News
Minnesota Life introduces Lifebenefits – An interactive web site that will streamline group insurance
Minnesota Life, a leader in the group insurance industry, has introduced an internet-based service that simplifies enrollment and claims processing. Two web sites — LifeBenefits and LifeBenefitsExtra — create a direct link between participants, employers and their insurance company. The leading-edge service reduces paperwork for benefits professionals, helps participants enroll online, and allows employers to monitor customer service in real-time.
"We want to make it easy for our customers to do business with Minnesota Life," says Kristin S. Helberg, manager of group insurance marketing. "LifeBenefits uses technology to make enrollment much more convenient."
By allowing participants to enroll in their company-sponsored life insurance policies over the internet, employers and benefits professionals avoid the paperwork involved with processing forms. Using the LifeBenefits web site, participants enroll interactively by answering a series of questions that provides Minnesota Life with necessary information. By ensuring that only relevant and accurate information is provided, incomplete applications are virtually eliminated.
"LifeBenefitsExtra will really help benefits professionals as well," says Helberg. "The information they need will be at their fingertips."
Benefits professionals use a customized version of the LifeBenefitsExtra web site to access information on claims, underwriting and reporting information. Employers can also monitor customer service statistics on their web site, checking the progress of individual applications, claims and call center response times.
The LifeBenefits web site also provides participants with an interactive way to learn about their benefits. Using the site's insurance needs calculator, participants can estimate how much insurance coverage they may need based on their own financial information.
Minnesota Life, a recognized leader in internet innovation, has frequently been recognized by industry groups. The LifeBenefits site will be featured at the Employee Benefit Management Forum and Expo to be held in October 1999. Minnesota Life's group insurance marketing web site was featured as a demonstration site at the Life Insurance Marketing Research Association's 1998 annual convention. This web site, which receives over 1000 hits per month also recently won the 1998 "Best of Show" award at the Life Communicators Association annual conference.
Founded in 1880, The Minnesota Life Insurance Company, formerly Minnesota Mutual, provides financial security for individuals and businesses in the form of insurance, pensions and investments. With more than $184 billion of life insurance in force and nearly $18 billion in assets under management, Minnesota Life serves nearly seven million people nationwide.
