group and individual products ranging from accident and disability to hospital and vision. In addition, the plans offer direct-to-the-insured cash benefits, unless otherwise assigned, to help cover what other insurance plans may not. Aflac pays cash benefits quickly – oftentimes in as little as one business day – so insureds can focus on getting better instead of their finances.
Individual insurance policies available through Aflac:
- Accident
- Cancer/Specified-Disease
- Critical Care & Recovery
- Dental
- Hospital Confinement Indemnity
- Hospital Confinement Sickness Indemnity
- Hospital Intensive Care
- Life
- Lump Sum Critical Illness
- Short-Term Disability
- Vision
Group insurance plans available through Aflac Group:
- Accident
- Worksite Disability
- Dental
- Critical Illness
- Hospital Indemnity
- Worksite Life
Clients are requested to establish an account by completing and signing a Payroll Account Acknowledgement form and allowing three separate W-2 employees to apply for at least one Aflac policy. Aflac Group requires a minimum of 25 payers to establish group billing.
Richard Shaffer, senior vice president, growth markets and enrollment center, Colonial Life:
Colonial Life offers voluntary benefits to businesses with as few as three employees up to thousands of employees. Our product portfolio includes individual and group voluntary products for short-term disability, accident, dental, hospital confinement, cancer, critical illness, and term and whole life.
Treg Balding, vice president, group and worksite markets distribution,
The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America:
- Guardian offers voluntary Accident, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Cancer, Critical Illness, Dental, Hospital Indemnity, Life (Term and Permanent), Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability and Vision.
- We offer Permanent Life to groups of at least 26 lives.
- Voluntary Term Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Short Term Disability and Long Term Disability require a minimum of 4 enrolled employees.
- All of our other voluntary group coverages can be offered to groups with as few as 2 employees.
Mike Schell, vice president / sales, MESVision:
MESVision is a managed care vision plan that provides vision care benefits to employer groups. Minimum group size enrolled in a voluntary plan is five employees or 20 percent of the eligible groups, whichever is greater.
Tim Jander, regional vice president, group benefits, MetLife:
MetLife offers a comprehensive suite of complementary employer-paid and employee-paid employee benefits products. In addition to traditional voluntary, employee-paid options for life, dental, disability and vision insurance for employers with 10+ employees, MetLife and its affiliates offer the following voluntary/employee-paid benefits:
- Auto & Home (employers with 200 or more employees); underwritten by Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates: Metropolitan Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Metropolitan General Insurance Company, Metropolitan Group Property and Casualty Insurance Company, and Metropolitan Lloyds Insurance Company of Texas, all with administrative home offices in Warwick, RI.
- Group Legal (employers with approximately 10 or more employees) through Hyatt Legal Plans, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, or, in certain states, underwritten by Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Warwick, RI, and in Florida provided by Hyatt Legal Plans of Florida, Inc.
- Accident, Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness, Cancer, and Worksite STD (employers with 200 or more employees).
John Stanley, vice president and managing director, employee benefits, Transamerica:
We offer a comprehensive suite of voluntary benefit solutions that allow employers to help employees care for their health while building wealth. We provide Express Designs, pre-set custom plan designs for employers with between five and 100 lives. For groups above 100, we offer following voluntary benefits:
- Hospital Indemnity
- Critical Illness
- Medical Expense (GAP)
- Accident
- Cancer
- Short Term Disability Income
- Retiree Medical
- Universal Life
- Whole Life
- Term Life
In addition, we offer employer-sponsored retirement plans (defined contribution and defined benefit), along with Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs).
- Do you have any benefit offerings for employees that work fewer than 40 hours a week?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes. Aflac’s individual and group plans are available to full-time employees, as defined by your client, who work less than 40 hours per week. Please note the following:
- Individual accident and short-term disability policies — Employees must work a minimum of 19 hours per week.
