The external marketplace and economic conditions that impact the price of insurance premiums are a constant concern. Here's everything you should know about insurance pricing.
Cupped hands holding a paper cut-out in the shape of a family
The basics of what you need to know about small business employee benefits.
What do employees really want from their work benefits?
What is the value of predictive modeling, and how are the methods helpful for insurance businesses?
Predictive modeling is a method that is helpful for insurance businesses.
Learn the true value of an actuarial consultant for a business and the marketplace.
Actuaries can offer reliable strategy, data and statistical analysis that can make pricing the product and managing risk easier than usual.
Learn what the true cost of employee health insurance is for the employer and the policyholder.
Health insurance is one of the most important employee benefits.
Learn more about how convertible term life insurance fits into the marketplace.
Convertible life insurance is useful for many people.
Learn more about the recent Labor Department proposal that will impact the gig economy and potentially change the requirements for health insurance offerings.
Gig workers are more common than in previous years.
Find out what indexed universal life insurance does for certain groups, who need it and this kind of policy's benefits.
Life insurance is valuable in many ways.
What to know about employer group health insurance in 2022.
As employers, it's important to pick the right plan to support your staff and workplace.
This is a guide to the basics of commercial health insurance, detailing some of the most important components.
Commercial health insurance is an importance subcategory of insurance products.
Learn more about the medical malpractice insurance industry and some key takeaways to be aware of.
Medical malpractice insurance is necessary for all health care facilities.
Here are the most interesting things to know about the health insurance underwriting industry.
Health insurance underwriting takes some special considerations.
How can health insurance predictive modeling help your business stay afloat in the industry? Read on to learn more.
Health insurance companies can use predictive modeling to stay competitive in the marketplace.
The lifecycle of a claim in property and casualty (P&C) insurance is important in understanding how an insurance claim can be brought to resolution in the most efficient way possible.
A business or individual relies on their P&C insurance for many reasons.
Find out why cash flow projections are valuable tools for any business.
Cash flow projections are important calculations for insurance companies.
Life insurance is not only a valuable tool for ensuring security for those who are left after someone passes, it is also an incredible vehicle to provide an unique level of liquidity.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
What does the current PHE extension mean for insurance companies and how long will it last?
PHE has extended for another six months.
Learn more about the importance of ACA and adverse selection
Adverse selection plays a part in the ACA and overall insurance development.
The rising cost of long term care increasing the same time that more people than ever need long term care services, which can be a burden for seniors and their families.
The cost of long term medical care is on the rise, which burdens seniors and their families.
Find out how moral hazards and adverse selection are connected and how they impact health insurance.
The situations that result in moral hazard and adverse selection are important considerations for insurance companies.
This is a review of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, as it pertains to employers.
Learn more about ARPA benefits and how they impact you as the employer.
Let's dive into the most recent health insurance trends and how they could impact the industry as a whole as we move into the middle of 2022.
Recent health insurance trends are shifting.
Learn more about what risk transfer is and why it is an important management strategy for insurance companies.
Insurance companies take on risk regardless of how careful they are to mitigate it, which is why risk transfer is essential.
Here's everything you need to know when considering the pros and cons of selling a life insurance policy.
Life insurance is valuable in many ways.
From chronic disease management and improving care for patients, insurance providers benefit from fully understanding the Medicare chronic care improvement program.
Medicare chronic care improvement program works with some medicare medication sections.
Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MAPD) plans are a kind of Medicare plan that includes prescription drug coverage for its participants.
Medicare Advantage prescription drug are also known as MAPD plans.
Supplemental unemployment benefits are important sources of stop-gap income for specific groups of jobless individuals.
Knowing the ins and outs of SUB can help you prepare your staff members in case a scenario requiring its use were to come to fruition.
Adverse selection negatively affects both the policyholder and the insurance company, so it is beneficial to understand how to mitigate the companies exposure.
Adverse selection refers to an imbalance of healthy and high-risk policy holders.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly every aspect of American life and medical debt is no exception. Health related debt has skyrocketed since the beginning of 2020.
Medical debt is piling up now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
More clients may fall back on gap health insurance and it is important to guide them through the process, from what is covered to what will need to be paid out of pocket.
Health insurance underwriting takes some special considerations.
A Medicare fee schedule is a tool that is used by physicians, ambulance services, clinical laboratory services and other medical service workers.
There are many resources for those who need a little guidance through the medicare fee schedule.
Despite federal laws enforcing mental health insurance coverage, some populations are commonly left out of mental health coverage.
Mental health access is low when compared to healthcare coverage, even for those with insurance.
Hybrid work environments are the wave of the future, but what does that mean for employee benefits? Let's dive into the changing world of staff benefits.
Hybrid work is becoming more and more popular, but it's important that employee benefits change as well.
Throughout the pandemic, the life insurance industry highlighted the fact that people were apparently becoming far more eager to buy coverage than they had been in recent years.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
There have been few issues in the national conversation more prominent in the past decade-plus than the rising cost of health care and coverage, and that's not likely to change any time soon.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
There are very few laws about what kind of insurance people do or do not have to carry, but auto insurance is nearly universal.
How do consumers feel about their auto insurance?
Lawmakers and consumers alike have expressed frustration and concern about the rate at which prescription drug prices have been rising, but there is seemingly no end in sight for these increases.
Prescription drug costs continue rising at rapid rate
Almost since the day it was first passed, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been the subject of numerous legal challenges.
Supreme Court again rejects challenge to ACA
Last summer, there was another large spate of wildfires in the Western U.S. that wrought significant damage, displacing hundreds of thousands of homeowners and businesses.
Fires still a major threat to U.S. homes, are owners ready?
Millions of Americans lost their health insurance during the pandemic as a result of also losing their jobs, and this issue has not gone away despite government efforts to help people find coverage.
Do millennials have the health insurance they need?
Millions of Americans lost their health care over the course of the past year as a result of job loss amid the recent economic downturn.
Special ACA enrollment period seeing early success
In recent years, there has been a large national conversation about the ways in which the U.S. health care system excels, and those where it lags behind those of similar countries.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
Health care costs have been front of mind for millions of Americans in recent years, and the economic issues surrounding the novel coronavirus pandemic have likely compounded these concerns for millions.
Will American Rescue Plan impact health care affordability?
Suffice it to say, there has been a lot of confusion about the rollout of the various vaccines to fight the novel coronavirus.
Life insurers quell concerns over COVID vaccine misinformation
The national rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. continues apace and at this point, hundreds of millions of people have received at least one dose.
COVID vaccines proving largely effective
In recent years, there has been a focus on the amount of life insurance millennials had, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that this might not have been the right generation to worry about.
Gen-Xers facing a life insurance coverage gap?
Among the ins and outs insurers must comply with under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is paying out rebates to policyholders when they do not meet preset medical loss ratio thresholds.
Health insurers to pay out billions in rebates
Around the start of novel coronavirus pandemic, there was a lot of attention paid to how much people who suddenly weren't driving nearly as much as they used to still had to pay for auto insurance.
How did auto insurance costs change in 2020?
While there were a lot of ups and downs in 2020 to say the least, one industry that was able to establish a series of positives throughout that tumultuous year was life insurance.
Life insurance applications start 2021 on the right foot
There has been a growing push from the life insurance industry for people to work on their long-term financial planning, and it seems the novel coronavirus pandemic helped spur them to action action.
Are consumers diversifying their long-term financial planning?
After a shaky start, the national rollout of the three novel coronavirus vaccines approved for public use in the U.S. is starting to pick up some serious steam.
Will consumers turn down COVID vaccine over cost concerns?
The U.S. isn't particularly close to being out of the woods when it comes to getting the novel coronavirus pandemic under control, but the nation is certainly getting there.
Health care cost issues still linger as pandemic slows
One of the biggest headline-grabbing natural disasters in recent memory is the cold snap that gripped Texas for the better part of a week, leaving millions without power, heat or water.
P&C insurers brace for wave of Texas deep-freeze claims
It should come as little surprise these days that people are living longer than ever, for a variety of reasons. However, one thing that seemingly hasn't changed very much despite that widely known fact is people's approach to retirement planning.
Longevity and life insurance: Why it matters as people live longer
When you watch TV or do a web search for life insurance, you see the same message over and over again: "Get life insurance, no medical exam required!"
Life insurance without a medical exam can be a risky proposition - but do buyers know?
The novel coronavirus pandemic forced some unfortunate realities on people who lost their jobs, suffered adverse health issues or were just rocked by their way of life turning completely on its head.
How are people feeling about COVID-19 and health insurance?
In recent years, people around the world have become more excited at the prospect of using DNA testing to learn about their heritage, and send samples to various companies to get that information.
Can life insurers tap genetic testing results in decision-making?
The average person who turned sixty-five last year can expect to live forty percent longer than someone who did so in nineteen fifty.
Longevity and Life Insurance
Over the course of 2020, there were plenty of headlines about how consumers were flocking to buy life insurance and otherwise shore up both their short- and long-term financial situations.
Life insurance ownership at lowest point in 10 years?
For many who have been keeping tabs on the news over the course of 2020, it should come as no surprise that property and casualty insurers were hit quite hard.
2020 one of the costliest years on record for P&C insurers
The Supreme Court case Texas v. California, which could ultimately determine the fate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, will not be officially decided until sometime in 2021.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
One of the notable early impacts of the coronavirus was that people started staying home, resulting in relatively empty highways and declines in driving activity totaling tens of millions of miles.
How has 2020 affected auto insurance rates?
The seemingly never-ending court cases related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act continued unabated late into 2020.
Decision coming on Texas v. California ACA case
There are a lot of negative consequences of the novel coronavirus pandemic, but for many people around the world, the risks related to diabetes may be among the most undersold.
COVID, diabetes and the impact on life insurance
It should come as no surprise that COVID forced millions of Americans to confront some shortcomings in their lives.
Buying Spree Continues
It would be difficult for anyone in the U.S., let alone just those in the insurance industry, to have missed just how active the 2020 hurricane season has been.
Historic hurricane season squeezes insurers
One of the biggest trends seen among consumers as they adjusted to their "new normal" during the novel coronavirus pandemic was that they largely became far more interested in buying life insurance.
Life insurance ownership at lowest point in 10 years?
While there has been a lot of attention paid to the industries that were dramatically affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic, in good ways and bad, auto insurance is one that may be too quickly overlooked.
COVID affected auto insurers and policyholders significantly
One of the biggest issues the life insurance sector seemingly always grapples with is people not having enough coverage to meet their long-term financial needs, and often not knowing how big the problem is.
Consumers know all about their life insurance shortfalls
While twenty-twenty has been a difficult year for many industries, the current conditions haven't dampened experts' view of the life insurance industry.
Bullish on Life Insurance
Earlier this year, a rare but incredibly violent storm known as a derecho ripped across the Upper Midwest, and did billions of dollars worth of damage.
Midwest still rebuilding after highly damaging derecho
Along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, states are at risk of being pummeled with a damaging tropical storm or hurricane, with 2020 on track to be one of the busiest hurricane seasons yet.
How damaging will hurricane season be?
Home Owners Insurance Poll
More from homeowners insurance
Across the country, it seems as though natural disasters are wreaking havoc on a large scale once again this year.
Property insurance costs could surge in 2021
The impact of the coronavirus has significantly altered many of the ways of life previously considered "normal" in the U.S., and there seems to be no end in sight to these changes.
Auto insurance industry changing due to coronavirus?
The coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn that followed have created hard times for individuals and businesses alike in recent months.
COVID, diabetes and the impact on life insurance
Among the biggest issues home insurers face is that while policyholders often get the coverage they need, they often do not know what that coverage actually entails.
What should people know about home insurance claims?
Over the past several years, there has been a trend at the state level of voters taking up the question of marijuana legalization during major elections.
As states again weigh marijuana legalization, what's the impact on life insurance?
Across the U.S., large numbers of Americans have life insurance benefits in their names but simply do not know it.
Convertible life insurance is useful for many people.
One of the big issues that came up time and again as the life insurance industry examined its wellbeing amid years of economic growth is why millennials weren't as fervent about buying coverage.
Do millennials still go without life insurance?
The economic downturn that accompanied the current global pandemic has put millions in dire financial straits, but it seems to have also piqued consumers' interest in life insurance.
Experts bullish on 2021 life insurance market
There has been a lot of attention paid to the tens of millions of job losses suffered in recent months, and what those changes have meant for workers' ability to find affordable health insurance.
Life insurance among benefits lost in unemployment
The novel coronavirus outbreak brought with it a stunning economic downturn that resulted in tens of millions losing their jobs and facing dire financial situations.
Can life insurance bounce back in a downturn?
The past several months have been trying for hundreds of millions of Americans in one way or another, and these types of trials and tribulations tend to help people put things in a new perspective.
Polls: COVID-19 highlights importance of life insurance
The economic fallout from the novel coronavirus pandemic is still unfolding in the U.S. and around the world, and one of the biggest points of concern for millions of people has been job loss.
Millions have lost health insurance during COVID-19 pandemic
Over the past several years, experts have continually raised alarms about the rising cost of health care and coverage.
Consumers still need more health care education, engagement
The average American now relies on multiple prescription drugs in their daily life, and that's an issue that seems to only be growing more prevalent as time goes on.
Many hurdles remain for prescription drug access
It's certainly no secret that health insurers have been looking for clarity and certainty amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19 has insurers shifting strategies
With tens of millions of workers across the country losing their jobs there are legitimate concerns at the highest levels of government about how health care reform may be able to address current issues.
Is this the right time for health care reform?
