the information contained in this tutorial is confidential and intended for the training and...
TRANSCRIPT
The information contained in this tutorial is confidential and intended for the training and education of Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company employees and benefit counselors (insurance producers in WA) only. Colonial Life has not authorized any other use of this information. Do not give or show it to prospective insureds, employers of prospective insureds, other insurance carrier representatives, worksite marketing competitors, or anyone else not employed by or contracted with Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company or other Unum Group business units.
Benefits Landscape:Fitting the Pieces Together
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By taking this tutorial, you will be able to effectively position our company’s voluntary benefits to a decision maker because you will understand the benefits landscape, which means to you, you will be prepared to discuss Colonial Life’s role in the marketplace, and the real benefit to you is that you’ll feel confident that you are delivering the best benefits solutions to working Americans.
Employer-Offered Core Benefits
Flexible Benefits Plans (Section 125)
Understanding and Positioning Our Products
Need for Voluntary Benefits
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How does Colonial Life fit within the benefits landscape?
Benefits Landscape
Tip : Click on the puzzle piece to go to that lesson!
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Based on a simple concept: While you work, you pay taxes into the Social Security system, and when you retire or become disabled, you, your spouse and your dependent children receive monthly benefits that are based on your reported earnings.
Also, your survivors can collect benefits if you die.
Reference: Social Security Online. http://www.ssa.gov/glossary.htm#S Accessed 10-6-2011.
Social Security
Benefits Landscape
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Social Security• Mandatory• Employer pay FICA taxes of 7.65%• Employee pay FICA taxes of 7.65%
Benefits Landscape
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Drawbacks• Individual must wait 5 months to apply for Social Security
disability• Doctor must state that you will be out for at least one year or
that you will die within the first year• Typically requires several hearings before approval
Jim, 43, has worked for seven years in a factory. He is a father and a husband. It’s winter, and the sidewalks are covered in ice.
Social Security ScenarioBenefits Landscape
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One day, Jim was walking outside and loses his balance. He falls and injures his back. After being rushed to the emergency room, doctors performed surgery on his ruptured discs.
Due to his injury, Jim is unable to work. After waiting six months, his social security claim has been denied. Jim and his wife will now have to exhaust their life savings and or borrow from family and friends to make ends meet.
What do we offer that could help employers and employees with similar situations?
Social SecurityBenefits Landscape
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Voluntary Accident and Disability• Cover employees’ accidents that happen on- and or off-the-job• Pay directly to the insured
It usually takes close to _____ to begin receiving Social Security payments.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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12 days
5 months
6 months
12 months
To qualify for Social Security, a doctor must state that you will be out for at least ______ or that you will die within the first year.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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14 days
5 months
6 months
1 year
A government-mandated program that provides compensation and medical expense payments to employees and their dependents if the employee suffers a job-related illness, injury or death.
Employers in most states are required to pay premiums to fund these programs.
Workers’ Compensation only pays workers who are injured on the job, and it does not cover unemployment.
Reference: “Workers’ Compensation.” Accessed 10-20-11. http://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/workers-compensation.asp#axzz1bLb7pW7a
Workers’Compensation
Benefits Landscape
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Workers’ Compensation• Mandatory but can vary by state• Paid 100% by the employer• Pays 100% of medical bills if injury is
related to the job• Pays up to 2/3 of income with a state-
specific maximum amount• Limited by state specific elimination
periods• Determines premiums based on industry
rating and claims experience
Benefits Landscape
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Karen is a 36-year-old single mother of three. On a family vacation, Karen goes skiing down a steep slope. She loses her balance and severely injures her back.
Workers’ Compensation ScenarioBenefits Landscape
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She’s due back to work on Monday. She knows that if she is out of work she won’t receive a paycheck, and since this injury happened while off-the-job, she won’t be compensated. As a single mother, she worries that any additional medical bills will jeopardize their family’s financial situation. She decides not to go to the doctor, knowing she can’t afford to pay for the treatment.
On Monday, Karen goes into work, still in pain. She claims to have slipped on ice while at work, and tells her employer Timothy. Immediately she goes to the emergency room for treatment.
Timothy sits in his office, concerned. He knows that since Karen has claimed her injury happened while at work, it is considered a workers’ compensation claim. Furthermore, she is the third employee this year to file for workers’ compensation on a Monday morning.
DisadvantagesFor the Employer For the Employee
Premiums may be high because of the nature of the employer’s business as the costs are based on the employer’s accident record
Administering workers’ compensation can be difficult, with requirements such as a state-specific wait period that pays retroactively to day one, and as a result it can encourage employees to stay out of work longer
Paperwork burden for the employer is increased because of requirements to file accidents with state authorities
Social Security disability benefits can offset workers’ compensation benefits in some states
Defending fraudulent or frivolous claims can take time and money
Benefits Landscape
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What do we offer that could help employers and employees with similar situations?
