Eastbridge Knowledge

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Thought Leadership — Analysis

New and improved — and faster?

May 2026

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The challenge isn’t unique to the voluntary benefits industry: In nearly every marketplace where consumers have choices, companies vying for their business have to stand apart from the competition in some way. That may mean offering better service, lower prices or more valuable products. In the case of voluntary carriers, it can mean all three — but increasingly, carriers are expecting innovation to differentiate their new products.
Enrollment benefits from carrier investments in new technology

April 2026

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When it comes to voluntary benefits, it’s not just the “what” that matters — the “how” is vital, too. In other words, a strong product portfolio, value-added services and competitive pricing are important, but providing the right tools and resources for customers to access information and interact with the company — how and when they want — is equally important to create long-term value and lasting relationships. And it’s no surprise that in today’s digitally driven environment, customers increasingly expect carriers to deliver those tools and resources online.
Service at their fingertips

March 2026

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When it comes to voluntary benefits, it’s not just the “what” that matters — the “how” is vital, too. In other words, a strong product portfolio, value-added services and competitive pricing are important, but providing the right tools and resources for customers to access information and interact with the company — how and when they want — is equally important to create long-term value and lasting relationships. And it’s no surprise that in today’s digitally driven environment, customers increasingly expect carriers to deliver those tools and resources online.
Think fast

February 2026

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Artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere lately, but it’s hardly a recent phenomenon. British mathematician Alan Turing began noodling around with AI nearly a century ago, in the 1930s (full disclosure: yes, we used AI to research that fact). But is the employee benefits industry eager to tap into the benefits of this technology, with its ability to automate manual tasks, predict likely outcomes, and deliver customized data?
Benefits outside the box

January 2026

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Open enrollment season recently wrapped up for most stakeholders in the employee benefits industry. The success of this critically important and time-consuming annual event hinges at least in part in a deep understanding of the benefits employees are buying — which benefits are most popular and which “missing” benefits they’d most like to have access to. That may be especially true for nontraditional and noninsurance benefits, two categories playing a growing role in employee benefit packages, according to our most recent MarketVision™ — The Employee Viewpoint© report.
Supplemental medical products lead the way in voluntary market growth

April 2026

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Nontraditional and value-added products and services are generating a lot of buzz in the voluntary benefits marketplace, while the traditional mainstays of life and disability continue to capture the lion’s share of sales. But if the industry were a horse race, you’d see supplemental medical products including hospital indemnity, critical illness and accident coming up fast on the inside rail.
Employee Buying Trends for Nontraditional and Noninsurance benefits

January 2026

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In addition to interest in core benefits, employees also show significant interest in other non-traditional benefits,
including identify theft protection, legal plans, pet insurance. Employees also want to have more access to noninsurance
benefits like caregiving support, estate and will planning services, and genetic/DNA testing.

2025’s top 3 trends in the voluntary/worksite market

December 2025

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The voluntary/worksite industry is a balancing act for carriers trying to meet the needs of
brokers, employers and employees with enhanced products and services while maintaining
profitability.
Executives see challenges but have high expectations for
voluntary/worksite market

November 2025

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The voluntary/worksite market has faced plenty of challenges in recent years, from the
pandemic and economic instability to rapid technology changes and more stringent regulatory
scrutiny.
Meeting a critical need

October 2025

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Critical illness insurance continues to rise in voluntary benefits market
Large employers’ outsized impact on the voluntary market: 7 insights to succeed

October 2025

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Brokers looking to make it big in the voluntary benefits industry can find it tempting to reach for the brass ring of big accounts.
Handle with care

August 2025

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The rapidly growing need for family caregiver benefits
5 broker insights into claims integration and tech platforms

July 2025

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It’s no secret voluntary/worksite carriers, brokers and employers are leaning harder than ever on
technology to make employee benefits programs run faster, easier and more accurately.
If you build it, they still might not come

June 2025

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Why a good benefits package alone isn’t enough to drive employee participation
As well as can be expected

May 2025

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Voluntary carriers are well on the way to making wellness benefits table-stakes
Look under the hood

April 2025

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Why strong products alone won’t drive a successful voluntary benefits program
5 reasons the mid-size voluntary market offers a big opportunity for advisors

July 2025

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Brokers looking to make it big in the voluntary benefits industry can find it tempting to reach for the brass ring of big accounts.
Small but mighty: the voluntary benefits case for small markets

May 2025

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Brokers looking to make it big in the voluntary benefits industry can find it tempting to reach for the brass ring of big accounts.
Show Me the Money: Better Billing Processes Can Create a Better Customer Experience

March 2025

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There’s good news and bad news when it comes to employers and voluntary billing.

Get Smart! How Carriers Can Use Artificial Intelligence and Innovative Technology to Improve Customer Experience

February 2025

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There’s good news and bad news when it comes to employers and voluntary billing.

High Expectations: Enthusiasm for Voluntary Benefits Drives Three Predictions for 2025

January 2025

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The voluntary benefits market has continued its upward trend for several years — and that’s not likely to change in 2025 if brokers’ expectations are on the mark.

Dollars & Sense — Employees Across the Wage Scale Show Demand for Voluntary Benefits

December 2024

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There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about the impact of inflation and a sluggish economy on employees’ wallet share when it comes to voluntary benefits.