Tens of millions of people across the country have lost their jobs since the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic, which likely also resulted in losing their health insurance coverage.
Special ACA enrollment period seeing early success
The full impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic has yet to be fully understood, but there are plenty of indicators of the difficulties that have come in the months - and even years - ahead.
Officials seek federal relief on health insurance risk
The ups and downs of the coronavirus pandemic seen at the state, national and even global levels aren't over, and already many are projecting big changes for the insurance and health care landscapes.
Coronavirus could fundamentally change health care, insurance
For as long as there has been life insurance, companies issuing life policies have sought to obtain as many policyholders as they possibly can.
Interest rates making life insurers concerned?
It should come as no surprise to anyone who's seen the national unemployment statistics over the past several weeks that the job market has become increasingly dire.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
It goes without saying that any sizable economic downturn is going to have a negative impact on business for many life insurers, and that's especially true because of the current rate environment.
Some see reasons coronavirus will be hiccup for life insurers
By now, just about everyone has seen the headlines: The recession brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic has already resulted in tens of millions of Americans losing their jobs.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
For millions of people across the U.S., the threat of the novel coronavirus relates to both their physical and financial health.
Lawmakers still mull whether to reopen exchanges amid pandemic
Over the past decade, there have been many legal challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, all of which have been struck down.
ACA's future hangs on delayed Supreme Court decision
The U.S. health care system is now a little more than a decade into the era of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
The ACA created a limit on how much companies could spend on administration and marketing, versus how much had to be put back into the insurance pool.
Health insurers to pay out billions in rebates
The cost of coverage and care has been growing rapidly on an annual basis in the health care industry for more than a decade at this point, and there aren't many signs of slowing down.
Health care costs likely to keep climbing
It goes without saying that many aspects of the health care industry have been fundamentally altered by the outbreak of coronavirus.
Life insurers quell concerns over COVID vaccine misinformation
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
The housing crisis was a major contributor to the overall economic meltdown seen more than a decade ago, and while there have long been fears of growing housing bubbles, experts say a burst is unlikely.
In recent years, many Americans have come to recognize that the current health insurance system can cause major problems for consumers.
The long-term effects of current health insurance
Many people think that life insurance is a great way to insulate yourself and your loved ones from risk when you have significant long-term financial obligations - and they're right.
What should current and soon-to-be retirees know about life insurance?
Perhaps the biggest frustration consumers have with their health insurance these days is cost.
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
Over the past decade-plus the Federal Reserve Board has continually held interest rates lower than all-time averages.
Low interest rates affecting insurance sector
One of the biggest problems in the life insurance industry - for both underwriters and consumers - is that in many cases, people do not know much, or anything, about benefits to which they are entitled after a policyholder passes away.
Survey: Many unprepared for life insurance benefits
A lot of attention has been paid to the ways in which health insurance rates have risen sharply for just about everyone across the country.
Auto insurance premium hikes outpace inflation
How a public health insurance option works
Small-business owners need life insurance more than they think
Parents know they need life insurance, but often don't have it
Do consumers know what impacts life insurance rates?
Why do Americans pay so much for health insurance?
Workers interested in employer-provided group life insurance
In recent years, the national opioid crisis has grabbed a lot of headlines - and rightly so.
More states making progress on life insurance regulations for naloxone
Americans are justifiably concerned about the cost of health care and insurance coverage.
Health insurance is one of the most important employee benefits.
Every day, more millennials are reaching the age and financial stability needed to make some serious long-term life commitments.
Are millennials less savvy about long-term finances?
Most polls on the subject show that the average person knows they need more life insurance than they have, but any number of factors constrain them from obtaining it.
Women have significant need for life insurance
One salient truth about the life insurance sector that is often proven both anecdotally and through actual surveys is that consumers don't often understand the ins and outs of coverage.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
One of the biggest issues in the life insurance sector - cited time and again by insiders - is that there simply aren't enough people who have the kind of life insurance coverage they need.
Do insurers do enough to make sure people have life coverage?
In recent years, the life insurance industry languished under the weight of a still-recovering economy that saw many Americans prioritize other aspects of their financial health over the sector's valuable offerings.
Life insurance is valuable in many ways.
It's widely acknowledged that Americans don't know enough about their life insurance needs and therefore don't take action when it comes to shopping for and obtaining coverage.
Majority of workers interested in employer-provided group life insurance
Across the U.S., the life insurance industry has been through some ups and downs in the last several years.
Individual life sales flattened in Q2
The various legal ups and downs around marijuana use that arose over the past few years have impacted a number of major industries.
Life insurers continue examining policies around marijuana use
In the past several years, there has been an increase in the number of life insurance policies acquired by third parties unrelated to the people the policies cover.
Convertible life insurance is useful for many people.
One of the biggest challenges for the life insurance industry as a whole is the gap between how such coverage is perceived among the American public and what they actually do to obtain it.
Life insurance is valuable in many ways.
Since the turn of the century, the amount of money Americans contribute to their health care each year has increased dramatically and that trend shows little sign of slowing down.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
The conversation around the national health insurance and health care markets has become quite heated in recent years.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
In the last installment on the Lewis & Ellis blog, the issue of what Americans spend on their health care each year was examined at length.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
Any American with private health insurance has likely seen their costs rise sharply in the past several years, even as laws intended to slow the rate of premium increases have largely been effective.
Officials seek federal relief on health insurance risk
The vast majority of senior citizens are eligible for enrollment in Medicare, a low-cost, highly valuable health insurance option that makes it easier for millions to make ends meet.
How does current insurance landscape affect seniors?
While people often express concern about the rising cost of their health insurance, there is also plenty of evidence to suggest that part of their frustration with coverage arises from a lack of familiarity with industry basics, as well.
insurance policy
It is no secret that more health costs are being shifted away from employers and onto workers seemingly every year, forcing people to pay thousands of dollars more for their health care and insurance than they did even a few years ago.
rising healthcare costs
At this point, just about every American - and certainly everyone in the health care and insurance sectors - has heard the talk about "Medicare for All."Â
Understanding 'Medicare for All'
There has been a lot of talk about the various shapes health care reform might take, both from politicians who are tasked with overhauling the nation's system and those inside the industry who would be strongly affected by regulatory changes.
Supreme Court again rejects challenge to ACA
For some time now, the question of how businesses - regardless of size - will continue to provide health insurance to their employees has been a critical issue.
rising healthcare costs
With so much attention being paid by both elected officials and the general public to the state of health care these days, it's little wonder people have plenty of strong opinions about the issue.
Health care costs likely to keep climbing
In recent months, there has been a lot of talk about the efficacy of various approaches to health care reform, and at the top of the list for a number of individual states is the use of a public health insurance option.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
Lawmakers at both the state and federal levels have been trying to find ways to ensure more Americans are covered by health insurance.
How are children getting their health insurance?
The health care landscape in the U.S. has changed a lot in recent years and lawmakers continue to try fine-tuning various aspects of the issue.
Lawmakers Mulling Health Care Changes
One of the biggest issues in health care these days is that while there's an overarching federal law, many states choose to go above and beyond those rules, creating a regulatory patchwork.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
Almost regardless of background, political affiliation or any other demographic breakdown is the understanding that certain aspects of the national health care system need to be reformed.
More industry experts weighing in on improving health care
The issues around health care have been in the news a lot over the course of the last decade.
Americans see ups and downs in health care
As one might suspect, having access good dental coverage is a key component of strong health overall, but the American health care system keeps these two issues quite separate in many cases.
Dental care may be key to proper medical coverage
The ways in which the life insurance industry as a whole has changed in the last several years is significant, in part because of a crackdown by regulators on a number of previously normal aspects of the business.
Life insurance regulators still adapting to new realities
Observers who have paid any amount of attention to health care costs in recent years has likely spotted the biggest driver in annual growth: prescription drug prices.
Will a change to rebate programs help curb prescription drug price hikes?
For millions of Americans, the costs and uncertainty around health care and health insurance are growing all the time.
Officials seek federal relief on health insurance risk
Whether they realize it or not, almost every adult probably needs at least some life insurance.
Which groups need life insurance most?
In many parts of the Upper Midwest, temperatures in recent weeks have repeatedly dipped and held below zero.
Cold temperatures, winter weather wreak havoc for insurance
Across the country, the harsher weather and natural disasters that bring with them significant damage and danger for homeowners have been increasing in intensity for some time.
Many may struggle to find home insurance going forward
Millions of baby boomers have either surpassed the age at which they begin to qualify for Medicare benefits, or are rapidly approaching that point.
Older people increasingly worried about health care
The new year is nearly here and the life insurance industry is changing along with just about every sector.
How will life insurance change in 2019?
Millions of Americans have gained broader access to health insurance as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but costs continue to rise at least somewhat sharply for many of them.
Health insurance costs still a source of concern
Over the past few years, there have been numerous efforts to pick away at the various rules that made up the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as it was first passed.
Health insurers to pay out billions in rebates
Life insurance is all about risk assessment and underwriters have grown quite good at it over the course of the last several decades.
Life insurance denied for naloxone carriers?
Since the end of the recession, the ways in which life insurers have had to interface with consumers to ensure they are engaged has changed a great deal.
Life insurance ownership at lowest point in 10 years?
Life insurance companies are fully aware that there's often a sizable disparity between the amount of life insurance people need and the amount they actually have in their names.
Life insurance applications start 2021 on the right foot
It should come as no surprise that, given how health care costs have risen since the turn of the century, the issue now occupies a lot of how people view their financial situations overall.
Health insurance costs still a source of concern
A large portion of Americans have life insurance, but unfortunately they may not have as much as they need - or think.
People value group life insurance, but may not get enough
Costs for health care and insurance coverage have been a major focus for consumers, business leaders, advocacy groups and government officials for years now.
Health insurance concerns linger for many
The ways in which the health insurance landscape has shifted in recent years cannot be overstated.
Health insurance options vary dramatically from one state to the next
Across the U.S., millions of people have been able to gain health insurance coverage over the past several years as a result of various provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Commercial health insurance is an importance subcategory of insurance products.
Over the past several years, the number of people who are covered by health insurance has grown slowly but steadily.
Recent health insurance trends are shifting.
September is Life Insurance Awareness Month and it gives the entire industry a good excuse to revisit their plans for consumer outreach, as a means of determining what already works and what might need a little bit of tweaking.
Enticing consumers beyond Life Insurance Awareness Month
The percentage of the U.S. population that has life insurance is starting to grow again, but perhaps not as quickly as those in the industry would like.
The characteristics of people who buy life insurance
The cost of health insurance premiums have become a major talking point for everyone from consumers to the nation's top lawmakers over the past few years.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
The life insurance industry has changed a lot in the past several years as consumer attitudes about such coverage shifts and providers alter their efforts to effectively market their products.
Tech continues to reshape life insurance
Life as a single parent isn't always easy, and one of the issues that can continually crop up over the course of the year is financial burden.
Life insurance needs for single parents
The ways in which the health care landscape has shifted nationwide in the past several years has been significant, but the alterations are really ramping up in 2018.
Health insurance costs still a source of concern
One of the biggest issues in almost every aspect of the insurance industry is that consumers often don't fully understand the coverage they pay for every month.
Combating misconceptions about homeowners' insurance
One of the biggest issues in the country over the past few years, for everyone from lawmakers and businesses to individuals, has been the rate at which costs for health care have been rising.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
For some time now, the cost of health care has been rising sharply each year, to the point that it is becoming a major point of concern for many employers.
Special ACA enrollment period seeing early success
Older Americans have a lot of issues to consider when it comes to their health insurance and care needs as they age.
How does current insurance landscape affect seniors?
While many people may not fully understand the ways in which the right life insurance policy can benefit them, the general consensus among most consumers is that life insurance does provide plenty of financial protection.
Life insurance ownership at lowest point in 10 years?
Since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, the rate at which health care costs have increased each year has, generally speaking, been slower than before it was implemented.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
Many Americans have likely considered the benefits of obtaining a life insurance policy that can protect their loved ones financially for years to come.
What affects life insurance costs and eligibility?
Every spring, millions of college students graduate from school and enter "the real world" for the first time.
As students graduate, what should they know about health insurance?
It's no secret that health care costs have been rising sharply for years now and, even after slowing down somewhat since the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, growing costs remain a significant point of concern.
Health care costs still a major concern
There is plenty of recent data to suggest that the health care industry as a whole is seeing costs rise to potentially unwieldy levels, leading to more difficulty for consumers.
There is plenty of recent data to suggest that the health care industry as a whole is seeing costs rise to potentially unwieldy levels, leading to more difficulty for consumers.
The current health care landscape in the U.S. is such that there are many workers being hired every month to meet demand, and the industry is keeping up - for the most part.
Health care sector to face potentially large shortage of workers
Millions of Americans have at least weighed their options when it comes to life insurance, and many go on to actually buy the coverage they need.
No 'one size fits all' for life insurance options
Across the country, millions of Americans have faced difficulties in dealing with their health insurance over the past several years, as benefits shrink and both premiums and out-of-pocket rise.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
The issue of health insurance costs have been a thorny one for many parties over the past several years.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
The life insurance industry has, over the past several years, endeavored to do more to appeal to younger adults and simultaneously take advantage of emerging technology.
Health insurance companies can use predictive modeling to stay competitive in the marketplace.
Issues surrounding health insurance have been a point of concern for many Americans for years.
Many Americans still struggle to afford health insurance
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act placed a requirement on all Americans to have some sort of health insurance coverage.
Recent health insurance trends are shifting.
With so much stated concern about the "stability" of the health insurance sector coming to the fore in recent months, it should come as little surprise that more is being done on the supply side of the market to address the issues at play.