Workers’ CompensationBenefits Landscape
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Voluntary Accident and Disability• Covers employees’ accidents that happen off-the-job
– Off-the-job coverage is not provided with Workers’ Compensation
• Helps minimize Workers’ Compensation rate for the employer
Workers’ Compensation pays 100% of medical bills if the injury is __________.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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An accident
Off-the-job
Job-related
Employer’s fault
Workers’ Compensation pays up to 2/3 of income. Both the percentages and maximums are __________.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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State-specific
Equal
Employer-specific
Employee-determined
For Workers’ Compensation, there are state-specific elimination periods.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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True
False
Workers’ Compensation can be retroactive to day one if the employee is out of work for a state-specified number of days.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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True
False
A type of health expense insurance that is designed to pay a certain percentage (such as 80 percent) of hospital, surgical, and medical bills.
MajorMedical
Definitions:
• Co-insurance
• Co-pay
• Deductible
• COBRA
• HMO
• PPO
• POS
• Maximum out-of-pocket expense
Benefits Landscape
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Major Medical• Voluntary• Has a lifetime maximum for
each policy• Range of deductibles• Carries co-insurance• Comes in these forms:
– HMO – PPO – POS
Benefits Landscape
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Major Medical Common Features
• Co-insurance – varies by state
• Deductibles – range from $250-$5,000, if not more
• Out-of-pocket maximums
• Portability through COBRA for 18 months after termination*
* “Health Plans and Benefits.” United States Department of Labor. Accessed 10-24-11. http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/cobra.htm
Benefits Landscape
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Stacey, a wife and mother of two, has been admitted into the hospital. An oncologist informs her that she has cancer and will need immediate treatment. Two months later, Stacey has already incurred $20,000 of medical expenses. Her coworkers at the dentist office she’s worked at for ten years had a fundraiser to help pay for some of her medical expenses.
Major Medical ScenarioBenefits Landscape
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Medical Expenses $ 20,000Deductible (which insured is responsible for) 2,500Co-insurance (20% - which insured is responsible for) 3,500
Maximum out-of-pocket 10,000Remaining Expenses (covered by the major medical plan) $ 14,000
Even though she has major medical coverage and her coworkers had a fundraiser, Stacey and her family still struggle to maintain their lifestyle due to the numerous medical expenses and other out-of-pocket costs related to her cancer treatments.
What do we offer that could help employers and employees with similar expenses?
Major MedicalBenefits Landscape
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Voluntary Hospital Confinement• Pays cash which can offset the deductible and out-of-pocket medical and
non-medical expenses• Gives employers more options with the costs of medical benefits• Gives employers greater control of the rising costs of medical coverage
Voluntary Catastrophic Illness• Helps employees deal with out-of-pocket expenses associated with
catastrophic illnesses such as cancer
Major medical comes in the form of __________, __________, and ________ plans.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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Core benefits, voluntary benefits, and flexible benefits
PPOs, Health Savings Accounts, and Flexible Spending Accounts
Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), and Point-of-Service Plans (POS)
Dental, Vision, and Health Maintenance Organizations
Major medical plans are portable through __________ for 18 months after termination of employment.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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COBRA
ERISA
Colonial Life
Aflac
A type of insurance coverage offered to a group of people.
This coverage will provide a benefit to the beneficiaries if the covered individual dies during the defined covered period.
Reference: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/group-term-life-insurance.asp#axzz1a0sk7kfJ Investopedia. “Group Term Life Insurance.” Accessed 10-6-2011.
Group Term Life
Benefits Landscape
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Group Term Life Insurance• Voluntary• One to three -year
renewable policy• Not portable• Participation requirements• Benefit amounts based on
earnings, position and occupation or flat benefit
• Usually includes a waiver-of-premium provision
• May offer a tax advantage
Benefits Landscape
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Definitions:• Renewable• Waiver of premium
Allentown Memorial Hospital offers its 150 employees a group term life policy.
• Term life policy: does not build cash value
• Provides protection for employees only
• Pays $10,000 death benefit to beneficiary
• Not portable
Group Term Life ScenarioBenefits Landscape
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What do we offer that could help employers and employees with similar expenses?
Group Term LifeBenefits Landscape
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Voluntary Life • Supplements an employer’s existing group term life program by
providing affordable life coverage• Spouses and dependents can be covered, not just employees• No participation requirements • No cost to the employer• Voluntary products are also portable
The typical group term life policy is a ______ renewable policy with no cash accumulation feature. It provides protection only.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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14 days
5 months
6 months
1 year
Group term life policies cover employees only.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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True
False
Replaces wages lost as the result of a non-occupational, disabling accident or sickness.
Reference: Positioning Products with the Employer –Instructor Guide. 1/2006.
Group Long Term
Disability
Benefits Landscape
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Group Long-Term DisabilityHow it differs from short-term disability• Elimination period• Duration of the benefit period which
may be 5 or 10 years or to age 65• A more restrictive definition of
disability
Definitions:• Elimination period• Short-term disability• Long-term disability
Benefits Landscape
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Other typical characteristics• Voluntary• Not portable• 6 months is most common
elimination period• Benefits range from 40-66 2/3% of
employee’s pre-disability gross salary
Tyler, 28, is an engineer and sole provider for his family. One day he was driving when he was badly injured in a car accident. Paramedics flew him to a hospital, where he underwent several surgeries.
