AVON, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Voluntary sales in 2016 for all product lines totaled $7.63 billion, according to Eastbridge’s annual U.S. Voluntary/Worksite Sales Report. This represented an increase of almost seven percent over 2015.
Universal life/whole life, critical illness, hospital indemnity and long-term disability all had double-digit sales growth. Term life was again the top-selling business line this year followed by dental, short-term disability (STD), accident and then hospital indemnity.
Life insurance sales were up almost 6 percent over 2015, with total life sales of $2.074 billion in 2016. Term accounted for 77 percent of the total life NBAP, and sales for the line were up about 3 percent over 2015. UL/WL sales were up 18 percent this year after a down year in 2015.
Total disability sales were $1.51 billion in 2016 and accounted for 20 percent of voluntary NBAP. Both STD and LTD sales showed increases in 2016, with STD up 7 percent and LTD up almost 11 percent.
Total accident sales were $957 million and accounted for just under 13 percent of total voluntary sales. The line saw another increase in 2016, but the rate was a modest 2 percent compared to 11 percent in 2015 and 9 percent in 2014.
Hospital indemnity, gap and supplemental medical product sales were about $622 million in 2016, up 16 percent after a down year in 2015. Critical illness sales increased 13 percent in 2016 after increases of 25 percent in 2015 and 20 percent in 2014. Total critical illness NBAP in 2016 was $556 million.
The annual U.S. Voluntary/Worksite Sales Report estimates sales for the entire voluntary industry with detailed data on the performance of 65 carriers, both group and individual, and represents the largest number of carriers included in any sales report for the industry.
Carriers interested in participating in next year’s study should email Eastbridge at info@eastbridge.com. All participants receive a free copy of the survey findings, including company-specific results.
Eastbridge Consulting Group, Inc. is a marketing advisory firm serving insurance and financial services organizations in the United States and Canada.