Public, private insurance organizations working to improve access
Attempts to significantly alter the health care landscape nationwide with a single, overarching bill ended up failing late last year, and only smaller changes were enacted as part of the new tax laws.
Commercial health insurance is an importance subcategory of insurance products.
The life insurance industry has enjoyed some slow but steady gains over the past few years, as the economy has continued to improve and more consumers have aged into life circumstances that are often seen as requiring additional life insurance coverage.
Life insurance on the rise?
Spring is officially here, even if the weather in some parts of the country doesn't necessarily reflect that fact.
Spring cleaning should include a home insurance check
The common refrain in the life insurance industry over the past few years has been that it's vital for companies to do more to connect with young adults.
Tech continues to reshape life insurance
Health care organizations - such as insurers and care providers - are often seen as rich targets for identity thieves because they protect so much information belonging to a large number of people.
Health care industry still dealing with cyber threats
Across the country, many state legislatures are now grappling with the how they can handle health care laws, given the changing landscape at the federal level.
Americans see ups and downs in health care
The way in which the health insurance industry operates on a continual basis has changed a lot over the past several years, and more changes are in the offing as health care reform remains a big issue in Washington.
Tech, consumer behavior driving health care changes
One of the big imperatives in the life insurance industry over the past several years has been re-growing the base of policyholders, with a particular focus on getting young adults to understand the value life coverage provides.
Life insurance ownership at lowest point in 10 years?
One of the big impacts of current legislative efforts to alter the health care landscape that is broadly agreed upon by industry experts is that any attempts to change the federally run marketplaces will likely result in significantly higher costs for many Americans.
Special ACA enrollment period seeing early success
Federal legislators and other policymakers have been working feverishly for some time to overhaul the way in which health care works in the U.S., especially when it comes to insurance coverage.
The situations that result in moral hazard and adverse selection are important considerations for insurance companies.
One of the biggest issues in the U.S. health care sector these days is that Americans spend far more money on coverage and treatment than other major developed nations, but typically get worse health outcomes anyway.
Improving outcomes a big focus in health care
While an apple a day keeps the doctor away, the tech giant bearing the same name typically hasn't had a role to play in consumers' health care.AAAAAAAAA
Apple moving to reshape health care
Millions more Americans have health insurance coverage - often for the first time in years - as a result of the broadening availability of coverage via the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's exchanges and Medicaid expansion.
Recent health insurance trends are shifting.
While the national health care picture remains rather unclear going forward, lawmakers in a number of states are taking matters into their own hands when it comes to providing residents with legal protections.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
The national health care landscape changed a lot over the course of 2017 and 2018 looks to be no different, with more uncertainty about the future of care and the legislative wrangling surrounding it now looming.
Americans see ups and downs in health care
The federal government significantly scaled back efforts to enroll millions of Americans in the ACA's health insurance marketplaces for 2018, shortening sign-up windows and scaling back marketing.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
The way in which the health care landscape has changed over the past year seems to be resulting in declining enrollment in state- and federally run insurance exchanges.
The situations that result in moral hazard and adverse selection are important considerations for insurance companies.
Over the past several years, the cost of health care in the U.S. has been rising.
Health costs keep rising as sought care declines
The federal program that helps provide millions of children with low-cost or free health insurance has been a political bargaining chip in recent weeks, leading to concern and consternation among consumer advocates and health care professionals.
CHIP decision still up in the air amid shutdown
Across the U.S., the way consumers want to engage with life insurance companies on an ongoing basis has changed a lot over the years, and that's a trend that's likely to continue for some time to come.
Experts bullish on 2021 life insurance market
Over the past decade, the issue of rising care and insurance coverage costs has been a driving force in the difficulties Americans faced in dealing with the health care industry as a whole.
rising healthcare costs
The life insurance industry has seen its share of ups and downs in recent months but is mostly trending in the right direction, and has been for some time.
Polls: COVID-19 highlights importance of life insurance
There are many ways the life insurance industry can employ technology to connect with consumers and companies are finally embracing these technologies to make new connections with them
Majority of workers interested in employer-provided group life insurance
One of the big expenses most people across the country have to bear every year is auto insurance, because driving is such an integral part of day-to-day American life.
Auto insurance costs on the rise
Over the past several years, one of the biggest issues life insurance providers have encountered as they tried to grow their base of policyholders is that many people are reluctant to buy coverage simply because they don't understand it.
Poll shows more life insurance education may be needed
While there has been considerable concern about the future of the U.S. economy for working-class Americans under the new tax bill, there has not been a significant disruption of life insurance sales to this point.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
Over the past several months, there have been many changes to the health care landscape.
Health care landscape continues to shift as end of 2017 approaches
Over the past few years, a number of states have stepped up their efforts to track down unpaid life insurance benefits and get those funds into the hands of intended recipients.
Tech continues to reshape life insurance
Over the past few years, life insurance enrollment has ticked up slowly but surely, and the industry as a whole reached a curious and notable milestone.
Life insurance is valuable in many ways.
Over the past few years, many young adults have entered the life insurance market in search of coverage to protect their long-term financial standings.
Many consumers need help finding the right life insurance
A rumored deal that would allow one of the nation's largest drug store chains to acquire one of its largest health insurers recently passed from rumor into reality.
Medical debt is piling up now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
Many Americans have difficulties navigating the ins and outs of today's health care landscape, which can often be confusing and costly simultaneously, even if they have good insurance policies.
U.S. seniors still dealing with changing health care landscape
There has been a significant amount of focus on the many potential changes to the health care landscape that have been expected for much of the year, but now lawmakers in Washington seem to have shifted their attention to reforming the tax code.
Americans want lawmakers focused on health care fixes
Nationwide, a lot of attention has been paid - and understandably so - to the expected massive increases in health insurance premiums for people who buy their coverage through government-run exchanges.
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
Today, there is a lot of uncertainty about the changing health care landscape and what it might mean for the millions of Americans who have been able to get health insurance in recent years thanks to expanding availability.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
The national health care industry has certainly experienced some ups and downs in recent months, thanks in large part to the uncertainty surrounding the potential repeal - in whole or in part - of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
States continue to grapple with changing health insurance market
Throughout the health care and insurance industries, adults in their 20s and early 30s are often referred to as "Young Invincibles."
Millennials may have a particular need for health insurance
Over the past several months, there has been a lot of understandable confusion about the state of the health insurance marketplace for 2018.
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
The open enrollment period for consumers to sign up for health insurance through federal or state-run exchanges is now underway, but consumer advocates say there are some potential hurdles that didn't exist before.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
The uncertainty over the future of health care and health insurance has been looming over both industries for some time now.
Many issues reshaping national health insurance landscape
Over the past several years, the various mechanisms put in place by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act helped to ensure millions of Americans signed up for individual health insurance.
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
For nearly a decade now, the ways in which people buy life insurance has been changing dramatically.
Life insurance ownership at lowest point in 10 years?
The nation's health care laws have been through some serious ups and downs over the past several years to say the least.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
Time and again, polls from within the life insurance industry highlight a real disconnect between the value the coverage they offer provides, and what people think about it.
Life insurance is valuable in many ways.
Many Americans can benefit from life insurance coverage in a number of ways, but may not think it's the right choice for them based on their specific financial situations.
September is Life Insurance Awareness Month
The damage wrought by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma for multiple states and Caribbean Islands was significant, and the impact they had on the people there often cannot be understated.
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma have big impact on P&C insurance industry
Across the U.S., many states have been announcing the expected changes to health insurance premiums for 2018 enrollment, and for the most part, those costs are on the rise.
Officials seek federal relief on health insurance risk
In the past few years, many states across the country have moved to bring more agency to people who think they may have life insurance benefits due to them, but don't know much about the details.
How will life insurance change in 2019?
The national laws pertaining to health care and health insurance have been a massive topic of conversation for years at this point, but one fact is undeniable: Millions more people have coverage now than they did just a few years ago.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
Millions of Americans have health insurance coverage of some kind and put it to good use over the course of each year.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
Polls routinely show that people understand the value life insurance can provide for them and their loved ones on a long-term basis.
Consumers should seek out life insurance that works for them
The life insurance business is always changing, but there have long been industry norms to which just about everyone involved - from insurers to policyholders - has conformed for years.
How will life insurance change in 2019?
Health care has been in the national headlines for some time, and there's plenty of reasons for consumers and experts alike to be a little uncertain about where the industry is headed in the months and years ahead.
Despite concerns, Americans feel good about their health care
Polls have shown that the majority of Americans understand the value life insurance can provide them and their loves ones on a long-term basis.
Tech continues to reshape life insurance
While the uncertainty seen in the health care industry over the past several months is certainly pervasive, and not just for companies in that field.
Employers still onboard with health benefits despite concerns
Late summer is the time of year when many states begin releasing details about what consumers can expect to pay for their health insurance for the coming year.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
Given the uncertainty now surrounding the future of the national health care landscape, it should come as little surprise that Americans have real concerns about their ability to afford coverage as rates creep even higher.
Health care costs likely to keep climbing
As the health care debate rages in Washington, and tens of millions wait to find out what will become of their health insurance coverage, a new consensus among many Americans seems to be emerging.
Many issues reshaping national health insurance landscape
The ups and downs of the Republican attempts to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act over the last several months are well-documented.
Many issues reshaping national health insurance landscape
In recent years a lot of focus in the life insurance industry as a whole has been placed on getting more people into the life insurance ecosystem who did not have coverage before.
Experts bullish on 2021 life insurance market
While most adults tend to understand the benefits life insurance can provide for them and their loved ones, young adults in particular tend to lag behind when it comes to actually buying such coverage.
Do millennials have the health insurance they need?
While the number of people across the U.S. who are covered by some sort of health insurance has skyrocketed in recent years, there are still some groups that remain disproportionately uninsured.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
One of the big issues many Americans may face when they deal with their life insurance is that they may not know exactly what they need at any given time.
Experts bullish on 2021 life insurance market
The good news for both consumers and the life insurance industry simultaneously is that more people are buying coverage these days thanks to an improving economy.
Life insurance needs are continually evolving
Over the past few years, the number of Americans who could afford to buy life insurance and were motivated to do so has increased dramatically.
Life insurance sector continues to make progress
Distracted driving has long been a problem for drivers, and the growing number of motorists who use smartphones behind the wheel isn't helping the issue.
Distracted driving leads to accidents, higher auto insurance rates
Financial stress is a fact of life for millions of Americans, but experts also say these individuals might not be doing all in their power to make sure they're adequately protected.
Life insurance lacking for millennials, single parents
There are a lot of moving pieces when it comes to the national health care and insurance laws now being considered in the U.S. Senate.
Health care landscape continues to shift as end of 2017 approaches
The ways in which the changing health care landscape will affect people's ability to obtain - and retain - health insurance has been a significant issue in recent months.
Health insurance coverage, costs continue to shift nationwide
One of the big topics in the life insurance industry over the past several years has been increased efforts on the part of government agencies to help beneficiaries find unclaimed benefits in their names after insureds pass away.
Experts stress importance of disclosing life insurance details
Plenty of data collected over the past several years shows that consumers by and large don't have as much life insurance as they probably should, even as interest in obtaining such coverage continues to grow.
Gap between life insurance need and understanding provides opportunity
While more Americans have some level of familiarity with health insurance than they likely ever have before, major issues still linger when it comes to the ways in which people actually understand the coverage they buy.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
It's no secret that the cost of health insurance and treatment has been on the rise for decades.
CHIP decision still up in the air amid shutdown
Across the U.S., most people are dealing with changing conditions that might impact their lives if Congress passes changes to federal health care laws.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
The cost of health care has been on the rise for years, and much of that has been driven by large increases in the price of prescription drugs.
Many Americans concerned about rising prescription costs
In recent months, the ways in which national and state health care laws could change dramatically have dominated headlines.
Despite health insurance landscape uncertainty, consumers must prepare
For some time now, health insurance providers have been trying to incentivize adoption of healthy lifestyles by giving consumers benefits if they start wearing fitness trackers and report the associated data.
More health insurers turning to wearables for data, decisions
The rising cost of health care has been in the news a lot lately, and many parents may be particularly concerned about how these changes will affect their abilities to afford treatment for their children.
Families worry about rising health care costs
Across the U.S., the effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate and expanded options for health insurance access have been obvious.
Medical debt is piling up now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
One of the big issues that many consumers bring up when they talk about why they don't have life insurance, or perhaps don't have as much as they need, is the cost.
Life insurance could soon become more affordable
Over the past few years, many states across the country have focused regulatory efforts on helping residents obtain life insurance benefits they may not have known about.
Majority of workers interested in employer-provided group life insurance
Even after the recession, many in the life insurance sector were concerned about the trends that left many Americans without coverage and little in the way of prospects for buying it any time soon.
Life insurance industry keeps moving in the right direction
Millions of people have been able to get some form of health insurance coverage since the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Who got health insurance under the ACA?
Over the past few years, a number of states across the country have moved to legalize or reduce the criminal penalties for marijuana use and possession, and that trend is likely to continue for some time to come.
Life insurers continue examining policies around marijuana use
Over the past few years, the life insurance industry has observed the undeniable trend of consumers increasing their investments in life insurance policies, thanks in large part to the improving economy.
Life insurance ownership at lowest point in 10 years?
Over the past few years, the number of people able to obtain health insurance - often for the first time - due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has skyrocketed.
Health insurance underwriting takes some special considerations.
The changing political realities in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere across the country could soon lead to many people losing the health insurance they obtained via the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's mandated exchanges.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
Over the past few years, the life insurance industry has made a significant comeback in terms of people signing up for coverage.