- Group plans — Employees must work a minimum of 16 hours per week with the exception of group disability. Employee must work a minimum of 19 hours per week in order to be eligible for worksite disability and 20 for true group disability.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. All of our products are available to employees who work a minimum of 20 hours a week. Employees must be actively at work and permanent employees of the employer group.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes. Guardian offers benefits to employees that work less than 40 hours a week. Our product offerings vary according to whether the employee works 30 hours or 20 hours a week.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
All benefit eligible employees as approved by the employer are also eligible for the MESVision voluntary vision plans.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes. For all of our voluntary benefit products, we look to the employer to determine the group’s definition of eligibility. We will work with each employer to determine the number of hours worked for eligibility requirements.
While 30 hours is a common threshold for full-time consideration, some states mandate that employees working fewer hours be considered for benefits. During implementation, we will confirm the number of hours to be considered full time and whether part-time employees will also be eligible for coverage. We adhere to all applicable laws and regulations concerning eligibility, which, in some states, exclude those not working more than 24 or 30 hours a week.
Employees must be actively at work to be eligible for our voluntary benefits. Actively at work means that employees are performing all the usual and customary duties of their jobs on a full-time basis. This must be done at:
The group policyholder’s place of business;
An alternate place approved by the group policyholder;
A place to which the group policyholder’s business requires them to travel.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes, many of our products are available to employees who work only 20 hours a week.
- Do you offer flexible enrollment data, billing capabilities and processes that work with the employers’ systems instead of the other way around?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes. Aflac has the tools and flexibility to meet the unique needs of businesses of all sizes – from personalized benefit consultations with employees, to benefits marketing and education, to enrollment solutions. We will work with employers to design a seamless enrollment experience tailored to their business. Aflac has found that the key to a great billing experience is understanding the client’s technical and payroll capabilities and assisting them with selecting the billing option that best fits their wants and needs. Aflac has the ability to work with employers’ systems and transmit billing data to an account in a variety of different ways. If an employers’ system does not seem like a good fit, Aflac and Aflac Group also work with a wide range of third-party billing companies in order to make the billing process as easy as possible for our customers.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. Colonial Life’s Harmony enrollment system is built to accommodate the many specialized needs businesses have for enrollments and data reporting. We can provide face-to-face enrollments at any business location and during any work shift. We also can provide employers with daily enrollment reporting that show which employees have been seen and which coverages they’re selecting. This reporting capability allows employers to assess the enrollment’s progress daily and make any necessary adjustments. Colonial Life also has several convenient electronic services for businesses that allow them to receive their bills, make payments and adjust their bills, as necessary, online.
Colonial Life also offers additional flexible enrollment solutions, including the ability to integrate real time with other benefit administration and HRIS systems. This allows users to enroll in their core benefits on a vendor’s platform and seamlessly bridge to our Harmony enrollment system and elect their voluntary benefits. We also offer the option to build out our group products on another benefits administration or HRIS system for qualified customers.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Guardian has extensive capabilities that drive employee engagement and higher participation.
With respect to enrollment data, we have electronic data connections with over 300 entities. We leverage Electronic Data Interchange file transfer process: member data is sent quickly and securely via a secured transfer protocol. We also accept data in an electronic excel (Census) format. In addition to our own online enrollment portal, we also have partnerships with multiple benefits technology vendors for benefits enrollment and administration. Additionally, we also accept post enrollment data on paper.
With respect to billing, we offer traditional group billing or more flexible payroll billing to match the employer’s payroll system. With payroll billing we can support the following:
- Monthly variable billing
- Payroll frequency billing
- Seasonal billing
- Billing in arrears
- Payroll slotting
- Flexible payroll deduction reports
Mike Schell, MESVision:
MESVision offers flexibility in enrollment data submittals based on the needs of the individual group.
Billing capabilities can flex based on the needs of the group as well.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes, MetLife, for itself, and as the billing service provider for its affiliates, is able to work with virtually all types of benadmin systems.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
We have developed a simplified process that allows us to work with almost any benefit administration and enrollment platform. Our billing capabilities are extremely flexible and can meet nearly any need an employer has.
