QUESTIONS/ANSWERS

While we realize your company and employees are different than any client we've provided services for, there exists many similarities as it relates to the need and desire to conduct and implement benefit communication strategies. Below are a few of the more common questions we hear and our answers. Please phone or complete the Customer Profile Report so we can be more specific to your companies individual needs and questions. Thank-you.

What does the benefit report look like and what benefits can it explain? We have found lengthy reports to be not much different than the multitude of booklets employees are already inundated with. Our reports are single page, 8½ X 17 inch with a paragraph dedicated to briefly and concisely explaining each highlighted benefit as show by clicking our sample. We will illustrate any benefit you wish, along with its value. What data is necessary to produce benefit reports and how do we supply this information to you? We'll only need the same benefit information and description you give employees during a benefits orientation. Other data includes name, date of birth, date of hire, rate of pay, benefit plan elections, etc... Virtually any form of electronic media is acceptable, with data typically being readily available and transferable from payroll, human resources systems, or from other benefit provider sources. Most customers also supply some data via hard copy.

Since we're gathering all this data, shouldn't we simply produce the benefit report ourselves?

If you have the data gathering systems in place at the present, why haven't you? If you're like most of our customers there are more important things for you to be doing than trying to manipulate the data/text to accurately produce each employees benefit report. The simplest part of the process is gathering the data. The challenging part is to piece it all together and produce accurate benefit reports for each employees unique situation. Annually we produce thousands of benefit reports and have dealt successfully with many challenges which occur during the production period. It's analogous to building a home. You can buy/supply the materials, but to complete a finished structure is an all together different challenge. Besides, the person who "gets" to produce them this year, may not be the one who "gets" to produce them next year. We add consistency to the endeavor… just ask our customers!

What is the cost of the varying components described earlier?

Essentially we operate under two methods of compensation. First, we can provide you with a custom quote specific to which component(s) of benefit communication you would like us to provide. Just phone, or complete the on-line Customer Profile Report and we'll be in touch. The second method, preferred by 90% of our customers, is our fee reduction/waiver method.

What is the fee reduction/waiver method?

As benefit costs continue to rise, employers are looking for ways to lower these increases. We can help lessen the pressure to increase spending for wages and benefits. Group benefit plans treat most employees similarly and cannot take into consideration each employee's individual circumstances. There continues to be fewer and fewer people entering the insurance business and those who do, typically focus on upper income and net worth individuals. With single parent families, time constraints and dual income households, adults find it difficult to meet quality financial professionals. Employer sponsored, employee funded voluntary insurance products can help solve this dilemma. Since 1990, our customers have overwhelming preferred the following method. By offering employee funded voluntary insurance products through our trained benefit counselors, we will provide every component of employee benefit communication either at a substantially reduced fee or as a complete fee waiver. This option helps you "stretch" those budget dollars you continue to spend. This will be done on an annual basis.

How it this fee reduction/waiver determined?

We will look at your overall benefits package. Depending on whether or not there are existing voluntary benefits in place, we will provide a proposal to you, listing which employee funded insurance products fit and the fee reduction or waiver for your company.

What are some of these voluntary employee funded products?

We recommend initially only offering one or two which can be chosen from the following: universal and term life insurance, short-term and/or long-term disability insurance, cancer, accident income, dental, heart/stroke, critical illness, legal, long term care and hospital indemnity plans.