Life premiums keep on rising
The changes to the health care landscape seen in the past several years have been significant, and that often requires consumers to know more about various aspects of their health insurance coverage than they used to.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
It's no secret that health insurance premiums have risen sharply in recent years as other costs related to health care and management have skyrocketed.
Medicare chronic care improvement program works with some medicare medication sections.
Millions of Americans have seen their health insurance bills rise sharply in recent years for a number of reasons.
Health insurance concerns linger for many
The number of people who obtained life insurance - often for the first time - has risen slowly but surely over the several years since the end of the recession.
Experts stress importance of disclosing life insurance details
Though the public health insurance exchanges run by state and federal agencies nationwide only launched a few years ago, they have become increasingly popular in each successive open enrollment period.
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
The financial services company AEQUALIS recently announced on World AIDS Day that it will now offer life insurance plans for HIV-positive individuals.
Despite health insurance landscape uncertainty, consumers must prepare
Over the past few years, the life insurance industry as a whole has made a solid comeback thanks to consumers recognizing the importance of having such coverage, and also once again having the financial wherewithal to pay for it.
Can life insurers do more to reach the LGBT community?
Across the country, the rising cost of health insurance is leading many Americans to question how they can properly afford to get affordable care for themselves and their family members.
More consumers rely on government programs to insure their kids
Over the past several years, the number of people buying health insurance coverage through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's mandated exchanges has risen sharply, with millions getting involved.
Lawmakers still mull whether to reopen exchanges amid pandemic
Over the past year or so, a number of state insurance regulators have turned their attentions to the ways in which people are able to find unclaimed life insurance benefits from a deceased relative.
Tech continues to reshape life insurance
Over the past few years, the way people interact with their health insurers on a regular basis has changed dramatically.
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
Young adults are important to success of the healthcare exchanges and keeping the premiums affordable for all ages.
Lawmakers still mull whether to reopen exchanges amid pandemic
A lot of the recent attention for the health insurance industry has been focused on the speed with which those who buy coverage through the ACA's mandated exchanges are seeing their premiums rise.
Employers still onboard with health benefits despite concerns
Polls show that many Americans know all too well that life insurance is an important part of sound financial planning. However, that may not be enough motivation for many people, especially younger Americans, to actually sign up for coverage.
Tech continues to reshape life insurance
Over the past several years since the end of the recession, many life insurance companies have worked hard to rebuild their standing, and now those efforts seem to be paying off.
More life insurers trying to improve communication with policyholders
While the government-run health insurance exchange sites allow millions of Americans to buy subsidized coverage, there are millions more who also buy through those marketplaces without a subsidy.
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act brought a lot of relief to consumers concerned about not being able to get coverage at an relatively low price.
Smokers pay much more for health insurance, but don't seem to care
A lot of the focus in the life insurance industry over the past few years has been on getting young adults into the fold. But at the same time, some of the industry's most loyal long-term customers may have similar needs.
Older workers should review their life insurance needs, too
One of the biggest challenges for the life insurance industry in recent years has been recovering from the recession and convincing the youngest generation of adults just how important their coverage is.
Majority of workers interested in employer-provided group life insurance
Property and casualty insurance isn't always an easy issue for homeowners to navigate, especially if their properties are seen as being at particular risk for potential issues.
Home insurers requiring some policyholders to complete roof repairs
Since the coverage mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was put into place, millions of Americans have been able to get health insurance for what could have been the first time in their lives.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
Over the past few years, the cost of insurance has continued to rise, albeit at a slower pace than had been experienced across much of the previous decade.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
One of the biggest issues in the life insurance industry over the past few years, even as it recovered significantly from the recession, is that younger adults still aren't buying it en masse.
Young people still in life insurance gray area
For years after the end of the recession, perhaps the biggest concern in the life insurance industry overall was that young adults in particular were not buying this kind of coverage.
Millennials, others continue to come around on life insurance
Rising health insurance costs have been front and center for millions of Americans over the past decade-plus, and are in fact what led to the implementation of many aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Consumers' biggest health insurance concern continues to be cost
Since Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010, the number of people who go without health insurance each year has fallen slowly but steadily.
Special ACA enrollment period seeing early success
Over the past few years, the number of people who have been able to get health insurance for the first time has increased significantly, adding millions of Americans to the rolls of those who have coverage.
Despite ACA expansion, many still go without health insurance
Tens of millions of Americans make critical decisions about their health insurance each year, whether they're buying coverage on the exchanges or changing plans they receive through their employers.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
Each year, millions of Americans are hit with slightly higher costs for their health insurance coverage.
Health care costs likely to keep climbing
Over the past few years, states across the country have undertaken efforts to more closely examine how life insurers distribute death benefits.
How will life insurance change in 2019?
Over the past several years - more or less since the economic crisis came to an end - industry experts have been concerned with the number of young adults who are going without life insurance.
Women have significant need for life insurance
In recent months, a number of states across the country have begun to take a hard look at the ways in which life insurance companies ensure beneficiaries of policies receive the money due to them.
Rhode Island the latest to crack down on unclaimed life benefits?
The changes to national health care laws that came with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have largely been good for millions of Americans who gained the ability to obtain low-cost coverage for the first time.
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
Over the past few years, a lot of attention has been paid to the machinations in the health insurance industry as they related to a number of the industry's biggest participants joining forces.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
During and even after the recession, the life insurance industry took a bit of a hit as many consumers shifted their financial focus to the absolute necessities.
How will life insurance change in 2019?
Over the past few years, more work has been done on the part of many states across the country to look into how life insurance companies find beneficiaries of policies for deceased clients.
insurance policy
Across the U.S., a large and growing number of states are starting to legally normalize marijuana use in some form or another, whether that's approving it for medicinal use, decriminalizing it, or simply making it totally legal.
Life insurers, enrollees now facing cannabis questions
Millions of Americans see the benefit of life insurance these days, but it's not always easy for them to actually obtain it, for one reason or another.
Life insurance options opening up for the HIV-positive
Many aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act were supposed to bring health insurance options to younger adults in particular, and in many ways the health care law has succeeded in that effort.
Who got health insurance under the ACA?
Data over the last year-plus has repeatedly shown that the life insurance sector is getting back on track after some difficult years in the wake of the recession.
Life insurance on the rise?
Veterans with a history of post-traumatic stress disorder can face additional challenges in qualifying for life insurance.
Veterans could face difficulties getting life insurance
During and even for years after the recession, it was very difficult to get people to buy life insurance.
Millennials turning around on life insurance as they age
In the wake of the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's individual coverage mandate, health insurance premiums have ticked up each year, but usually at rates well below pre-recession norms.
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
Polls show that while a lot of Americans don't have life insurance, most understand that it has a significant value.
Life insurance is valuable in many ways.
Since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act started requiring Americans to have health insurance a few years ago, millions of people who'd never had such coverage have been able to obtain it.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has helped bring health insurance coverage at a relatively low cost to millions of people nationwide.
Many young people may still need health insurance
For decades, older Americans who leave their jobs for retirement have relied upon Medicare to help them cover the various medical costs they incur.
How does current insurance landscape affect seniors?
Over the last decade or more, health care prices have surged, and with them, so have premiums and other costs for health insurance.
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
One of the big concerns about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in recent years has been related to the ways in which the law sets minimum requirements for the benefits of health insurance policies.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
Genetic testing may prove beneficial for the future health of some consumers, but unresolved issues with respect to genetic testing may prove a risk either to those consumers in applying for life insurance or to life insurers in underwriting the mortality risk of life insurance applicants.
Genetic testing could create complications in the life insurance industry
In the past few years, millions of Americans have flocked onto the health insurance exchanges mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
It's only been in the last year or two that the life insurance market started to bounce back after a serious rough patch during and after the economic downturn.
What do people search for when they search for life insurance?
In years past, an HIV diagnosis was seen as a death sentence, and it immediately made life far more difficult for HIV-positive Americans in many ways.
How will life insurance change in 2019?
One of the big issues in the life insurance industry as a whole over the last several years has been that consumers generally don't have the firmest understanding of how such coverage works, what it should cost, and the like.
Individual life sales flattened in Q2
People who signed up for coverage in the 2014 and 2015 open enrollment periods generally tended to have higher risk of certain diseases than those who were on individual plans prior to those years.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
The point of health insurance is to help insulate consumers from the often high cost of medical treatment, but it doesn't necessarily always work out that way.
Consumers still face unexpected, huge medical bills despite insurance
Across the country, many states have seen the number of residents who are able to get health insurance rise over the last few years, and that's a trend that has continued into 2016.
New Mexico sees more consumers getting health insurance
Millions of Americans have gained access to health insurance in the wake of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate, but issues still linger for many of those people.
rising healthcare costs
The life insurance industry has been having some difficulties with investment returns due to the low interest environment for quite a while now, shrinking the profitability present on existing insurance policies.
Life insurance ownership at lowest point in 10 years?
Over the last few years, millions of Americans have highlighted a disconnect between consumers' ideals of valuing life insurance overall, and actually having it.
Individual life sales flattened in Q2
Over the last several years, one of the big items on the wish list of most people in the life insurance industry was a major buy-in from members of the youngest group of adults.
Millennials still coming into their own with life insurance
Many Americans may unfortunately suffer traumatic brain injuries that can significantly or entirely impede their ability to maintain a job.
People with brain injuries may have health insurance problems
Over the last few years, many Americans have finally started to return to the life insurance sector after leaving following the wake of the recession.
More consumers opting for life insurance with long-term care options
The health insurance industry has been slowly adapting to the various ins and outs of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act over the last few years, with participation in the federal state and governments' coverage exchanges chief among them.
Health insurers say exchange participation too costly for them
In recent years, a number of states have moved to address the often widespread issue of life insurance benefits not being claimed by their intended recipients.
Kentucky considering new bill for life insurance rules
The rising cost of health insurance and treatment has been a part of the national conversation for years now, especially since the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
One consequence of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which has been extremely beneficial to millions of Americans, is that the health care law expanded Medicaid.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
For the last few years, millions of Americans have flocked to state- and federally- run health insurance exchange websites, and that number has been growing steadily at the start of each new year.
Health insurance coverage, costs continue to shift nationwide
One of the big ideas behind the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was that it would bring millions of Americans out of being uninsured and provide them with at least some sort of safety net in the event of a catastrophic illness or injury.
Minnesotans without health insurance becoming rare
In the past year or so, consumers finally started to reverse the long-standing trend of people eschewing life insurance in the wake of the recession.
Experts bullish on 2021 life insurance market
While many aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are certainly controversial, a number of states have indeed made greater efforts to get health insurance coverage for some of the most vulnerable members of society.
Arizona lawmakers look to pass bill for child health insurance
The State of California implemented four new insurance regulations effective January 1, 2016, and more are expected to be approved later this year, including PBR.
Several consumer protection and industry-strengthening laws are going into effect in California.
Over the last few years, several of the nation's major health insurance providers have decided to merge for a number of reasons.
Health insurance mergers drawing more scrutiny from states
Over the last few years, life insurance companies have started to slowly but surely rebuild the enrollment numbers that took such a big hit during and even after the recession, but one group is still largely absent from the market.
Experts continue to stress importance of life insurance for millennials
Over the last several years, one of the big issues in the health care industry as a whole is that people have been buying the coverage they're required by law to have, but they aren't often tapping it.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
Since 2014, millions of Americans have been able to sign up for low-cost health insurance coverage they otherwise would not have had, as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
There are many resources for those who need a little guidance through the medicare fee schedule.
Millions of Americans who are eligible to either renew their health insurance coverage through Healthcare.gov or sign up for the first time are now eligible to do so for the 2016 calendar year.
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
Millions of Americans may be looking to buy life insurance for perfectly understandable, traditional reasons.Â
Florida seeks ban on uncommon life insurance practice
Millions of Americans have signed up for health insurance coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act over the last few years, giving them access to far more reasonably priced treatments when needed.
The situations that result in moral hazard and adverse selection are important considerations for insurance companies.
Life insurance is something that a lot of Americans say they value when polled on the topic, but there seems to be a major disconnect between what they value and what they actually buy.
Some jobs lead to higher costs for life insurance
In recent years, many life insurance companies have been battling against a number of circumstances that made consumers a little hesitant to buy the (often necessary) coverage these firms offered.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
The standard line of thought has been that if consumers see their health insurance plans involve higher deductibles, they would be more likely to shop around for the most affordable coverage and care possible resulting in reduced health-care costs.
High-deductible health insurance leads to reduced care, not frugality
The state of Texas now has the highest rate of adults without health insurance in the U.S., according to a new report by the Baker Institute for Public Policy and the Episcopal Health Foundation at Rice University.Â
Despite improvements, Texas is still behind the nation in adults without health insurance
An overwhelming number of people have signed up for health insurance offered under the Affordable Care Act.
More industry experts weighing in on improving health care
Life insurance ownership rates have hit their lowest point in recent years,
Can life insurance bounce back in a downturn?
Over the past few years, millions of Americans have gotten health insurance coverage through the state and federal exchanges mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Medical debt is piling up now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
In the past few years, a number of states have either decriminalized or legalized marijuana use for medicinal or recreational purposes.
Life insurers continue examining policies around marijuana use
Surveys over the last few years show that millions of Americans may have a lot of work to do when it comes to fully understanding their options where health insurance and care is concerned.
Health insurance scams growing more prevalent nationwide
Each year, millions of Americans face the prospect of health insurance costs that rise more quickly than their salaries or inflation, and it's an issue so severe that parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act were included to deal with it.
