In my last blog we talked about making the leap to paperless enrollments (click here to read VB Buzz issue 6).  To help make that transition easier brings us to our third “extra” value that the right agency and voluntary benefit carrier can bring to you

You and your human resource department do a terrific job each year coming up with the best program you can offer to your employees.  Sometimes that means making some significant changes in your carriers, plan design, and cost share.  How much fun is it to then be expected to be the expert in all facets of your benefit package, and have to answer questions that your employees have?

How much better would it be for you to have specialists on staff, people who hold insurance licenses, who understand all the ins and outs of every benefit you are offering, who are available for your employees to answer all their questions, who can help your staff navigate that new online enrollment platform you’re using?  After all, how do you truly expect to realize the full return on your investment of benefits, unless your employees really do know what it is that is available to them and how these benefits will work for them? 

By now, you probably know where I’m going with this.  Your choice in voluntary benefit carrier can also bring along with it a work force that is dedicated to educating your employees on your whole benefit package.  These benefit counselors can be available to help your employees navigate the myriad of choices they have, and make the best decision for their families, so they realize the best return of the benefit package you are making available.

We all have heard the horror stories of the pushy, commission-based counselors who take 3 of the 20 minutes they spend with each employee to review your core package, and then spend the other 17 trying to sell their voluntary plans.  This doesn’t have to be the scenario for you.  Instead, work with an enrollment firm who has specially-educated, salary-based employee benefit counselors whose job it is to make sure your employees truly understand everything you are doing for them, and who help your employees make the best decisions when it comes to their benefits.

While they’re at it, have these counselors review that nice “hidden paycheck” you’ve been printing off for your employees each year (you do print them off, don’t you?), hoping they see and understand what you are actually investing in them each year.  Also use them to verify and update your employees’ information that has changed in the past year but haven’t told you about, like their address, email, cell number, and beneficiary.  How about they also run a dependent-eligibility audit to make sure you aren’t paying for anyone on your insurance plans that shouldn’t be there?

Hopefully by now you have some idea what value adding voluntary benefits may bring to you.  Talk with your Kapnick client executive to look at adding a couple options at your next open enrollment.

Ian Burt

Voluntary Benefit Specialist, Kapnick Insurance Group

248.595.0744