One of the most difficult aspects of relying on a human resources department to interact with insurance carriers is that the representatives that HR professionals deal with are generally working for the carriers, rather than the employer seeking benefits and coverage. This creates an uneasy tension that can make it difficult to find the best plans for a company.
Conversely, benefits management specialists are never at the beck and call of insurance companies. Rather, their only allegiance is to their client, the business that seeks to have its employee benefits taken care of. None of their salary, in the form of commissions or otherwise, derive from a carrier. The only money that they make comes from the company that they represent.
Proof of this comes from their offer to provide face time with the CEO or executives who actually run a company. While human resources professionals are helpful in the pursuit of the best benefits and health insurance coverage, consulting service companies offer six hours per year of exclusive meetings and consultations with the men and women for whom the bottom line is essential. In this capacity, they act as employees of the executives, rather than workers for another company coming to negotiate terms.
