Voluntary surveys show light near the end

Voluntary is the hottest thing in the insurance market right now. Problem is a lot of people don’t know it yet.

But they should, experts in the benefits industry say. The fact is times are tougher than ever; the economy’s taking its toll on employers and employees. Americans are skeptical about their 401(k)s and investing less than they used to, they don’t have faith in Social Security or Medicare being available to them as they grow older. And the economy and health care reform are threatening employer-sponsored care. In fact, the most recent study coming from Towers Watson finds nearly one of every 10 midsized or big employers expects to stop offering health coverage to workers once federal insurance exchanges begin in 2014.