The only thing certain about the future of the employee benefits market today is uncertainty. The marketplace is a work in progress due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act recently enacted by Congress.

In 2014, most of the major elements of the new health-care law will be in place. These include the guarantee issue of insurance, coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, government regulated health plan purchasing exchanges, and mandated coverage. How these changes will affect the role of the agent in writing group and individual major medical and the rest of the employee benefit package — which includes primarily life, dental, vision, and disability insurance — remains unknown.

With significant changes on the horizon, now is the time for all agents to begin educating themselves, whether they work primarily on the Property & Casualty side or in the Life & Health arena. Anyone serious about thriving in this revised marketplace should be proactive in seeking out new technology such as social networking and new product offerings to learn how the carriers envision their future roles. Industry and agent associations can also provide valuable insight to their members.