- Do you offer the flexibility to conduct enrollments through one-on-one benefit sessions, group meetings, call centers and online self-enrollments?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes. Aflac has the flexibility to conduct enrollments through each of these methods – one-on-one benefit sessions, group meetings, call centers and online self-enrollments. However, the availability of each method is determined by the number of eligible employees and state regulations.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. Colonial Life offers a full spectrum of benefits communication and enrollment options, including group meetings, one-to-one meetings, call centers, co-browsing and online self-enrollments. Our national team of local, professional benefit counselors uses the Harmony enrollment system to educate and communicate benefits to employees face-to-face so they can make better benefits decisions. For hard-to-reach employees, we can offer the same benefit communication and education experience by co-browsing with employees on the Internet, meeting through a call center or setting up online self-enrollments.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Guardian supports one-on-one benefit sessions, group meetings, call centers and online self-enrollments
Online
- Guardian Anytime enrollment platform
- Broad range of ben admin solutions based on your needs
- Digital and online communications
Onsite
- Guardian appointed enrollers
- Educational presentations, webinars, digital and online communication tools
- Broker/enroller-led face-to-face
On Paper
- Group-specific enrollment booklets
- Direct mail and desk drop communications
- Posters, flyers, forms and product guides
On Phone
- Employee Benefits Hotline for case installation
- Call Center Assisted Enrollment
Mike Schell, MESVision:
MESVision will attend enrollment meetings and conduct presentations to the voluntary plan group.Our Customer Care Center can answer all questions related to the voluntary plan chosen by the employer. Eligibility and enrollment on the employer sponsored voluntary plan must be submitted by the group electronically or via MESVision.com. Changes and additions can be made by the group benefits manager in real time at MESVision.com.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
While MetLife does not offer an in-house enrollment solution, we partner with many companies (i.e., enrollment firms, technology vendors, third-party administrators and human resource outsourcing firms) who specialize in online enrollment and who can deliver a high quality, flexible and relevant environment for you to utilize for your employees.
During the annual benefit enrollment period, we will ask that the MetLife voluntary products are programmed as an on-ballot benefit option with a yes/no benefit election decision alongside the customer’s medical, disability and life insurance. We can supply suggested text to the customer or their enrollment firm that will provide an overview of the products as well as the rates.
We can work with virtually any enrollment platform to provide a seamless administration. We have strong partnerships with national and local enrollment firms who provide a wide variety of enrollment platforms.
Enrollment and Communications
A MetLife Voluntary Communications Specialist (VCS) will act as a dedicated resource throughout an employer’s enrollment process. He or she will meets with the employer to gain an understanding of the company’s demographics, voluntary benefits product history, organizational structure and any case-specific requirements. With this information, the VCS will recommend the best enrollment methodology and create communication materials to maximize employee education and participation. We can provide a variety of printed communication materials including posters, table tents, payroll stuffers and email blasts. The VCS can also provide digital copies of employee-facing materials such as product overviews, FAQs and slipsheets that can be added to your brochure. We can also offer videos such as Jellyvision and Brainshark. Jellyvision customization can include the customer’s name and logo and Brainshark offers some content customization.
We can provide microsites that feature product information regarding our voluntary benefits. Our standard templates allow for customization such as customer logo, document downloads and other assets. A microsite cannot be used for enrollment but it can be linked to an employer’s intranet.
Onsite Services
Onsite support is typically provided before or during the open enrollment period for group meetings and benefit fairs with more than 100 employees at one location. Onsite support for wellness and non-enrollment related events is typically provided for group meetings with 100 employees on location, and benefit fairs with more than 250 employees at one location.
An Onsite Services Enrollment Representative will work with the employer, their TPA or broker, to determine what types of meetings can be supported. Enrollment methods include:
Group informational meetings followed by individual enrollment assistance;
Employee group meetings;
Train-the-trainer sessions for HR staff;
Benefit or health fairs.
