MP Benefits Perspective

Are group benefits a commodity or an investment? Put another way, are they expendable? Are benefits at the tail end of the business plan? Only placed when/if there is enough disposable income to warrant the expense? If that is the case, then there’s no wonder there...

Client Centric

Have you ever looked at something for a long time…then blinked and everything looked different? Two ears, one mouth…time to listen. There are wants and there are needs…going to a breakfast meeting, there are expectations of choice of hot and cold food. That the food...

Living on an Island

If you can indulge me for a moment … close your eyes … Picture an island in the Pacific during World War II … the rugged coastline extends nearly 1,600 miles with a major mountain range cutting through the centre. At least three countries claimed strongholds on this...

Benefits

When the employer inadvertently assumes the insured risk

In benefits, we are all familiar with self-insured benefits and the assumption of risk by the employer. This will typically apply to the day-to-day claims for health, vision, dental care, sometimes pharmacy, up to a prescribed limit of liability. This kind of coverage...

Pharmacy Reform

When government proposes that they have the fix for rising pharmacy costs for the average Canadian within the next decade, color someone who works in the employee group benefit arena skeptical. Why? History. According to Fraser Institute, the median waiting time for a...

The Impact of Chronic Illness/Disease/Pain on benefits

Year over year, as the workforce changes with age, economic trends, and health issues, benefits too must transform to match the dynamic evolution of the corporate structure, forming a significant part of the overall compensation of employees. These changes are...

Compensation

The Costs of Seniors

“Canada to see a 40% increase in cancer patients by 2013” This Globe and Mail article goes on to report how this staggering statistic is due to the “rising tide of seniors”. In fact, way down the page, the article reveals the incident rates for cancer have held...

Disability Income

When I was younger, I had a conversation my creator and confirmed that when I was placed on this Earth nothing bad would happen to me. I should have gotten that in writing! Despite the lack of an eternal contract, I did have the ability and foresight to plan for “just...

Reasons To Offer A Group Benefit Package

Why offer a group benefit package for your employees when it will: Cost money Offer the opportunity to be abused Not appreciated However, consider this: three in ten Canadians don’t have any individual life insurance and that number doubles when it comes to disability...

Culture

Transformative Benefits

To take a page from the great business leadership coach, Dan Sullivan, when it comes to benefits, our goal would be; If we were to have a conversation three years from today, and you were sitting here looking back over those three years, what has to have happened for...

Knowledge does NOT equal Wisdom

The valuable lessons learned from our clients. Early in my career as an accidental entrepreneur, I felt to gain the clients confidence I needed to wow them with how much research I had completed regarding insurance and specifically employee group benefits that I...

The Enduring Relationship of Time and Money

Recently the discussions around the boardroom table have delved into the deeper “why”. Why do we do what we do? Start with the why, rather than the what and how. Studies of sustainable sales cycles show the relationship between time and money impacts how those hidden...