Health insurance coverage, costs continue to shift nationwide
In recent years, the obvious problem for the life insurance industry has been that people went away during the recession and never really came back en masse.
Highlighting why life insurance is so vital
These days, those in the life insurance industry are looking for many ways in which they can boost enrollment numbers, and many are particularly focused on young adults who may be starting families and building up significant financial wherewithal.
It's still hard to sell millennials on life insurance
In the last few years, one of the things that the health insurance requirement from the federal government seems to have accomplished is getting more people to carry such coverage, even if they do so grudgingly.
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
Nationwide, millions of Americans may be concerned with the rising cost of home insurance and other types of necessary coverage they have to carry.Â
Midwest still rebuilding after highly damaging derecho
Polls show that millions of Americans who value life insurance do not have it, and this is for a number of reasons.
Polls: COVID-19 highlights importance of life insurance
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's health insurance mandate has been in effect for years now, and brought low-cost coverage to millions of Americans who would have had trouble obtaining it before.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
Over the past few years, many Americans have become aware that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mandates a fine for those who go without health insurance coverage, to be applied to their year-end taxes.
Health insurers to pay out billions in rebates
Millions of Americans should be able to get some federal assistance when it comes to paying for their health insurance, as a result of the subsidies allowed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
Because of the various provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the millions of Americans who do not have health insurance even now are required to either seek it or pay growing fines each year.
Low-income workers shying away from health insurance
As young adults across the country begin to settle down and start families, they should consider buying a proper amount of life insurance to protect their families' futures.
Convertible life insurance is useful for many people.
Over the past few years, the federal government's website through which millions of Americans are expected to buy or renew their health insurance has come under major fire for a number of reasons.
Health insurers say exchange participation too costly for them
A life insurer in Massachusetts has launched an online life insurance buying tool, allowing consumers to apply online and receive a decision within minutes on policies worth up to $1 million.
Life insurance ownership at lowest point in 10 years?
Over the past several years, there has obviously been a lot of attention paid to the ways in which consumers are able to afford their health care overall.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
The world of health insurance is changing rapidly these days, in no small part due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's various regulatory changes.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
Plenty of data has suggested that the number of people going without health insurance is declining sharply since the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate and associated exchanges.
National uninsurance rate declined again last year
One of the big issues in the life insurance industry overall in the last several years is the fact that many people are wary of the investment that buying such a policy takes.Â
Why should young adults buy life insurance as early as possible?
It should come as no surprise to those in the life insurance industry that consumers generally don't know what they need from life insurance.
Consumers need more education about life insurance options
In the past few years, the life insurance industry has faced many regulatory hurdles for different reasons, all of which were ostensibly aimed at protecting consumers but might not have had the intended effects.
Pennsylvania passes life insurance law that could help industry
Over the last few years, while the life insurance industry as a whole has been spinning its wheels trying to recover from the economic downturn, the life settlement sector of it has taken some significant steps forward.
Life settlements could help consumers going forward
While millions of Americans have life insurance, millions more do not.
Can life insurance bounce back in a downturn?
Life insurance was a lot easier to sell in the boom times of the mid- to late 1980s, and even into the '90s, than it is today.Â
Life insurance on the rise?
The coverage gap is something that has been talked about in the life insurance industry for some time now, and while progress is being made in many areas here, most experts concede that it's probably slower than anyone in the field would like.Â
Individual life sales flattened in Q2
Consumers in the state of Michigan tend to face high insurance costs in their everyday lives because the cost of auto coverage there typically exceeds the national average by a few thousand dollars per year.
Michigan approves steep health insurance premiums hikes for 2016
Over the last several years companies have sharply increased the importance they place on robust data security and preventing data breaches.
Data breaches remain a major problem for health insurers, providers
At this point, it should come as no surprise to industry experts or consumers alike that health insurance rates are rising from one year to the next.
Health insurers to pay out billions in rebates
Time and again, studies have shown that one of the biggest issues when it comes to people actually getting the life insurance they may need is misconceptions.
Convertible life insurance is useful for many people.
Universal life policy owners should pay particular attention to the progress of their universal life policy funding to meet their planning objectives without incurring excessive costs.
Some seniors struggling with universal life insurance costs
For some time now, the federal government, tax professionals, and those in the health insurance industry have been warning millions of Americans about a major potential risk they might face.
Health insurance is one of the most important employee benefits.
In the last few years, millions of Americans have been able to get health insurance for what could be the first time ever thanks to the insurance exchanges that were opened by state and federal governments.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
Over the last few years, the ways in which health insurance can be bought online has been in the news quite a bit.
Employers still onboard with health benefits despite concerns
Across the country, millions of people have been able to get health insurance for what could be the first time ever as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate and both state- and federally run exchanges.Â
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
For decades, the ways in which companies large and small obtained health insurance coverage for their employees didn't change very much.
Health insurers say exchange participation too costly for them
In the last few years, millions of Americans who never had health insurance before were able to obtain it thanks to various requirements in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.Â
Health care industry now pushing for more treatments
Many Americans have life insurance simply because it is among the benefits offered to them by their employers.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
In recent years, state regulators of the life insurance industry have been more aggressive in seeking out and finding unclaimed benefits that should be extended to state residents. Insurers must likewise increase their vigilance in checking for unreported deaths.
Life settlements could help consumers going forward
One of the biggest issues that many Americans have encountered when buying coverage through the ACA's exchanges is that eligibility is dependent on their incomes and tax filing statuses.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
Over the last few years, millions of Americans have had the experience of shopping for health insurance on the federally mandated exchange websites, and found plans that fit their needs as a result.
Consumers still struggle with health insurance deductibles
For years, the focus for many in federal and state government agencies has been on trying to put more restraints on the life insurance industry.
Nebraska changes law to make life insurance access easier
Over the last few years, life insurers have been caught in a bit of a no man's land between marketing to older clients on whom they have long relied to keep the industry strong, and also trying to appeal to younger Americans who may not yet consider this type of coverage to be vital to their ongoing financial success.
Veterans could face difficulties getting life insurance
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a number of important decisions, the most impactful of which will likely be the case of King v. Burwell, which involved federal subsidies for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
How will gay marriage ruling impact the health insurance industry?
The case before the U.S. Supreme Court that might have put millions of Americans at risk of losing their access to health insurance has instead turned into a resounding win for the Obama administration.
Supreme Court upholds ACA subsidies
In recent months, there has been a lot of talk about major mergers for some of the top health insurance providers in the U.S.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
Life Insurance Awareness Month doesn't happen until September every year, but at this point many in the field are already preparing for the full-court press they will put on to get the word out about the importance of coverage.
Pennsylvania passes life insurance law that could help industry
While there has been a lot of talk in the last few years about the ways in which insurers could boost the number of people who are signed up for life insurance or annuities to prepare for the future, many Americans already have such policies and can increase their value to them by periodic reviews.
Life settlements could help consumers going forward
Millions of Americans have gotten health insurance - many for the first time ever - as a result of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate and exchanges.
What happens if the ACA subsidies are struck down?
Over the last few years, a lot of commentary in the life insurance industry has been focused on the ways in which companies or agents can better connect with the youngest set of adults to buoy their bottom lines.
Consumer life insurance preferences vary by age
The life insurance industry has been worried for some time now about adoption rates for coverage among the youngest group of adults.Â
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
As millennials age into their early and mid 30s and begin to grow their families, they're going to need life insurance to protect their loved ones should something ever happen to them.
More young adults having kids means more need for life insurance
The way certain aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are set up, many Americans may be toeing a line between being eligible for Medicaid, and not having to find their own coverage.
Health insurance underwriting takes some special considerations.
One of the biggest concerns many Americans may have when they need to undergo a common health care procedure is the cost associated with it.
New site lists costs by state for common health care procedures
Over the past few years, many Americans have been perturbed to find that the health insurance they carried for years prior to the mandates of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act went into place had to be canceled.Â
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
One aspect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that leans more toward the "protection" aspect is that health insurance plans must now come with minimum coverage standards for all consumers, even those buying the least expensive policies.
What options do people have when they lose health insurance?
For many years now, being a smoker who wanted to get life insurance coverage has been a dicey proposition.Â
Do life insurers need to rethink their approach to smokers?
In recent years, the life insurance market has changed dramatically, and many companies are now starting to focus a little more on attracting younger people while also trying to retain their older clientele.Â
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
Over the past few years, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has obviously been a major concern for a lot of people nationwide.
National uninsurance rate declined again last year
Today, millions of Americans receive their health insurance through the marketplaces mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but many experts wonder how good this coverage actually is for the people who use it.
Recent health insurance trends are shifting.
In recent years there has been a lot of focus on the ways in which life insurance companies may be able to do more to connect with people.
More life insurance companies incentivizing wellness
For many years, students who arrived at college without some sort of health insurance plans of their own could often count on their schools to provide at least some basic coverage.Â
Health insurance costs still a source of concern
Over the last several years, the issue of affordability when it comes to health insurance has been a major concern for millions of Americans, especially as the cost of care rises but the benefits of their health insurance plans do not.Â
Recent health insurance trends are shifting.
Federal law these days mandates that all Americans have to be covered by some sort of health insurance, whether they receive it privately or through public exchanges, or via government programs like Medicare and Medicaid.Â
Is health insurance coverage getting to everyone who needs it?
Over the past several years, the ways in which people across the country are covered by health insurance has obviously been a major topic for many lawmakers.
California considering health insurance for undocumented immigrants
Those who pay attention to the national picture when it comes to implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's health insurance mandate, have likely seen the various hiccups the roll-out experiences regularly.
Several consumer protection and industry-strengthening laws are going into effect in California.
In recent years, there has been a greater push at the state level to help people find life insurance benefits that may be in their name but which they do not know about.
Oklahoma the latest state to tackle unclaimed life insurance benefits
In recent years, there has been a greater effort at the state level across the country to help identify unclaimed life insurance benefits and distribute them to consumers within their borders.Â
Life insurance benefits to be distributed in N.H.
Health insurance companies have been through a lot in the last few years, as the various machinations of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have been enacted at different times.Â
Employers still onboard with health benefits despite concerns
Millions of Americans may currently have at least some misconceptions about their life insurance coverage, not the least of which is the belief that it can often be more expensive than it is in reality.Â
Can lifestyle choices impact life insurance costs?
The difficulties of the last few years have been apparent to many in the life insurance industry, and the focus within it has therefore been on how the sector as a whole can get back on track.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
Over the last several years, many experts in the life insurance industry have lamented the fact that, for the most part, millennials have stayed out of buying this kind of coverage for various reasons.
Millennials may soon adopt investment products like life insurance
A potential sign that the life insurance industry might finally be coming out of the issues that have plagued it more or less since the start of the recession recently made headlines.
Life insurers bringing more workers aboard these days
The reality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is that the large number of Americans who, for one reason or another, go without health insurance will face a tax penalty for doing so.
Officials seek federal relief on health insurance risk
In the last few years, a lot of concern in the life insurance industry has revolved around how companies issuing such policies can better connect with the millions of young adults in Generations X and Y.
Life insurance applications start 2021 on the right foot
Those in the life insurance industry are likely to be acutely aware of lines of business that may have struggled in the last several years, as well as many of the reasons why.
Study shows life companies might need to improve sales pitches
Over the past several years, the life insurance industry has taken a bit of a hit in terms of the number of people who are even interested in signing up for such policies.Â
Who needs to buy life insurance?
Life insurance policies have long been popular among older generations - far more so than the younger adults today - and for this reason coverage providers have long relied upon these groups to keep their bottom lines in the best shape possible.Â
Many seniors still see life insurance policies lapse
Over the last few years, home insurance premiums, and the rate at which they're rising, have both increased sharply, and created some major financial headaches for millions of Americans.Â
Home insurance prices rising quickly in Gulf Coast states
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act - better known to millions of Americans as Obamacare - has certainly proven controversial for many reasons, not the least of which is the apparent price tag it will carry for years to come.
ACA to cost less than originally expected
The rollout of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's various coverage mandates related to businesses has been rocky to say the least, and has consequently faced numerous delays.
Health insurance underwriting takes some special considerations.
This is the first tax season in which people across the country will have to provide the Internal Revenue Service with proof that they had health insurance for all or part of the previous year, and while most people will not experience any difficulties in doing so, many will still be affected by errors on their documentation.
Many Americans concerned with health insurance tax forms
One of the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act relates to how people are able to have their health insurance subsidized when it's purchased through government-run exchanges.
What happens if the ACA subsidies are struck down?
Things haven't been easy for the health insurance industry of late, especially in terms of complying with government mandates.
Major health insurer hit with huge data breach
The life insurance industry has been struggling to generate new policies in the last several years thanks to the massive economic downturn of nearly a decade ago, the slow recovery and overall changing financial habits among many Americans.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
In the last few years, there has certainly been more of a focus on the rising cost of health insurance and what people can do to keep their expenditures on this kind of coverage down.
Small business owners worried about rising health insurance costs
Every year, millions of Americans pass away and many of those people have life insurance policies in their names.
Louisiana focusing on unclaimed life insurance
Over the last several years, the amount of money people pay for their health insurance has been a major point of contention, and was in fact a big driver behind the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
New York weighing new tax on health insurance
Currently, tens of thousands of baby boomers are reaching their official retirement age every day, and that's going to continue for many years to come.
Convertible life insurance is useful for many people.
The health insurance sector has, of course, changed dramatically in the last few years for a number of reasons, and whether that's for the better overall really hasn't been determined at this point.
Which way might the health insurance field move next year?