Our Onsite Services team works with over 380 Benefit Counselors across the country. These Benefit Counselors average 10 years of industry experience. Typically, there is no cost associated with these services.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes, we offer all of the above. Our goal is to provide enrollment options that best suit the needs of the brokers, employers and employees.
- Do you honor broker-of-record letters?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
MESVision honors broker of record letters when verified by the employer group.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes, MetLife will honor any written request from an authorized officer of a policyholder to recognize a broker or other intermediary as broker-of-record for purposes of providing such broker or other intermediary with information and/or paying commissions, provided of course that such request is not inconsistent with law or any in-force compensation agreement.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes.
- Do you offer simple and hassle-free account billing and payment processes?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes. Aflac’s goal is to make billing and payment of premiums simple and hassle-free for your client. Aflac’s systems are flexible to accommodate a variety of billing methods and handle almost any type of billing layout.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. Colonial Life offers many electronic services for businesses that allow them to conduct transactions online such as receiving their bills, making payments and making any necessary billing adjustments.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes. Guardian offers a range of billing and payment options, from online to paper to electronic fund transfer, to help meet the varied needs of employers and ensure ease of administration.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
YES. MESVision offers on line billing and payment on line at MESVision.com
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes. A single bill file platform is available for all voluntary benefit group products, which allows a single customer payment on a per- pay period or monthly basis. Unlike the other group products, MetLife Auto & Home enrolls employees individually.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes. Our billing and payment processes are very flexible. As with our other processes, our goal is to meet the needs of the brokers, employers and employees in the most straight-forward manner possible.
- Does your billing system allow plan administrators to make online deletions and changes to their plan account?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
One of Aflac’s billing options is an online invoicing portal for the account to review current participants, plan levels and billing information. This portal is where the account would reconcile their invoice monthly. Your clients are able to safely update, reconcile and pay their Aflac invoice electronically. This automated service enhances accuracy, speeds transactions and minimizes paperwork. Your client can save time and money, as their electronically remitted payments and changes are processed faster.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes, Colonial Life offers online billing capabilities. A plan administrator also has the ability to make changes online, as well as update employees’ coverage and general information through our secure website.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes. Guardian’s benefit website offers a one-stop source for plan administrators to manage their account online, including submitting eligibility changes that affect their bill. Plan administrators have the flexibility to recalculate their bill online to account for added and/or deleted members.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
Yes.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes. Through our online billing system per pay period deduction amounts can be changed in accordance with each payroll run. Unlike the other group products, MetLife Auto & Home enrolls employees individually.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes, our online process allows employers to terminate insurance.
- Does your billing/payroll deduction process make it easy for the employer to offer multiple products?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Aflac offers many billing options designed to meet a variety of needs. Aflac can handle almost any type of billing layout and accommodate several billing methods (e.g., list bill, self-bill, summary bill, self-accounting).
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. Colonial Life can enroll an employer’s core and voluntary benefits and provide the account with enrollment data on all employee elections in an easy-to-use spreadsheet. Employers can electronically submit this information through our secure website, and Colonial Life reconciles the bill to eliminate any additional work for the employer.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes. Guardian offers a single bill (online or in the mail) for all Guardian coverages a client has in order to ensure the payment process is easy to manage.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
Yes.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes. MetLife can allow for a single voluntary benefit deduction for numerous benefits or separate deductions for each benefit on one single bill.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes, on our enrollment platforms as well as on our bills the policies are in one place. All policies will be shown on one bill or statement.
- Does your system offer online searches for employee policy status, coverage effective dates and policy/coverage type?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Aflac offers online services for policyholders who have an individual insurance policy. Policyholders can log on to myaflac.com 24/7 to do the following:
- Download claim forms and check claim status.
- Access policy information.
- Update personal profiles.
- Request forms or copies of their policies.
- Obtain contact information of their Aflac agent.