Why Ask Why? Understanding What’s Behind Employers’ and Employees’ Decisions to Offer and Buy Voluntary Benefits Can Impact Your Success in This Growing Market

November 2024

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It’s no secret that the Voluntary Benefits industry is bigger than ever: Both sales and in-force premium hit record highs last year, riding the wave of a four-year growth trend.

5 keys to a successful voluntary benefits open enrollment

October 2024

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Here are five key strategies to drive stronger participation in your clients’ benefits programs during this year’s open enrollment.

Is Crossing the Pond Possible for Voluntary Benefits?

September 2024

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The United States has a long history of successfully exporting parts of its culture abroad, from hamburgers to hip-hop. But the same can’t be said for employee benefits, especially voluntary benefits.

Supplemental Health Products Step Into Limelight

July 2024

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Life and disability insurance are the perennial divas of the voluntary benefits marketplace, but they’re far from the only players on the stage.

Voluntary benefits sales reach historic highs

June 2024

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Benefits advisors are benefitting from a boom in the voluntary market.

Supplemental Health Products Step Into Limelight

July 2024

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Life and disability insurance are the perennial divas of the voluntary benefits marketplace, but they’re far from the only players on the stage. Supplemental health products including hospital indemnity, accident and critical illness are taking more active roles in many employee benefits packages.

Supplemental Health Products Step Into Limelight

July 2024

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Life and disability insurance are the perennial divas of the voluntary benefits marketplace, but they’re far from the only players on the stage. Supplemental health products including hospital indemnity, accident and critical illness are taking more active roles in many employee benefits packages.

Voluntary benefits sales reach historic highs

June 2024

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Benefits advisors are benefitting from a boom in the voluntary market.

Supplemental Health Products Step Into Limelight

July 2024

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Life and disability insurance are the perennial divas of the voluntary benefits marketplace, but they’re far from the only players on the stage. Supplemental health products including hospital indemnity, accident and critical illness are taking more active roles in many employee benefits packages.
5 things you should know about AI and voluntary benefits

May 2024

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Technology is the fastest changing — and fastest growing — aspect of the voluntary benefits industry.
Gig Workers Offer Big Benefits Opportunity

May 2024

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Carriers looking to expand their markets to serve underpenetrated populations may be overlooking a key demographic: gig workers.
2024 voluntary survey: Brokers sing praises of voluntary business

May 2024

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The 2024 annual BenefitsPRO/Eastbridge voluntary survey shows continuing enthusiasm for the voluntary/worksite market

Is Artificial Intelligence a Smart Move for Voluntary Carriers?

April 2024

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Voluntary benefits carriers have been cautiously dipping their toes into new technology tools that help streamline operations and improve customer service. Eastbridge’s recent “Application Programming Interface and Artificial Intelligence Carrier Practices” Frontline™ Report shows nearly two-thirds of carriers support API data exchange…
Connecting the voluntary dots… and data

April 2024

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There are many reasons why your clients in the voluntary benefits industry should be using application programming interface technology.
Gig workers offer a new voluntary sales opportunity

March 2024

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There are at least 1.6 million gig economy workers in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s just 1% of the country’s workforce.
Emerging opportunities in the voluntary market

January 2024

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Benefits advisors can tap into new sales by helping employers explore new and expanded benefits plans.
New Year’s Wish List… New Year’s Resolutions We Wish Voluntary Players Would Make

January 2024

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Losing weight, exercising more and saving money are perennial entries on many people’s lists of new year’s resolutions. All worthy goals, but don’t stop there.
Are takeovers part of your voluntary strategy?

December 2023

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This article offers five things voluntary benefits advisors need to know to succeed in a takeover environment.
Identity Theft Insurance Offers Protection in an Increasingly Digital World

December 2023

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Online shopping, cell phones and credit cards make life easier for millions of Americans but they also make it easier to fall victim to identity theft and fraud.
How good enrollments get in the way of great enrollments

November 2023

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Employees give high marks overall to their voluntary benefits enrollments, but employers and theier benefits advisors may be missing opportunities to increase satisfaction and participation.
Different strokes for different folks

October 2023

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Autumn is prime time for some of America’s favorite pursuits: college football, the World Series and… annual benefits enrollments.
Break with tradition

September 2023

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We all have our traditions, like parades, picnics and fireworks. Or the family recipe that appears at every holiday meal, even if no one really likes it.
Big get bigger in voluntary market

July-August 2023

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THE PANDEMIC IS mostly in the rearview mirror. And while it’s too soon to say we’re back to normal, research shows several major growth trends.
Nuances of the mid-size market

June 2023

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YOU MAY HAVE HEARD the famous French saying, “Vive la difference,” used to express appreciation of diversity—often between men and women, sometimes between cultures and opinions.
Small business is big business

April-May 2023

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IF BUILDING A bigger client base is your plan, it pays to think small. U.S. companies with 10–99 employees account for more than 90% of businesses and 30 million employees, more than any market except firms over 10,000 employees.
Matching Clients and Carriers

February-March 2023

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TO PARAPHRASE AN old TV advertising campaign: When you talk, people listen.
3 questions you should ask your benefit technology partners

December/January 2023

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WITH THE HOLIDAYS on hand, maybe you’d like to give your clients a great gift. As tempting as a fruit-of-the-month club membership might be, here’s a suggestion that’ll last much longer: a benefits technology partner with capabilities and services that match their needs and those of the benefits carriers you use.