Sun Life Financial announced that it will stop selling new variable annuity and individual life products in the U.S., effective Dec. 30.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. acquired a Tallahassee, Fla.-based employee benefits communication and enrollment firm as it seeks to expand in the voluntary benefits market.

Employers are offering voluntary benefits more to benefit their employees than to cut costs, n cost driven, according to new research.

Between 19 million and 45 million American workers could be paying more for their benefits in the next two years as their employers replace their employer-paid and contributory benefit programs.

The shift in voluntary sales from group to individual sales, which began in the last 10 years, continues, as group sales lagged behind individual sales by only $25 million last year.

The majority of American workers lack either short-term or long-term disability insurance, and just 25% of workers completely understand the offerings, according to a new study.

Voluntary and worksite benefit sales are down for the first time in history, a delayed effect of the financial recession, according to a new report.

Employers across the country in each of the 13 industry sectors plan to hire more employees in this quarter, meaning a possible boost in insurance activity.

Group voluntary sales increased by 6.7% last year, off from the 8.5% of 2008, bolstered in part by the increased use of “hybrid” products, according to an Eastbridge report.

Interest in voluntary benefits has rebounded this year, after tailing off last year, according to an industry confidence index.