- File claims quickly using Aflac SmartClaimSM.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. The plan administration section of our website offers online searches for employee policy status, coverage effective dates and policy/coverage type.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes, Guardian’s online platforms enable administrators to manage their account online, including look ups for an employee’s policy status, coverage effective date and policy/coverage type.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
Yes. At MESVision.com the group administrator and the plan member have access to specific portals for this information.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Our online billing system allows the employer to sort the bill by different criteria for group products. MetLife Auto & Home enrolls employees individually.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes, we offer the ability to search employee policy status to determine insurance type and effective dates.
- Do you offer downloadable claim forms?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes. Aflac policyholders who have an individual insurance policy may download claim forms from myaflac.com, and for group claims, forms can be downloaded on aflacgroupinsurance.com. Individual products offered by Aflac can also be filed online via Aflac SmartClaimSM (Aflac.com/claims). Policyholders also get tips on expediting forms and a direct link for sending a message to Aflac’s Claims department, if desired.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. Policyholders and plan administrators can download and print Colonial Life claim forms on the company’s website at www.ColonialLife.com.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes, Guardian’s online platforms enable plan administrators and members to manage their account online, including the ability to download claim forms or e-mail a claim form directly to someone.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
Yes.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes.
Accident, Cancer, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Worksite STD
For groups with less than 5,000 lives, enrolled employees can download claim forms on our employee website, MyBenefits. Online, participants can also:
Initiate a claim;
Upload claim documents;
Check status of a claim;
Submit information to a physician electronically;
View claim correspondence;
Opt-in for eAlerts from product groups;
Access their core MetLife benefits such as Life, Disability and Dental;
Change beneficiaries.
MetLaw Legal Services
Claim forms are not required for our legal services product because payment for covered services is handled between MetLaw and the network of provider attorneys. Participants simply call our toll-free number for a referral code for a participating attorney. Once the services have been provided, payment is facilitated from MetLife to the attorney at no cost to the participant.
Nationwide Pet Insurance
We partner with Nationwide to offer our pet insurance product. Participants can download a claim form online at the Nationwide website, petinsurance.com. The participant will complete the claim form using the information from the veterinary visit and include a copy of the itemized invoice. The participant can mail, fax or email the claim form and invoice to submitmyclaim@petinsurance.com.
MetLife Auto & Home
Claim forms are not usually required for Property and Casualty claims, as most claims are submitted telephonically and an adjuster can often settle the claim within the same phone call.
That said, MetLife Auto & Home participants can download claim forms at MyBenefits, our employee website. Customers can submit completed claims information and photographs by uploading, emailing or mailing the claim form. In addition, we can process towing claims online in many states.
MetLife Auto & Home also offers a downloadable app for iOS and Android platforms which can be downloaded via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes, employees can download claims forms or simply submit claims online with our web-based forms.
- Do you require carrier reps. to have a comprehensive knowledge of all of the products they deal with?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes. Aflac’s broker sales professionals and agents go through a process to learn about products and processes particular to the company.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. Colonial Life has a 10,000-member national organization of benefits professionals. These individuals receive comprehensive product training through Colonial Life College on both voluntary products and the employer’s core benefits, at the employer’s discretion. One of our areas of expertise is helping employees better understand their benefits programs, uncover their unique insurance needs and select the coverage they need to protect themselves and their families from financial risk.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes. Guardian sales representatives achieve a high level of comprehensive knowledge of the Guardian products they present through intensive and ongoing training. Guardian has a dedicated sales training team that helps to on-board new sales reps and provides ongoing regular training via virtual and classroom settings.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
Yes. All of our field representatives are licensed insurance agents in the state of California as well as inside sales service associates.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes. Our licensed representatives specialize in voluntary benefits and have extensive experience in designing benefit programs.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes, we do require carrier reps to have comprehensive knowledge of our products and we provide in-depth product training programs for our new reps as well as for anyone who needs a refresher course.
