Have you considered offering vision coverage to your customers as a logical upsell to their insurance benefits package?
Approximately 75 percent of all adults use glasses or contacts for corrective vision, says a report from the Vision Council of America. With daily wear, disposable contact lenses costing more than $100 for a 6-month supply, and annual eye exams costing between $50 and $100, it’s no wonder 53 percent of employees want vision coverage, according to this infographic compiled by Namely, an all-in-one HR platform. Yet, just 35 percent of employers offer this ancillary benefit. Why is this figure so low?
The Perception of Vision Coverage
Quite simply, employers don’t see the value in offering vision coverage to their employees. Yet, there are many good reasons to provide vision coverage as part of ancillary benefits. Let’s look at five eye-opening reasons for your customers to offer vision coverage to their employees. Share this evidence with your customers and they are sure to see it clearly, too. The additional sales will result in greater customer loyalty and increased commission for your insurance agency.
Better Vision Improves Productivity
The glare of a computer screen and the lighting afforded by fluorescent bulbs are bad enough in an office environment. Eyestrain, headaches, and poor vision are exacerbated when employees are wearing old glasses that may not be the right prescription for their changing vision. They may not understand why they have headaches all the time or need more frequent breaks away from the computer, until they go for an eye exam and realize they’ve been using the wrong prescription glasses or contact lenses.
Hard-working employees should never have to put off an eye exam due to the high costs of vision care. When vision benefits include annual exams and discounted corrective lenses, employees will be more productive.
The Eyes are the Gateway to Holistic Health
Annual eye exams by an ophthalmologist are important even for employees who don’t need corrective lenses. Eye exams can help detect such conditions as Graves’ Disease and certain skin cancers. The condition of someone’s eyes can hint at high cholesterol, autoimmune diseases and a number of other disorders. Early detection of these diseases can improve outcomes and lower healthcare costs for everyone. Eye exams should be part of preventative care for everyone, but employees may shy away from an exam if it’s not covered by insurance.
Employers Can Fill Gaps in Healthcare Coverage with Vision as an Ancillary Benefit
The Affordable Care Act has forced many organizations to reduce their healthcare coverage. Vision and dental benefits were previously offered as part of a company’s healthcare plan. Employers can fill this gap by providing vision coverage as an ancillary benefit so that employees don’t feel the sting of having their benefits reduced.
Better Vision Benefits Give Employers a Recruiting Advantage
Because so few companies currently offer vision benefits, yet so many employees want it, firms
can give themselves a recruiting advantage with an ancillary benefits package that includes vision coverage.
Vision Benefits Increase Employee Loyalty
Eyeglass and contact lens wearers, as well as employees with conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, or diabetes, may hesitate to leave a company that offers good vision benefits. Vision care costs can add up to thousands, annually, especially for families with more than one corrective lens-wearer.
A good vision plan is a strong retention tool, especially for companies who employ many workers over 40 or people of any age with families.
Save Money on Vision Benefits with Multi-Line Discounts
You – and your customers – may be surprised by how affordable a good vision plan can be when you take advantage of multi-line discounts with The DBL Center Ltd. If your customers are already investing in enhanced disability coverage or dental with one of our premier carriers, they may as well enjoy the savings of a solid vision plan, as well.
