Last month, we reported voluntary new business annualized premium (sales) for 2016 were $7.630 billion, up almost 7 percent over 2015 sales. This column takes a closer look at these results by product line and platform.

According to our annual U.S. Voluntary/Worksite Sales Report, new business annualized premium (voluntary sales) increased again last year.

According to our annual U.S. Voluntary/Worksite Sales Report, new business annualized premium (voluntary sales) increased again last year. Total sales for 2016 were $7.630 billion, up almost 7 percent over 2015 sales. The graph at left shows the industry's sales since 1997.

With everyone's 'bag' now filled with similar products, it is hard to find any meaningful differentiation among brokers using their portfolio alone.

The lines between voluntary brokers and employee benefit brokers continue to blur when it comes to selling voluntary benefits, according to respondents to this year's BenefitsPRO/Eastbridge voluntary benefits survey.

The lines between voluntary brokers and employee benefit brokers continue to blur when it comes to selling voluntary benefits, according to respondents to this year's BenefitsPRO/Eastbridge voluntary benefits survey.

There have long been two general categories of brokers in the benefits industry.

Broker surveys highlight the increasing competition among brokers in the voluntary space.