Customized Insurance Agency Newsletters, Content, and Marketing

The arbitration process established under the No Surprises Act has generated an estimated $22.4 billion in additional health care spending over its first four years, according to a new Georgetown University analysis.

The No Surprises Act aims to protect patients from certain unexpected out-of-network medical bills. The findings have implications for employers already struggling with rising health benefit costs.

A number of surveys are predicting another year of steep group health insurance cost increases in 2027, prompting many employers to rethink plan designs, pharmacy benefits and relationships with health care vendors.

Health plan costs are expected to rise between 8% and 10% in 2027 from 2026, which employers hope to reduce through these plan changes and other strategies.

Employers are facing an increasingly difficult benefits decision as demand for GLP-1 drugs grows: absorb the rapidly rising cost, restrict coverage or find another way to help employees access the weight-loss medications.

The financial pressure is significant. GLP-1 drugs prescribed for weight loss represented 11.4% of corporations' annual claims in 2025, up from 6.9% in 2023. While some employers are opting not to cover the drugs for weight loss, others are exploring different ways to help workers access them.

Even if you are providing your staff with health benefits, they could be left under great financial pressure if one of them has a major accident off the job that leaves them debilitated and unable to work.

Millions of working Americans struggle with managing out-of-pocket costs for non-medical and medical expenses after suffering an unexpected event such as an accident. But there is an inexpensive way you can provide your staff with peace of mind should they have an accident outside of work.

As group health costs continue climbing, some employers are starting to take a second look at self-funded, or partially self-funded plans.

These plans give employers more skin in the game and the ability to better address cost drivers and tailor their offerings to fit the needs of their employees. But while the plans can save both the employer and their workers money, they are not for every organization. Here's what you need to know if you are tired of rising premiums.

The IRS has increased the group health plan affordability threshold, which determines whether an employer's lowest-premium health plan complies with Affordable Care Act rules, for plan years beginning in 2027.

The higher threshold will give employers more leeway in determining employees' share of health insurance premiums. What's the new affordability level? Find out here.

Lithium-ion batteries power everything from laptops and power tools to forklifts and electric vehicles. As their use grows, commercial property owners need to consider the fire risks and resulting liability these devices may create.

Although generally safe when used properly, lithium-ion batteries pack significant energy into a small space and can overheat. They can enter "thermal runaway," a chain reaction that generates intense heat and may result in a fire or explosion at your business property.

A new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety suggests speeding has become normalized on U.S. roads, even though it remains a major contributor to fatal crashes.

The study found that while most drivers believe posted speed limits are appropriate, many also consider driving 10 mph over the limit acceptable. Nearly half said keeping up with traffic is safer than obeying the posted speed limit, and three in 10 agreed with the statement, "No one actually drives the speed limit."

Here's why these attitudes are so dangerous.

A hospital stay can leave Medicare beneficiaries with significant out-of-pocket costs, even those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Many MA plans require members to pay daily copays for the first several days of an inpatient hospital stay. Fortunately, there's a plan that can help pay for these expenses even if you have more than one hospitalization in a year.

As political tensions remain high, employers may increasingly encounter workers who want to wear pins, shirts or other items expressing political or social views.

A recent National Labor Relations Board ruling provides important guidance on when private employers may enforce dress codes that restrict such messaging.

California has approved a statewide Zone 0 wildfire standard that establishes requirements to reduce combustible materials immediately around homes and commercial buildings in areas with elevated wildfire risk.

Zone 0 covers the first five feet around a structure, an area that can play an outsized role in whether a home ignites during a wildfire. Research has found that maintaining an ember-resistant area around a home can significantly increase its chances of surviving a wildfire.

If you live in a wildfire-prone area, you'll want to bone up on these new rules to help secure insurance coverage and avoid state penalties.

The "Monday morning surprise" — the term for when an employee approaches you on the first morning of the working week to report an injury he or she sustained at work on Friday — can be a dreaded situation for an employer.

The Monday morning surprise comes with several questions. Is the injury truly work-related?

Could it be a case of cumulative effects? Was this an injury sustained over the weekend, on the employee's personal time? Do you have evidence to prove it?