The various aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act have been controversial for some time, and some of them have even been tried in court
Officials seek federal relief on health insurance risk
It should come as no surprise to those in the health insurance industry that rising costs have weighed on consumers' home finances for some time now, and many are starting to feel rather concerned about this type of increase.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
Nationwide, the number of people who do not have health insurance continues to dwindle precipitously, thanks to many of the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
Across the country, millions of Americans have been able to get affordable health insurance as a result of the various provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. However, Congress's action or inaction on the CHIP program funding may affect health insurance coverage options for low-income children that are eligible for the current CHIP program.
How are children getting their health insurance?
The health insurance landscape has changed markedly since the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act several years ago, and those alterations to the coverage people have faced for decades continue to happen even now.
Special ACA enrollment period seeing early success
Last year, millions of Americans signed up for coverage through the health insurance exchanges mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but largely did so in the final days before the extended deadline.
Health insurers say exchange participation too costly for them
Many potential consumers put off purchasing life insurance due to concerns about the cost of the insurance or concerns about the products being too complicated or the response time for approval being too long.Â
Consumer life insurance preferences vary by age
There have been a number of ways in which the life insurance industry has improved over the past year or two, as more consumers start to look into obtaining this type of coverage once again.
Life settlements could help consumers going forward
On Nov. 15, the federal government opened its small business health insurance exchange websites, over a year later than initially scheduled. However there have been relatively few visitors to the business side of Healthcare.gov.
Recent health insurance trends are shifting.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was designed to make it easier for millions of Americans to better deal with their health insurance options and find coverage that worked for them.
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
When it comes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, it seems as if the broader access to health insurance it granted to many younger Americans in particular is likely to have a significant positive impact on mortality rates when dealing with instances of cancer down the road.
Health insurance coverage helping young cancer patients do better
Last year, the initial rollout of the health insurance exchange website for individuals was pretty much considered a disaster by just about everyone, and the federal government is consequently taking steps to ensure the same thing doesn't happen with its small business marketplace.
Health insurance is one of the most important employee benefits.
For many Americans, the idea behind the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was that, as the name implied, it would allow them to potentially reduce their health insurance costs by a significant amount every year.
Officials seek federal relief on health insurance risk
One of President Barack Obama's promises related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was that if you like your plan, you can keep it.
Life insurance without a medical exam can be a risky proposition - but do buyers know?
In recent months, it was reported that a healthy percentage of the people who signed up for - and were granted access to - the health insurance exchanges put into place by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act were later flagged for documentation issues that might have rendered them ineligible.
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
It's getting to be that time of year, when the federal health insurance exchange websites have open enrollment for consumers to sign up for and change their health insurance coverage for the coming year.
States continue to grapple with changing health insurance market
The open enrollment period for the Healthcare.gov and associated health insurance exchange sites begins for 2015 and many experts have turned their attentions to the number of people who are expected to sign up for the sites this year.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mandate for businesses finally goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2015, meaning that many companies across the country will have to start making hard and fast decisions about the ways in which they will approach insuring - or not insuring - their employees going forward.
Special ACA enrollment period seeing early success
Over the past few years, two of the biggest controversies on a national level have been the health insurance coverage mandate and same-sex marriage.
Wisconsin sees more health insurance availability for same-sex couples
The regulatory controls states have over insurers' ability to set premiums has been a major issue in various parts of the country over the last several months or more.
Several consumer protection and industry-strengthening laws are going into effect in California.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was, at its core, intended to do two things: Make sure more people have health insurance, and reduce the cost of care.Â
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
These days, the life insurance industry seems to be constantly in search of ways to boost client rolls, but haven't really been able to find a significant foothold even as the broader economy continues to improve.
How do consumers look for life insurance, other coverage?
It's no secret in the life insurance that the last few years haven't been particularly robust in terms of bringing in new clients, but firms in that field are certainly focusing more on that issue in particular these days.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
The life insurance industry has seen a variety of new regulations over the past several years, and several new ones are in the process of being adopted over the next few years.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
One of the biggest hurdles life insurance issuers have had to overcome in the past few years - and which they've only achieved to varying degrees - is the fact that people simply aren't eager to buy such coverage these days, for any number of reasons.
Convertible life insurance is useful for many people.
One of the most common predictions made by experts in the wake of the business coverage mandate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act seems to now be coming true.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
Over the past few months, there have been repeated warnings that potentially hundreds of thousands of Americans could lose their health insurance coverage, and now those cancelations seem to be nigh.
Special ACA enrollment period seeing early success
Over the past decade or more, consumers' annual health care costs have risen considerably, which is now problematic for a large number of Americans.
Public, private insurance organizations working to improve access
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has already served to change many of the ways in which Americans view the concept of health insurance.
Americans Don't Believe Government Should Pay for Health Insurance
Over the past several years, life insurance companies have learned the hard way that many consumers think they simply cannot afford such coverage, even as the economy continues to improve.
Life insurance applications start 2021 on the right foot
Over the past several years or more, many employers have taken to shifting costs for health insurance over to their employees, and that has resulted in people paying significantly more for their coverage.
Health insurance costs through employers went up slightly this year
When it comes to selling insurance policies of any type to young adults, many policy providers have likely found the last several years to be particularly difficult.
Young adults still distrustful of P/C insurers?
Across the country, workers of all stripes have likely seen their health insurance costs increase substantially over the last decade or more, but the problems that arise from that issue are not spread uniformly.
Low-income workers seeing increased cost on health insurance
In 2015, small businesses with at least 50 full-time employees will be required to provide health insurance options to those workers, while companies with fewer employees will continue to be exempt.
Small Businesses Find Lower-Cost Health Coverage Via SHOP Exchanges
One of the biggest concerns many consumers may have, even after the implementation of many of the various Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is that the cost of buying their coverage remains quite high, especially if they have lower incomes. However, it now seems as though some health care providers in Florida might be trying to help them deal with those costs.
Florida hospitals may help low-income patients with insurance costs
The health insurance field is a competitive one, with many different companies trying to connect with consumers who, these days, are becoming more aware of the benefits of such coverage.
Health insurance advertising trends important to track
One of the most important aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was, as the name implies, designed to make sure more Americans had access to reasonably priced health insurance coverage going forward.
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
With the economy improving since the recent recession, it is important for insurance companies to look toward areas of potential growth. The middle class has always been a group that insurance companies targeted to gain new customers, but it seems as if the current uninsured or underinsured middle class offers further potential for growth based on a study recently completed by LIMRA.
Convertible life insurance is useful for many people.
The vast majority of Americans with health insurance get their coverage through their employers, a fact which was not changed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate that went into effect last year.
States continue to grapple with changing health insurance market
These days, competition for high-quality employees has increased significantly in many fields. As a consequence more employers are seeking to boost their edge over their rivals by increasing the benefits offerings extended to both incoming and existing employees.
Life insurance remains a big draw for employers' benefits
It's a well-known fact that Americans spend a lot of money on health care every year - $2.9 trillion, in fact - but the amount of care each individual gets for every dollar they put into that massive pot can vary significantly based upon a number of factors.
Which states have the highest return on health care spending?
The life insurance and annuities sectors haven't had the easiest go of things in the time since the economic downturn began, but it seems that the latter took a fairly significant step forward in the second quarter of the year.
How do consumers look for life insurance, other coverage?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act brought with it a requirement that companies with 50 employees or more had to provide those workers with some type of health insurance option, and that has proven controversial to say the least.
States continue to grapple with changing health insurance market
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been controversial to say the least since it was signed into law a few years ago.
More Californians support health insurance laws these days
One of the biggest problems that many consumers have faced in the last few years with regard to their health insurance coverage is that they often did not know what they were paying for, or how much their costs would increase from one year to the next.
Medical debt is piling up now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
The various parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that extended new avenues for health coverage to many economically disadvantaged Americans was controversial, but as far as actually getting the previously uninsured enrolled in plans, it seems to have done its job quite well.
Who got health insurance under the ACA?
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act brought health coverage to millions of Americans through its mandated exchanges and expansion of individual states' Medicaid programs, but the improvements in enrollment numbers have varied significantly from one part of the country to the next.
More Californians support health insurance laws these days
Over the past year, many Americans have seen their insurance premiums increase - potentially significantly - as a result of the changes to the health care laws that came with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate.
California considering health insurance for undocumented immigrants
Government officials tried to build a feature into the Healthcare.gov website that would have allowed consumers to have a bit of an easier time when it comes to renewing their coverage through the government-run insurance exchanges.
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's mandated health insurance exchanges helped to reduce consumers' costs by giving them subsidies. In general, those were extremely beneficial to many qualifying Americans.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
There were a number of rather notable developments and controversies surrounding the implementation of the health insurance exchanges mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act over the last year-plus.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
The last year or two has been relatively good to the life insurance industry overall.
Life insurance industry continues to see better returns
One of the biggest challenges for life insurance issuers over the past few years has been the fact that young people who might, in past generations, have been primed to buy coverage are simply not doing so these days.
How Can Life Insurers Reach That Elusive Millennial Audience?
In the past few years, a new type of "smoking" has become all the rage among many people who used to go through a pack a day, and the attitudes of the life insurance industry are quickly changing as a result.
Life insurance companies have changing attitudes toward e-cigarettes
The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) has approved the release of two exposure drafts related to accounting for Other Postemployment Benefits (OPEB).
New GASB accounting standards on the way
When it comes to the amount of data companies in all industries are using these days to streamline their processes, health insurers seem to be ready and willing adopters of these new methods overall.
Health care cost issues still linger as pandemic slows
The ways in which insurance companies across the country are able to deal with health coverage has changed significantly in the last few years, and that's just on a national level.
States reviewing their health insurance laws under new environment
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act obviously brought with it sweeping changes for the health insurance industry, but at the same time, it also impacted the ways in which government agencies in that sector must operate.
California mulling options to limit health insurance rate increases
One of the big questions that many industry analysts had when it came to health insurance coverage provided by employers under the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mandates - which go into effect next year - was simply how smaller companies in particular might react.
Employers considering bare-bones coverage plans under ACA
These days, the world seems to be changing more rapidly than ever before, and the new facts of life that these shifting realities bring are something to which everyone must react in some way.
Which Global Changes Will Most Impact the Life Insurance Industry?
Over the past several years, life insurance issuers have likely learned the hard way that the recovery hasn't been uniform, and many companies may have continued to struggle despite broader economic improvement.
U.S. life insurance sector expected to rebound
Health care costs have been rising for some time now, and as a result, so too has the amount consumers spend on it.
Who got health insurance under the ACA?
Not too long ago, the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate seemed poised to sign off on a bill that would amend part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to clarify that insurance agencies did not have to conform to bank capital rules.
New insurance bill put on hold
These days, millions more Americans have health insurance than they did just a few years ago, but at the same time, there is still a potentially significant part of the population that could be affected by a lack of coverage: baby boomers who retire early.
Recent health insurance trends are shifting.
One of the things that's most often cited by those in the life insurance industry as a potentially major impediment to future growth is heavy - and growing - oversight from regulators at both the state and federal levels.
Lawmakers Mulling Health Care Changes
Over the past several years, the life insurance industry has struggled to reach many consumers in the ways it used to, for a number of reasons.
Life settlements could help consumers going forward
The past few years have been relatively quiet in terms of the number of hurricanes which have made landfall in the U.S., following the major problems caused as Hurricane Sandy rampaged up the East Coast in 2012 and did significant damage.
Home insurance prices rising quickly in Gulf Coast states
For the past few years, since the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, there has been a lot of uncertainty about the ways in which insurance companies had to conform to capital standards.
Life insurers get good news from U.S. Senate decision
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate only went into effect this year, but the impact the law has had on the health care and insurance industries was profound long before that.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
The rollout of the health insurance exchange websites mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was infamously rocky, and left the Obama administration vulnerable to criticism while also potentially costing millions of Americans the chance to find affordable health insurance options as early as possible.
Obama administration once again working to revamp exchange sites
These days, when Americans need to sign up for health insurance, they may think they're only able to do so through the well-known online exchanges run by state or federal governments.
Health insurers say exchange participation too costly for them
Millions of Americans were able to successfully apply for health insurance coverage as part of the Obama administration's various efforts ahead of the sign-up deadline earlier this year.
Recent health insurance trends are shifting.
One of the biggest issues that many consumers faced this year, as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate was put into place and brought millions into the health insurance pool, is that premiums for such plans took appreciable steps forward.
Health insurance premium increases likely to settle next year
One of the biggest life changes people generally go through which prompts them to buy life insurance coverage for the first time is when they are having a baby.
Important considerations for new parents buying life insurance
The state and federal health insurance exchanges have largely been hailed as successful in the last few weeks, as the Obama administration announced it reached and then easily surpassed its initial enrollment goal of 7 million.
Many in California may end up dropping coverage from state exchange
These days, millions of Americans may finally be returning to buying life insurance policies after years of not doing so caused by the financial downturn.
Many small business owners eschew life insurance?
It stands to reason that a healthier population, generally, is one that tends to live longer, but there has been some debate about exactly how much of an impact broader access to health insurance would have for consumers nationwide.
Study: More health insurance in Massachusetts leads to fewer deaths
When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was first announced, one of the things President Barack Obama promised was that "If you like your plan, you can keep it."
Tens of thousands in Iowa will keep old insurance plans
Many life insurance companies have, in the time since the recession ended, tried to do a lot more to reach consumers who might be interested in buying their policies but had not been able to do so in years past.
Colorado may put life insurance on ACA exchange
Medicaid expansion is a key component of the coverage mandate in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). States were offered a chance to expand their Medicaid programs - with the federal government providing almost all of the funding - to ensure that coverage can be provided to the vast majority of state residents.
