Conseco Worksite Recruits Brokers to Influence Changes in Worksite Insurance Industry
by Brian Bly, RVP

Conseco Worksite is partnering with brokers to become the ideal worksite service provider in California and throughout the United States. Worksite products have been marketed for decades. Based on this experience, the industry is polishing worksite programs and products. New technological advances provide challenges and opportunities for the insurance industry to keep up with growing demands for a simpler, easier way to provide and enroll in worksite insurance.

For brokers and agents, this means an easier way to sell and process new business, and address concerns between employer groups and carriers. In the past, call centers, cumbersome Websites and non-digital information needlessly lengthened the process of providing service and support to customers.

Unnecessary procedures, such as having to re-submit paperwork or send multiple copies of information will soon be obsolete. By applying timesaving and supportive elements to a worksite program, the provider will make it easier for the broker or agent to be successful and will, in turn, bring in more business for their own worksite programs.

Conseco Worksite successfully markets supplemental health and life insurance benefits to more than 16,000 employer groups today. Conseco has been offering voluntary insurance products in the worksite market since 1979. Conseco introduced its own original worksite universal life product in 2005. As a relatively new worksite initiative, Conseco is growing and improving through the influence of brokers willing to give their input to make Conseco Worksite the best service provider in the business.

Key Worksite Components

Now in place is the ability to support current requirements and sales levels, including product development, a dedicated service team and call center, common remitter capabilities, and automated processing for worksite UL.

Common remitter is a group billing and payment processing system created for Conseco Worksite in 2004. It allows the worksite administrators to manage group billing and payments processing in one system. It also houses basic group information including contact information, billing methods and modes, and members connected to the group. Common remitter is highly prized in worksite insurance because it simplifies payment for the employer groups.

Conseco Worksite also has its own call center and specialized service teams dedicated to serve brokers and their customers without the hassle of going through the main call center. Automatic online processing is available for the worksite universal life product and will be implemented for all Conseco Worksite marketed products in the near future.

Advances such as these in the worksite marketplace make a carrier highly competitive, not only among employer groups and employees, but also among brokers. Brokers want a company that will respond quickly every time a client has a question. Brokers want a company that welcomes both digital submissions and hard copy. The new technology applied by providers, such as the changes Conseco has made in recent years, has made life much easier for brokers and their customers alike.

Conseco Worksite markets four worksite products today. These products include several under the supplemental health category and a universal life product. The supplemental health products are cancer, heart disease and stroke, and accidental injury. Within these, Conseco offers features such as a return-of-premium and advocacy benefit, as well as competitive pricing and compensation. Return-of-premium is a product feature that guarantees the return to the policyholder of all premiums paid minus any claims paid out during the term covered by the policy. Conseco has been utilizing the return of premium concept since 1981 when it was developed by one of Conseco's member companies.

Advocacy benefit is also one of Conseco's specialties, having been pioneered by Conseco with the Conseco Solutions cancer product in 2004. Advocacy benefit is a breakthrough product feature that gives policyholders access to a licensed nurse or medical practitioner available 24 hours a day upon diagnosis of cancer. The nurse or medical practitioner can answer questions about medical terms and treatments and assist the policyholder with scheduling and billing concerns. This feature can be extremely helpful to cancer patients or others who do not have friends or relatives to help with such arrangements.

Conseco's worksite program was built with brokers and agents in mind. Streamlined support from a dedicated team is just one part out of many that has made this company a leader in the worksite insurance industry with regard to broker needs and concerns.

These are only the first steps to making Conseco Worksite into what it will be. Experienced worksite sales leaders are developing the Conseco Worksite program to make it the dream worksite program for brokers and policyholders, building on features such as return of premium, advocacy benefit, and common remitter.

Conseco Worksite is interested to hear the input of brokers who want to make an ideal worksite program. Conseco wants to work with brokers who have ideas and expertise in their field. Conseco will incorporate the input of its partner brokers to influence Conseco Worksite marketed products and the future of the worksite industry.

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Agents and brokers who would like to learn more about partnering with Conseco to represent its portfolio of voluntary products and services in the worksite market can call 800-446-6586 or visit Conseco's website at www.partnerwith.com/worksite

Brian Bly is regional vice president in the Western region for Conseco Worksite. Brokers who wish to contact Brian Bly for opportunities to partner with Conseco Worksite can contact him at brian_bly@conseco.com.