- How does your company support good working relationships between brokers and carrier reps?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Aflac has a strong history of working with brokers. In 2015, Aflac established a national, W-2 team of experienced insurance professionals focused on broker partnerships and large employers. Since then, we have continued to expand and evolve our model so we are able to serve large national brokerage houses as well as smaller, regional broker firms. Our professionals are assigned by broker, giving them the best opportunity to build relationships and ensure Aflac is meeting the needs of our partners.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Colonial Life places a high priority on working with brokers to help solve their clients’ benefit challenges. Colonial Life has regional broker marketing managers who are dedicated to strengthening broker relationships nationally and regionally, supporting national alliance partners and interacting with worksite specialist brokers.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
With one of the longest-tenured sales forces in the employee benefit industry, Guardian has a history of understanding the needs of growing businesses, which strengthens good working relationships. Guardian’s promise is to give brokers more ways to take good care of their clients. Our flexible and comprehensive product portfolio and responsive, personalized service support local relationships in delivering on this promise. Additionally, Guardian has practice leaders that help reps position / explain Guardian solutions such as Worksite and Absence Management. Guardian also has a Strategic Partnerships team that facilitates stronger partnerships with broker firms at the local and national level to develop unique solutions to meet client’s needs.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
MESVision markets our vision plans through the insurance broker and we value and respect the relationship between the group and the broker.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Our representatives work closely with brokers and consultants to help provide solutions that meet the needs of their clients.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Our carrier reps visit with brokers to learn their business and share how Transamerica products can provide solutions for specific clients. Our reps are available for face-to-face meetings and brokers also have continual access to our virtual reps who are easily accessible to support brokers throughout the sales process.
- Do you offer marketing materials that are easy to present and simple for clients to understand?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
With more than 60 years of experience in voluntary insurance and a brand that nearly nine out of 10 people recognize today, Aflac’s worksite marketing materials are designed to create awareness, greater understanding, and increase participation in benefit programs. Whether supporting a small business or large corporation with complex logistics, Aflac can help your clients reach employees through various channels, such as:
- Brochures and flyers
- Posters and tent cards
- Payroll stuffers and direct mail
- Product videos
- Microsites, web banners and emails
- Sponsored ads on social media
- Augmented reality
- Beacon technology
- Geotargeting
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. Colonial Life realizes benefits and insurance terms can be complicated. That’s why the company’s marketing materials are easy to understand. Simplified enrollment materials help employees better understand their insurance needs so they can make better decisions to meet their needs.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes, Guardian’s marketing materials can be accessed via Guardian Anytime, our digital platform. We offer innovative tools that make it easy and convenient for brokers, plan holders and members to access benefits materials and information online, anytime, anywhere.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
Yes.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes. We offer a broad range of materials that are easy to understand and demonstrate the value of voluntary benefits to employees. MetLife will work closely with brokers and their clients to understand an employer’s workplace culture, communications style and preferences. This approach, coupled with our experience and knowledge of proven communications practices, will help to ensure that the simplest and most effective communications are implemented.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes, we provide materials that take the guess work out of voluntary benefit solutions. Our collateral explains the important features of our products as well as how employers and employees will benefit from the insurance.