Life insurance without a medical exam can be a risky proposition - but do buyers know?
The life insurance industry hasn't had the easiest time in attracting new customers over the last several years, thanks to the economic downturn and the resultant problems it caused for many consumers' personal bottom lines.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
Across the country, the federal health insurance exchange website drew a lot of ire in the first several months of its operation. However, after a massive effort to overhaul its internal workings, it is now ready to handle expected traffic levels.
Oregon reverts back to federal exchange after state marketplace fails
Millions of Americans were able to enroll in some sort of health insurance plan ahead of the federal deadline for doing so, but many more were left unable or unwilling to do so for various reasons.
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
Many Americans have been worried about the potential impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on their wallets for some time now, and the latest federal data shows that the amount of money consumers are spending on health care in general is on the rise.
Medical debt is piling up now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
In the run-up to the final deadline by which consumers could sign up for health insurance through the federally mandated exchanges, there was significant interest on the part of millions of Americans.
Health insurers say exchange participation too costly for them
After an extremely difficult 2012, and some lean years both during and immediately following the end of the recent recession, many property and casualty insurance companies across the U.S. have found themselves in some uncomfortable financial positions.
2013 was a great year for P&C insurers
Large numbers of people across the country may have experienced delays in getting signed up for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's mandated health insurance exchanges, and as such the Obama administration recently allowed for those who went through such difficulties to take a little extra time beyond the March 31 deadline to get signed up.
Health insurance is one of the most important employee benefits.
Now that the health insurance enrollment deadline has passed, many Americans may think that the ways in which they'll have to deal with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act may no longer be significant, but that's not the case.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
The latest cost projections released by the Congressional Budget Office suggest that health insurance costs under the ACA may be cheaper than once expected.
Report: Obamacare cheaper than expected
Today, millions of Americans are already receiving some sort of long-term health care as they age, and even more are likely to need it in the coming years and decades.
Experts agree on need for long-term care financing overhaul
March 31 has now passed, and that means that the millions of Americans who signed up for the federal or state-run health insurance exchanges before that date were able to successfully avoid facing a fine for going without.
Americans who missed insurance deadline may still find coverage
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was intended to reduce health insurance costs for millions of Americans, but it seems that the youngest age group may have been left behind in this regard.
Young people dissatisfied with lack of health insurance affordability?
Insurance has traditionally been regulated by the States, but through Dodd-Frank, increased federal regulation of life insurance companies is inevitable.
Life settlements could help consumers going forward
There may have been many reasons that life insurance companies have taken a bit of a hit in the last several years, both during and following the recession.
Fed to raise interest rates this year, could boost life insurers
The deadline for Americans to sign up for the health insurance exchanges ahead of the date by which they would have been hit by a fine for not doing so has now come and gone, but it seems that millions of people made the effort to get in under the wire, fulfilling goals set by the Obama administration.
Final hours before enrollment deadline see surge
In the final days before the federally mandated March 31 deadline by which all Americans had to be covered by some sort of health plan, many were in the throes of trying to sign up for insurance policies that will help them avoid fines.
Where can consumers find flexibility on health care mandate deadline?
In the past year or more, the life insurance industry has been able to recover - at least somewhat - from the blow it took during and following the recent recession, as more consumers have come back to carrying coverage after a few years of going without it.
Some seniors struggling with universal life insurance costs
The life insurance industry has been taking steps forward for some time now and as more people come back to buying this type of coverage after not being covered by it for a period of a few years.
Life insurance applications start 2021 on the right foot
These days, many life insurance issuers are acutely aware of the ways in which the industry is changing and that consumers are always on the lookout for more affordable coverage.
Life insurers could face competition from non-insurance companies
In general, people who have health insurance are in a far better position to obtain the best possible care when they need it, but that isn't always the case.
Those without health insurance may get higher-quality trauma care
The Social Security Death Master File has been at the heart of a number of disputes within the life insurance industry over the last few years, and now that a law has been passed to overhaul the way in which this list is handled, it seems that there will finally be something done about these potential issues
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
Across the country, many life insurance agencies have, in the past few years, seen a sizable uptick in the number of first-time clients they have coming aboard, in addition to previous policyholders who had to eschew coverage for a while as a result of financial difficulties.
Many parents still go without life insurance coverage
Under federal law, the date by which consumers must be signed up for some kind of health insurance coverage is less than two weeks away, but it seems that many Americans are still not signed up at all.
State-run health insurance exchanges might extend enrollment period
Life insurance companies generally rely on the Social Security Death Master File heavily, and on a daily basis, to conduct business, but now it seems that they might have more difficulty doing so in just a few weeks, as a result of a part of federal law of which most may not be aware.
Pennsylvania passes life insurance law that could help industry
One of the biggest criticisms of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's various machinations was concern among consumers, experts, and policymakers alike that it might lead to higher costs for health insurance for some parts of the population.
The situations that result in moral hazard and adverse selection are important considerations for insurance companies.
Over the last few years the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has drawn considerable fire from its critics because of the ways in which it might not suit everyone's health care needs. As such the Obama administration has repeatedly made attempts to alter the law to be more flexible.
Obama administration allows people to stay on old plans longer
Across the country, it seems that many Americans who do not have health insurance are still unaware that they will have to have some amount of coverage before the end of March if they want to avoid a federal fine.
Health insurers say exchange participation too costly for them
After recent expansion of insurance markets resulting from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, consumers across the country are finding they have more health insurance coverage options available to them.
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
The deadline for signing up to obtain health insurance without incurring a federal penalty is set for March 31, but many experts say that the number of people who have enrolled in the government's health insurance exchanges is still lagging.
Huge waves of signups expected for final days before exchange deadline
The health insurance exchanges put into place by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act were intended in many ways to help consumers who do not have such coverage to obtain it for a relatively low cost.
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
One of the biggest issues that many consumers face when they get health care is that they do not know exactly how much it might end up costing them, even if they have health insurance.
Health insurance coverage helping young cancer patients do better
The Affordable Care Act's mandated health insurance exchanges have been running effectively in the past few months after a start that was shaky to say the least, but many experts note that enrollment among the people deemed most critical to the marketplaces' success - those who are young and healthy - has lagged behind considerably.
Government agencies still push for young people on exchanges
These days, a larger number of companies across the country are becoming more active in offering their workers a growing raft of benefits, and in turn, they are being rewarded with happier and healthier employees.
Employees satisfied with benefits experience less stress
State and federal agents are making the final push to get people of all ages enrolled in the health insurance exchanges mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act before the March 31 sign-up deadline.
Why are young people still avoiding insurance exchanges?
Many employers have wondered about just how the various aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will end up impacting their bottom lines, and one of the largest concerns that many companies may have is whether they will be hit with a tax penalty which would be applied specifically for their providing workers with high-value health insurance.
Costs for health insurance are declining nationwide
The health insurance exchanges created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are now largely in place, and millions of Americans are shopping on those exchanges.
Medical debt is piling up now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
The troubled initial rollout of the federal health insurance exchange site is now growing smaller in the rearview mirror as more consumers nationwide flock to the marketplaces to obtain their health coverage for the coming year.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
The idea of captive entities, which are now used by many in the life insurance industry, has been a controversial one for some time, but it seems that regulators may move to crack down on their use in the near future.
Life insurance applications start 2021 on the right foot
When it comes to the life insurance market these days, it seems as though many people of all different demographics and backgrounds are buying in numbers not seen for several years.
Who needs life insurance the most?
Part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that was designed to actively encourage consumers to seek out health insurance was a fine that will be applied to their taxes if they go without any sort of coverage, but it seems that - at least for this year - many are willing to take the financial hit if it means they don't have to buy a plan.
Medical debt is piling up now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
The life insurance industry has gone through some significant ups and downs in the last several years as the effects of the recession took hold and prompted many Americans to shed their policies as a cost-cutting measure.
Are life insurers positioned for a positive 2014?
Consumers worried about the rising cost of health care may have even greater reason for concern these days, as a result of a new study that shows just how much increases in body mass affect how much people pay annually for treatment - even at relatively low levels.
Higher body mass leads to higher health care costs
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was designed to help consumers find low-cost or even free health insurance through a number of different sources, and new evidence suggests that with the mandate, a large number of people nationwide who did not have it before recently gained coverage.
Despite ACA expansion, many still go without health insurance
Lewis & Ellis was recently recognized by Best's Review Magazine as one of the top actuarial firms in the U.S. and Canada in a number of categories, highlighting another year of excellence for the company.
Since its founding in 1968, innovative technology has been a cornerstone of L&E’s ability to provide cost-effective solutions to difficult problems insurers face in their markets today.
Millions of Americans are eligible for health insurance on the federally-run exchanges, but the percent exploring their options continues to disappoint and is running lower than initial projections.
Health insurers say exchange participation too costly for them
After years of preparation, tough roads, and well-publicized failures, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate is now finally in place, meaning that all Americans are now required to have some sort of health insurance plan.
Federal health insurance mandate now in effect
The Social Security Death Master File has been a source of some consternation within the life insurance industry for some time now as a result of issues stemming from the ways in which it is updated.
Life settlements could help consumers going forward
As many in the life insurance and annuities industry turn their attentions toward the coming year, it might be of particular interest to see how the latter type of offering will be affected by consumers' changing attitudes toward what they can afford to save for their futures.
Where will annuities go in the coming year?
Today, a significant number of businesses large and small, across the country, give their employees the option of participating in benefit programs which are designed to not only make those workers fitter and healthier, but also save companies money on their ongoing health care costs.
Apple moving to reshape health care
The life insurance industry is finally beginning to pull itself out of the problems in which it was mired for a number of years following the onset of the national recession, but that doesn't mean that selling, even to interested consumers, is especially easy these days.
How can life insurers better market their products?
In recent weeks, the White House has made a number of changes to the ways in which it requires consumers to sign up for health coverage through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's mandated federal insurance exchanges, and yet another one came earlier this week as fears about more glitches for Healthcare.gov lingered.
Health insurers say exchange participation too costly for them
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was designed to help millions of Americans receive reliable coverage to which they may not have had access before.
Government agencies still push for young people on exchanges
With 2014 rapidly closing in, it seems many experts are predicting that the life insurance industry could take steps forward over the coming 12 months, and the improvements could come in a number of ways.
Fed to raise interest rates this year, could boost life insurers
The improving economy is likely to continue to provide the life insurance industry with more chances for improvement over the course of 2014, as consumers continue to feel better about their individual financial standings and return to protecting themselves and their loved ones with this type of coverage.
How can life insurers increase business in the coming year?
One of the biggest headline grabbing problems for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the past few weeks is the fact that millions of Americans have had their health insurance plans canceled because they did not meet certain requirements set forth by the law.
Medical debt is piling up now more than ever as a result of the pandemic.
Florida, along with other larges states like California and New York, is making sure that insurance companies are regularly searching for unclaimed death benefits.
Florida cracking down on life insurance companies
While many companies and workers alike have been able to find numerous positives from employee benefit plans that reward healthy behavior, it seems that one problem some may have actually comes in implementing them, as was highlighted by a recent case in Pennsylvania.
Employee benefits program drawing ire at Penn State
Life insurance companies are looking for new ways to increase business as a consequence of the decline in interest in such products resulting from the recession. As older Americans began to view these policies as being extraneous, rather than necessary, it might be time to turn the focus to the generation which will eventually replace them.
Are life insurers doing enough to reach Generation Y?
Regulatory efforts on the part of numerous agencies at both the state and federal levels in the last few years have focused particularly on various parts the insurance industry, and just such an initiative in New York recently resulted in a number of life insurance companies having to turn over more than $1.1 billion in unclaimed life insurance benefits.
Investigation uncovers $1.1 billion of unpaid life insurance benefits
The life insurance industry has largely been flagging in the years since the recession for a number of reasons. If a new bill before the U.S. Senate is passed, though, it might allow them to see a significant uptick in business in realms they were previously not allowed to explore.
New insurance bill put on hold
In May, lawmakers in the state of Minnesota became the latest group of legislators to officially adopt a version of the suitability in annuity transactions model put forth by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2010. They did so without a need for the governor's signature.
Consumers need more education about life insurance options
The Affordable Care Act has already fundamentally changed the way in which employers will provide health insurance coverage to their workers in the future, but new data suggests the same may be true of other benefits as well.
Health care cost issues still linger as pandemic slows
Persistent, low interest rates have wreaked havoc on many life insurers' bottom lines in the last few years, but now that rates are starting to rise, that could create a different type of concern for these companies. As such, many may want to assess all of their investment options before making any major decisions.
Higher rates could pose problems for life insurers
The Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate goes into effect at the start of next year. Because of this looming date, many are now turning their attention to young people's reaction to the idea that they have to carry insurance policies, which most do not currently have.
Young people key to ACA success, but desire to enroll is in question
While studies have shown that many companies are making a number of different benefit options available to their employees, this may not be particularly true of small businesses. Consequently, this might present insurance companies with considerable opportunities for growing their business.
Few small businesses offer voluntary insurance, other benefits
Annuity issuers may now be looking for new ways to expand their books of business, and it could be wise to target the youngest generation of adults now, as the vast majority have no retirement savings opportunities available to them at the present time.
Millennials may present significant annuities market opportunity
There have been a number of regulatory changes to the entire insurance industry in the last few years as the government has moved to put tighter controls into place. That trend continued in June, as life insurers were required to carry far more collateral and liquidity.
Collateral needs on the rise for life insurance companies
Consumers have been reducing their reliance on life insurance policies significantly in the time since the end of the recession, but even repeated economic improvements over the last few years seem not to have served as much of a motivator for many to get back on the horse.