Group Long-Term Disability ScenarioBenefits Landscape
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The doctors advised Tyler not to return to work for at least three months.
In the meantime, Tyler and his family will need to rely on their life savings and or borrow from family and friends to make ends meet.
What do we offer that could help employers and employees in a similar situation?
Group Long Term DisabilityBenefits Landscape
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Voluntary Income Protection• Helps employees protect their paycheck• Replaces a portion of income to offset financial losses• Helps cover everyday living expenses such as house payment,
car payment, light bill and lunch money for the kids
With Group Long-Term Disability, an elimination period is a period for which no benefits are payable for __________ .
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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1 month or less
1 month or more
2 months or more
3 months or more
The definition of disability for long-term coverage differs from _____ and from _____.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
This question has multiple correct answers.
Select all that apply.
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State to state
Person to person
Employer to employer
Insurer to insurer
Group Long Term Disability is portable.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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True
False
Typically Group Long Term Disability can have a 3-month, 6-month or 1-year elimination period. _______ months is most common.
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
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1
3
6
None of the above
Flexible Benefits Plans (Section 125)• Employees have more
choices in benefit options
• Allows employers to offer benefit options of qualified benefits on a pre-tax basis
Benefits Landscape
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Flexible Benefits Plan Overview
Section 105URM FSA
Premium Only Plan (POP)
Allows employees to pre-tax premiums for qualified insurance
premium
Unreimbursed Medical FSA
Allows employees to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified out-
of-pocket health care expenses
Dependent Care FSA
Allows employees to set aside pre-tax dollars
to pay for qualified dependent day care and other qualified
dependent care expenses
Benefits Landscape
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Communicating the Concept of Pre-taxing
Decision Maker Script
Flex Plan Supplemental Form
Ameriflex ePOP Online Application
Benefits Landscape
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Payroll TaxesCommunicating the Concept of Pre-taxing
Employer Employee
FICA 7.65% 7.65%
Federal Varies by individual
State Varies by State
FUTA Varies by Individual
SUTA Varies by State
Benefits Landscape
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Without a POP With a POPSalary (Gross Pay based
on 24 pay periods) $1,000 $1,000
Taxes -$202.02 -
Insurance - -$180
$797.98 $820
Taxes - -$156.30
Insurance -$180 -
Spendable Income $617.98 $663.70
Win for the Employee:Communicating the Concept of Pre-taxing
+$45.72
Benefits Landscape
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Communicating the Concept of Pre-taxing
How much do employers really save?*
$ 500 Employee’s insurance cost (deducted from
payroll)X 12 months
$ 6,000 Employee’s payroll deduction per year
X 7.65% FICA taxes
$ 459 Annual employer savings per employee
*This is just an example. Savings may vary by state.
Company Size Annual Tax Savings
5 employees $ 2,295
10 4,590
15 6,885
20 9,180
35 16,065
50 $ 22,950
Benefits Landscape
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Win for the EmployerCommunicating the Concept of Pre-taxing
Without POP With POP
Annual payroll $500,000 $500,000
Pre-tax Benefits $0 $30,000
Taxable Payroll $500,000 $470,000
7.65% FICA $38,250 $35,955
Savings $0 $2,295
Benefits Landscape
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What are three distinct advantages to an employer to using a Premium Only Plan?
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
This question has multiple correct answers. Select all that apply.
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Employees’ taxable income will be reduced, thereby reducing employers’ share of FICA taxes
Employers may benefit from employee retentionEmployers may benefit from expanded employee benefits
Core Benefits ConclusionBenefits Landscape
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The Need for Voluntary BenefitsBenefits Landscape
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The Need for Voluntary BenefitsBenefits Landscape
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What are Voluntary Benefits?• Insurance offered in addition to an employer’s core benefits• The employee gets to select their benefits and is paid directly
Benefits Landscape
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• Flexibility in using claim payments• Portability• Intact coverage• Continued convenience• Pays benefits directly to policyholders
Advantages of Voluntary Benefits
Benefits Landscape
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What do employers gain from voluntary benefits?
Lesson Quiz
Benefits Landscape
This question has multiple correct answers. Select all that apply.
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Reduced pressure to spend more on employee benefits
Expanded benefits programs at no direct cost-and without reallocating benefits dollars from one area of benefits and compensation to another
Improved morale and employee relations
Better employee attraction and retention
Product Portfolio2010 Distribution of Sales by Product Line
Accident21%
Disability31%
Life18%
Special Risk (Catastrophic Ill-
ness)16%
Supplemental Health (Hospital Confinement)
14%
Benefits Landscape
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Product Lines
Product Portfolio Overview
Benefits Landscape
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