It's common for benefits professionals to reference all the nuances between the large and small ends of the voluntary market. The number of carriers used per enrollment and the top products offered are just a couple of the easily discernible aspects of these market segments. However, the mid-market (employers with between 100-999 employees) is a distinct segment with particular preferences and characteristics.

Erin Marino and Nick Rockwell, Eastbridge Consulting Group, Inc.

As an example, let's look at carrier selection. Across all market segments, ease of administration is the only factor that appears as a top-five factor in carrier section across small, medium and large employer segments. The recent Eastbridge report, Voluntary & the Mid-Size Case Market, found that even the sub-segments within the mid-market vary in their top carrier selection criteria.