Life insurance applications start 2021 on the right foot
Life insurance companies have had a difficult time maintaining business in the past few years as a result of the economic downturn and many consumers turning away from these products because they viewed them as luxuries rather than necessities. Now, more trouble might be on the horizon, this time in the form of potentially massive regulatory changes.
Veterans could face difficulties getting life insurance
The Affordable Care Act's coverage mandate is just months away from going into effect, and while most Americans are fully aware of what's required of them under the legislation, this is not necessarily the case with those lacking insurance.
Most Americans aware of ACA requirements, but uninsured still lagging
These days, many older Americans may be having financial difficulties as a result of the recent economic downturn and might therefore experience difficulties with regard to simply meeting their monthly costs. As a consequence, a number of states across the country are now trying to make it easier for them to find solutions to these problems by leaning on their life insurance policies.
States trying to increase life insurance options for older residents
Following the significant amount of damage done by a number of natural disasters across the country last year, federal lawmakers overhauled the nation's flood insurance program, but that has now led to significant premium hikes for hundreds of thousands of people nationwide.
Coastal areas could see more significant insurance costs
The economy has certainly helped to shape many consumers' attitudes toward insurance coverage of all kinds. Many are now looking for cut-rate deals on life insurance, or discontinuing it altogether, and likewise now trying to find the most affordable healthcare coverage available to them.
rising healthcare costs
The decision to delay implementation of the business exchange mandate of the Affordable Care Act was made in part to accommodate government agencies that may have been a little behind schedule, but also to encourage companies to continue their hiring efforts seen in recent months. For a number of businesses nationwide, though, the announcement came a little too late.
Some employers made job cut decisions prior to ACA delay decision
The future of the life settlements industry seems bright, due to increased regulation and an increased confidence in the underlying asset itself. Through the public becoming much more aware of life settlements and legislators requiring, in some states, that the insurance companies notify insured's about life settlements options, the supply of policies in the life settlements market will hopefully increase.
Consumers need more education about life insurance options
The Affordable Care Act's controversial coverage mandate goes into effect at the beginning of next year, with enrollment starting in just a few months. Now, another estimate shows that health insurance costs will likely rise under the new law.
Workers can expect to pay more for employer-provided coverage
The ways in which the federal government is set to introduce and implement the health insurance exchanges put in place by the Affordable Care Act has come under significant scrutiny in recent months as the deadline for enrollment to begin approaches. Now, a nonpartisan government agency indicates these problems may be very troubling to properly giving consumers and companies alike access to the marketplaces.
GAO says rollout of ACA exchanges has been difficult, slow
With confidence in the economy improving, the demand for certain types of life insurance has increased. With the economy steadily improving, but interest rates remaining relatively low, the demand for indexed and variable Universal (UL) products is increasing. This has led to an overall increase in premium growth in the first quarter of 2013.
Veterans could face difficulties getting life insurance
Many companies are examining the ways in which they market and sell annuities these days because of decreasing consumer interest, in part due to low interest rates. It is for this reason that these companies may want to take a number of things into consideration when planning their next steps.
Where will annuities go in the coming year?
In the past, there were certain requirements that people over the age of 65 had to meet before they could qualify for annuities, but now, those mandates have been extended to consumers of all ages.
Florida broadens annuity requirements to consumers of all ages
While federal efforts to increase enrollment in health insurance plans offered by employers are to be implemented in the coming year, it appears that these efforts are mainly just making up ground that was lost in the previous decade or so.
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
The state of Texas may soon allow its residents to use life settlement transactions to help cover the cost of services related to long-term care, within certain parameters.
Experts agree on need for long-term care financing overhaul
There are a number of economic factors weighing on small business owners these days, and these could have major impacts on their abilities to hire top workers in their field. However, despite these potential issues, more are now concentrating on providing higher-quality benefits as a means of drawing in these applicants for open positions, and keeping those already working for them in the fold.
Life insurers bringing more workers aboard these days
With many consumers more concerned about their finances than past generations, a larger number are securing insurance policies designed to help keep their costs low in the event they require long-term care at some point.
More young people taking on long-term care insurance policies
In recent years, a large and growing number of companies nationwide have determined that they may be able to reduce their employee healthcare costs by instituting wellness programs designed to get workers healthier. Now, new regulations for how these initiatives can be run have been released by a number of federal agencies.
Federal agencies clarify rules for employee wellness programs
Even as the economy continues to improve, it may be slightly more difficult for companies which issue annuities to make their products attractive to workers of all ages.
Annuity sales took a tumble in first quarter
The Affordable Care Act is changing the ways in which even small businesses are required to provide health insurance plans to their workers. This news may be welcome for part-time workers in particular, due in large part to the fact that relatively few have such coverage now.
Recession could lead tens of millions to lose health insurance
The Affordable Care Act is front of mind for many business owners and executives as the deadline for the coverage mandate approaches, but one provision of the law has been extremely beneficial to many young people.
Young people key to ACA success, but desire to enroll is in question
The Affordable Care Act requires companies with 50 or more employees to offer coverage to those working at least 30 hours per week beginning January 1, 2014 or face a penalty. But many businesses may be looking for ways to minimize the cost of compliance.
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
The Affordable Care Act is designed to help millions of Americans obtain health insurance coverage to which they might not have had access in the past. New research, though, shows that many of the nation's most economically disadvantaged people could be left in the lurch.
Final hours before enrollment deadline see surge
The Affordable Care Act was intended to help make health insurance more affordable for millions of people across the country, as well as small businesses, but now many are worried that a provision of that law will actually lead to far higher costs going forward.
How will new health insurance tax affect small businesses' costs?
A growing number of both small and large businesses which offer their employees health insurance are now also allowing them to participate in wellness programs. These programs are designed to reduce policy costs. These days, it seems far more people are being enticed to sign up for these initiatives, especially when given a significant financial incentive to do so.
More consumers enrolling in wellness incentive programs
While there was considerable speculation in the last few years that many small businesses would alter their approaches to the ways in which they covered their workers once the major mandates as part of the Affordable Care Act went into effect at the start of 2014, new data suggests most won't change much when it comes to extending these benefits.
Most employers plan to continue granting health benefits under ACA
As companies continue to consider the ways in which the Affordable Care Act will change their methods for dealing with employee healthcare needs, it might be important to note just how financially unprepared many workers may be to cover their hospital bills in the event of a medical emergency.
Many Americans may be financially unprepared for medical emergencies
Many small business owners and others in charge of working out insurance needs may be trying to assess their paths forward once the coverage mandate of the Affordable Care Act takes effect on January 1, 2014. New research shows that millions of Americans nationwide will be able to receive federal help in paying for their own policies.
How will new health insurance tax affect small businesses' costs?
While health insurance providers are still somewhat uncertain about ultimate fate of the insurance exchanges that will be run by state and federal governments, more are now seeing opportunity in private marketplaces that are also being developed.
Uninsurance rate continues to decline nationwide
The Affordable Care Act's health insurance coverage mandate will likely be a major issue facing the majority of large businesses this year, but experts say that workers could likewise have significant issues they want addressed. New data shows that those workers want their companies to help them better understand their obligations.
What is the employer's role in educating workers on ACA requirements?
One of the major problems millions of workers across the country are now experiencing is that they're falling well short of their retirement expectations, and experts now say it may be time for their employers to do more to help them achieve those goals.
Employers can do more to improve retirement benefits
With the health insurance market poised to continue its string of dramatic changes for much of the next few years, insurance companies likely got a little bit more surety in recent days thanks to a national regulatory body approving two new types of models for major health insurance plans.
Health insurance coverage, costs continue to shift nationwide
Experts have focused much of their attention on the requirements that apply to the individual and small group market. However, companies with more than fifty employees face large penalties if they do not offer "minimum value" coverage or require excessive employee premiums.
Study shows how U.S. health system compares with other nations
The regulatory body in charge of setting minimum standards for insurers recently released a new set of actuarial guidelines related to valuation for group long-term disability insurance.
NAIC releases new valuation guidelines
Many workers in their 40s, 50s, and even 60s now find themselves financially responsible for far more than just themselves. Consequently, these individuals are using their employee benefits to help cover costs for their grown children, elderly parents, or both.
More using employee benefits to care for multiple generations
Mandates on medium- and large-sized businesses to offer health insurance to employees remains a hot topic not only among employers and health and anti-poverty advocates, but also some legislators. To curb the potential of facing penalties if coverage is not offered, some U.S. senators are taking action regarding this aspect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Most Americans aware of ACA requirements, but uninsured still lagging
In recent years, numerous studies have shown that Americans have significantly fallen behind with saving for their retirement. The financial fallout from the recent recession and the low interest rates that have prevailed have been contributing factors. Now, most realize the need to save; however, there is still a disconnect between recognizing this shortfall and acting upon that knowledge by re-starting a retirement savings program.
Survey finds most Americans are concerned about retirement, but aren't prepared for it
While numerous businesses large and small now extend their employees the option of enrolling in company-sponsored health insurance programs, many are now also beginning to extend a new, related benefit that can provide even greater help.
Public, private insurance organizations working to improve access
There have been many regulatory changes for the life insurance industry in the past few years, both at the federal and state levels. One that life insurers may want to keep a close eye on, in particular, was recently passed in Montana.
Liquidity in life insurance is useful in some situations.
Various provisions of the Affordable Care Act are slowly being implemented nationwide ahead of the January 1, 2014, date on which the majority of Americans will be mandated to have health insurance coverage.
rising healthcare costs
Experts have long expected that there would be significant changes under the Affordable Care Act's reforms which fully go into effect on January 1, 2014. New estimates show just how costly some aspects of the law may be.
rising healthcare costs
Though many income annuity issuers have seen only small upticks or even declines in business over the last several years, the ongoing economic recovery seems to be helping the industry considerably. In the final three months of last year, sales of these financial products reached an all-time high.
Income annuity sales climbed to record high in fourth quarter
Many baby boomers with average incomes rely on a number of tax incentives from the federal government as a means of increasing their retirement savings funds and setting themselves up for a happy and health post-career life.
Washington considering potentially harmful retirement incentive cuts?
In recent months, many life insurance issuers have likely noticed that the amount of business they're doing has taken a bit of a tumble, and that trend unfortunately continued into the month of February.
Life insurance applications start 2021 on the right foot
Millions of Americans are struggling to accumulate retirement savings to where they need to be to adequately prepare for their post-career lives. What most people don't realize is that this struggle extends even to affluent workers. As such, it might be wise for annuity issuers to connect with more affluent consumers to help them increase their retirement security while simultaneously generating more business.
Are richer Americans overlooking retirement needs?
The sequestration saga has weighed heavily on millions of Americans as well as several industries and government agencies for some time now.
Life insurers push for federal protections
A piece of proposed legislation could have a major impact on the ways in which hedge funds are allowed to purchase and resell life insurance policies.
Will American Rescue Plan impact health care affordability?
While there may be many misconceptions out there about the ways in which the life insurance industry works, particularly among young people, it seems that many Americans under the age of 40 understand the value such policies can hold, meaning that it may be wise for insurers to do more to educate these prospective Millennial customers going forward.
Life insurance needs for single parents
While the life insurance and annuities industry has taken a bit of a hit since the start of the recession, there may be good news on the horizon for insurers.
Life insurance applications start 2021 on the right foot
In recent years, many insurance companies may have tried to maximize their profits in a number of ways - and this was particularly true of life insurance and annuity issuers who saw falling numbers of policyholders.
Consumer life insurance preferences vary by age
Thousands of baby boomers are now turning 65 every day, and numerous studies show that the entire generation is generally unready for their retirement.
Growing number of seniors cashing in life insurance
These days, millions of older workers are still feeling the financial pinch as a result of the recent national recession, and as such, many are now reconsidering their budgets as a means of boosting their retirement savings.
Many boomers might consider moving away from life insurance
The amount of money consumers across the country pay for their health insurance is likely to rise substantially after the final rules of the Affordable Care Act are put into place.
Public, private insurance organizations working to improve access
These days, insurers have to deal with a large and growing number of regulations being set forth by the federal government and other organizations, and that trend is going to continue in the near future with the introduction of the Own Risk and Solvency Assessment from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Executives must take time to understand ORSA
“I can genuinely say that you and your team are extremely professional, highly responsive and deadline oriented.”
-- Dan Costello Vice President - American Life Insurance Company
“We operate four statutory entities and run a very broad range of products. The actuaries at Lewis and Ellis have the expertise to cover all or our lines of business as well as product development, rate work, regulatory, and financial reporting. With Lewis and Ellis we don't need to go anywhere else for actuarial services. L&E is always responsive, professional, and competent, which is everything we need from our professionals.”
-- Dan George, President, Manhattan Insurance Group
“We are very happy with the service and quality responsiveness.”
-- Dan Costello Vice President - American Life Insurance Company
“L&E makes us feel that PGL is their number one client”
-- Robi Peterman Director - Systems Applications, Pacific Guardian Life Insurance Copmany
“Our firm provides the full scope of HR consulting services to our clients; however, as the healthcare sector continues to morph and as PPACA, GAS, FAS, etc., spur rapid changes in the commercial health insurance market, our strategic alliance with Lewis & Ellis has been vital to ensure that our clients' financial interests are well-protected. Although difficult at first for our firm to partner with another consulting firm, our partners now wonder how we could provide the level of service our clients expect without our Lewis & Ellis alliance. Highly responsive, cost competitive, and real integrity - that's how we would characterize Lewis & Ellis.”
-- Bret A. Clesi, Managing Director, Clesi Burns LLC