- How do you track the quality of the customer service you provide to employers? For example, do you set annual service goals and measure and report results?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Aflac constantly measures our customer satisfaction level with policyholders and business accounts in a variety of ways, such as surveys and audits, to ensure we are meeting our established customer service goals and standards. We monitor satisfaction with the total Aflac experience as well as satisfaction with enrollment, claims and billing. Aflac’s customer service quality program is administered by our Quality Assurance department. Each major business function, (i.e., primary, claims, and specialty) is sampled monthly. Additionally, for quality scoring, a minimum of five audits per month for each customer service center representative are guaranteed. All scoring and error trending are reported weekly, monthly and quarterly to management. Aflac’s Internal Audit Department also conducts audits by line of business in addition to their annual assessment of internal claims controls.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Colonial Life provides superior customer service to all of its customer groups: brokers, employers and policyholders. The company sets internal annual customer service goals and results are measured quarterly. Colonial Life also works with independent research firms to conduct ongoing surveys of plan administrators and policyholders and reports those results externally through news releases. In addition, all employees who meet with a Colonial Life benefits counselor are asked to rate their one-to-one benefit counseling experience following their enrollment. Every account participating in the post-enrollment survey receives a report card with the survey results.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Guardian puts the customer first, so we make it a priority to ensure our customers are getting the best service and that we are meeting their needs. We set goals, track and report the results each year. We also do regular Voice of the Customer surveys to make sure we are hearing what is important to our customers. For our Large Market customers, we have a dedicated Account Services manager who handles all service related items related to the group.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
The MESVision Quality Assurance Committee monitors our service delivery and quality of care on a monthly basis. On quarterly basis we conduct member surveys to determine the satisfaction of the plan participant when using the MESVision plans.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
We provide utilization and participation reports to employers at their request. We also monitor our customer satisfaction levels through our call center on an ongoing basis.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
We perform customer service surveys to evaluate the level of service we offer and we continually work to optimize those results. We also have mechanisms and procedures in place, including reviews of customer phone calls, to ensure that established levels of quality are being met.
- Do you have an established local sales and service team that can provide critical service in the same cities that the broker’s clients are in?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes. There are more than 70,000 independent sales agents licensed to sell Aflac products throughout the United States. Aflac’s certified enrollees are available to service multi-location accounts, and we have a national sales coordinator team to manage these relationships. In addition to Aflac’s sales agents, the company also offers a team of dedicated broker sales professionals in every major metropolitan area to support and service Aflac’s brokers and their clients. Aflac’s agent distribution model and broker channel can help you manage your clients’ open enrollment needs no matter the size or location.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. Colonial Life has a national team of 10,000 sales professionals who provide local enrollment support and service for its broker partners’ clients. Many of the company’s accounts have thousands of employees in dozens or even hundreds of different locations across the country. Colonial Life’s sales representatives provide employers with valuable services at no direct cost, such as free dependent verification, WellCard discount program, wellness benefits communication, ID theft protection, student loan repayment services and more. Colonial Life benefits counselors can meet with employees at each location and conduct individual counseling sessions with them. Because the benefits counselors are local, they can be on hand to help out with next year’s enrollment and any ongoing service needs. The goal is for the company’s benefits counselors to build strong relationships with employees in the account.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Guardian has over 40 local sales offices nationwide to support the needs of brokers and their clients. We have Regional Sales Directors, Regional Service Managers, Sales Reps, Account Managers and Key Account Managers that support the sales and service function at the regional level.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
MESVision is based in Costa Mesa California with field representatives located in Southern, Northern and Central California.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes. We have representatives that specialize in voluntary benefits located in major cities throughout the U.S.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
We have successfully built an internal virtual team consisting of sales professionals who can work with employers to answer any questions that arise during the sales process. We also have a stellar customer relationship team readily available by phone to take care of any business needs the employer has. Our virtual teams are incredibly responsive and have the knowledge and decision-making authority to ensure that clients’ needs are met.
- Do you have a sales rep. and a service rep? (The sales rep helps the broker market and position products, manage blocks of business, and develop target markets. The service rep. helps implement and fulfill account enrollments.)
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes. Aflac has W-2 broker sales professionals and designated service teams that support our broker channel. The service teams will lead the broker and client throughout the implementation and ongoing administrative process.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. Colonial Life’s national team of sales professionals has specialized roles they perform during the enrollment process. Sales professionals work with brokers and their clients to help develop voluntary benefit strategies that will help clients solve their benefit challenges. Account coordinators help manage the enrollment logistics and report. And benefits counselors meet individually with all employees to educate them on their benefits, help uncover any unmet needs and select insurance plans to meet those needs.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Yes. Guardian has local sales representatives to help brokers market our products. We also have Account Managers & Key Account Managers dedicated to growing the business, renewal placement and persistency. Additionally, we work with operational staff the ensure cases are implemented smoothly, and we’ve met the needs of the client.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
Each of our field sales representatives is supported by a team of inside service representatives and account managers.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes. Our sales and service teams work closely together to meet the needs of our brokers and customers.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Yes. We have both internal and external regional vice presidents who work with brokers. We also have client relationship managers available throughout the year to ensure that enrollment is successful.
