Windsor, Connecticut, May 25, 2011—While the number of employers offering voluntary worksite benefits remained steady throughout the recession, recent growth was brighter with mid-size employers , according to a new study conducted by LIMRA.   “Compared with 2002, nearly all products are more readily available today at mid-sized firms,” said Ron Neyer, assistant research director, LIMRA product research. “Marketing to larger firms is challenging due to saturation and small firms often are less focused on benefits and offer a smaller pool of warm prospects. In contrast, mid-size firms, looking to be more competitive, are interested in finding ways to expand their benefit package without adding cost to their business.”   In the past, employers have offered voluntary worksite benefits to boost morale, attract strong candidates, and retain employees.  Now due to growing economic pressures, nearly 80 percent of employers say they are interested in using voluntary worksite benefits because these plans carry no direct costs to the business.  Employers’ costs are not the only motivating factor for offering voluntary benefits.  Two thirds of employers said they offer voluntary benefits because it is more affordable for their employees than if they purchased the coverage on their own, and to provide them with a wider array of benefits.    The study confirmed that an employer’s decision to offer a particular benefit is largely dependent on the amount of value they anticipate their employees deriving from the plan.  Few of these employers appreciate how important insurance protection can be to younger employees.  Only 2 in 3 employers believe a major medical plan is less important to employees under age 40 and less than a quarter believes that life insurance is truly valuable to their younger workers.  However, this assumption may be unrealistic.   According to LIMRA research, younger workers are more engaged in learning

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