- Do you specialize in voluntary benefits?
Stephanie Shields, Aflac:
Yes. Aflac is the No. 1 provider of voluntary insurance at the worksite (Eastbridge, 2018). Aflac offers individual and group products as well as a portfolio of value-added services. Aflac is a leader in providing policies that pay cash benefits directly to insureds, unless assigned. With our broad portfolio of offerings, Aflac’s solutions suit virtually every business size and type. From three employees to 320,000, Aflac can fit easily within almost any benefits package. Many times in the voluntary insurance business, companies tend to use the same approach to market similar benefits. Aflac is different. We back our plans up with the following:
- Innovative marketing campaigns.
- Strong financial stability.
- Brand recognition.
- A solid company reputation.
- Responsive claims and customer service.
Richard Shaffer, Colonial Life:
Yes. When Colonial Life was founded in 1939, it sold accidental death coverage to individuals. In fact, the company pioneered the concept of offering voluntary benefits at the worksite in the 1950s. Colonial Life has always marketed only voluntary benefits, and during the nearly 80 years it has been in business, the company has developed strong expertise and experience in the voluntary benefits industry.
Treg Balding, Guardian:
Guardian understand that employees today are seeking more protection products to help meet their needs. As a result, voluntary benefits are an integral part of our group business. Over the last few years, we have developed new voluntary and supplemental health products, enhanced existing ones, and invested in new and innovative capabilities designed to support them. We also offer plans that can be fully or partially funded by the employer to help provide the employer with various options.
Mike Schell, MESVision:
MESVision is a managed care vision plan based in California and specializing in only vision care. We specialize in voluntary, employer paid and self funded plans.
Tim Jander, MetLife:
Yes. We offer a broad product suite of voluntary benefits products, including:
Accident Insurance
Hospital Indemnity Insurance
Critical Illness Insurance
Cancer Insurance
Auto and Home Insurance
Legal Plan (MetLaw®)
Worksite Short Term Disability
We make it cost effective and hassle free for employers to offer voluntary benefit solutions and enhance their existing benefits programs. Our 100+ years of experience in the group benefits industry and our innovative tools streamline the process to deliver information effectively and increase employee engagement and satisfaction.
Our leading market positions, competitive and innovative product offerings, financial strength and expertise will help drive future growth and enhance shareholder value, building on a long history of tradition and integrity. For more information, please visit www.metlife.com.
As of first quarter 2018, we rank first in total voluntary health sales according to LIMRA’s Quarterly U.S. Total Supplemental Health Insurance
Per LIMRA’s first quarter 2018 U.S. Workplace Benefits Supplemental Health Insurance survey, our market rankings based on voluntary sales are as follows:
First in the Critical Illness Insurance market;
Third in the Accident Insurance market;
Second in the Hospital Indemnity Insurance market;
Eighth in the Cancer Insurance market.
As of year-end 2017, MetLife is the largest Group Auto and Home benefits provider in the country, with approximately 41 percent market share. We have the privilege of providing Property and Casualty products and services to 73 of the top 100 Fortune 500® companies.
MetLaw is the nation’s leading provider of employer-sponsored legal coverage with an 80 percent market share of Fortune 500 companies that offer a group legal plan.
John Stanley, Transamerica:
Absolutely. Transamerica has been providing voluntary benefits for more than 50 years. As an organization we are committed to improving the Wealth + Health of employees by working with brokers and employers to ensure that our solutions are easy to understand, flexible regardless of internal processes or platforms, simple to implement, and ultimately allow for a seamless enrollment and claims experience for employees. Transamerica’s voluntary benefits solutions help employees live their best lives.