Key Takeaways
- A strong broker portal should give brokers quick access to group, employee, claims, document and financial information.
- A useful platform continues to provide value as groups change, employees move on and off the plan and renewals approach.
- Carrier technology should work alongside the employer’s existing systems and provide readily available guidance for common needs.
- The member-facing side of the experience can affect how much support ultimately falls to HR and the broker.
- Renaissance combines digital self-service tools with dedicated support for issues that require review, coordination or escalation.
Brokers manage a substantial amount of work after a group is sold. Throughout the year, they may need to pull plan information for an employer, check an employee’s status, retrieve a document, review a claim or answer a question about an account.
The right self-service insurance tools can make those interactions easier to manage. For brokers evaluating ancillary carriers, the question is whether the technology supports the work that happens throughout the life of a group without adding another administrative burden.
What a Broker Portal Needs to Do
A useful broker portal should make day-to-day account management easier. When considering a platform, brokers should focus on whether they can readily access the information and handle the tasks they need throughout the year.
Keep Group and Employee Information Accessible
Brokers need current account information when responding to employer questions or managing changes.
Evaluate whether the platform allows brokers to:
- View group coverage and benefits
- Search for employee or member information
- Review policy details
- Access relevant claims information
- Search, filter or sort information within the platform
Make Documents and Rosters Practical to Manage
Plan documents, ID cards and employee rosters are part of routine account administration. Brokers may need to retrieve them for an employer, review information for a group change or share materials with a client.
Look for the ability to:
- Access ID cards and plan documents
- Search for specific documents or members
- Download employee rosters
- Filter roster information
- Download or share materials when needed
Give Brokers Visibility Into Financial Administration
Financial administration is another part of managing employer accounts, so broker technology should cover more than plan and employee information.
Consider whether the platform provides access to:
- Commission details and statements
- Invoices
- Payment status
- Billing notifications
Remain Useful After Implementation
A broker portal shouldn’t become irrelevant once a group is installed. Employee changes, account updates, mid-year activity and renewal preparation continue throughout the relationship.
Evaluate whether the technology remains useful for ongoing activities such as:
- Eligibility and enrollment changes
- Employee updates
- Account information
- Mid-year changes
- Renewal-related activity
Consider How the Technology Connects With Other Systems
Brokers should also consider how a carrier’s technology works with the systems an employer already uses. Reliable data connections can affect how much coordination is required when account information moves between systems.
Evaluate whether:
- The carrier supports electronic data connections
- Its technology connects with systems employers already use
- There is a clear process for addressing data or connection issues
- Brokers know who to contact when a connection requires attention
Make Common Resources Easy to Find
Brokers should also be able to find guidance and resources for common questions and tasks without having to contact the carrier each time.
Evaluate whether the carrier provides:
- FAQs for common questions
- Guides that explain benefits, processes or next steps
- Easily accessible forms and other frequently needed resources
- Clear instructions for common account tasks
- Simple navigation for finding these resources
Consider the Member Experience, Too
The broker portal is only one part of the digital experience. Brokers should also consider what employees encounter when they use their benefits.
Evaluate whether member portals and mobile tools make it easy to:
- Find in-network providers
- Review coverage and benefit information
- Check claims information
- Access ID cards
- Find plan documents
A member-facing experience that doesn’t make it easy for employees to find what they need can lead to more questions for HR and, in turn, more involvement from the broker. The member experience is therefore another part of the carrier’s technology to evaluate alongside the broker-facing tools.
When Brokers Need More Than a Portal
Some account issues require more than information or a standard digital transaction. Brokers may need someone who can coordinate with other teams or help resolve an issue that falls outside a standard process.
Before choosing a carrier, brokers should understand:
- Who handles questions after implementation
- Who knows the history of the account
- How service issues are escalated
- Who supports renewals and account changes
- How brokers reach someone when an issue needs attention
The digital experience and the service structure should work together. A portal provides access to information; the carrier’s people provide the additional context and coordination when an account needs it.
How Renaissance Supports Brokers
Renaissance combines broker-specific technology with dedicated support throughout the life of a group.
BrokerX Gives Brokers a Streamlined Account Resource
BrokerX, accessed through MyRenXperience, is designed specifically for brokers managing a Renaissance book of business. Brokers can use it to:
- View group coverage, benefits and employee information
- Access member details, policy information and claims history
- Download and filter employee rosters
- Access ID cards and plan documents
- Track commissions and download commission statements
- Track and pay invoices through billing views, notifications and status tracking
- Access key BrokerX features through the portal app while away from the desk
Dedicated Support When an Account Needs Attention
BrokerX is supported by Renaissance’s broader service model. After implementation, dedicated account managers support brokers and clients, while client success provides administrative assistance across billing, eligibility, portal assistance, commissions, system issues, implementations and renewals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should brokers look for in portals and mobile tools that support digital self-service?
Look for a platform that makes frequently needed account information and routine tasks easy to access, with straightforward navigation and mobile functionality where useful. BrokerX brings these functions together for Renaissance brokers, including group and employee information, claim status, plan documents, commission tracking and access to key features through the portal app.
What should a broker portal support during enrollment and ongoing account management?
After a group is installed, brokers may need to manage enrollment changes, employee updates, rosters, claims, documents, billing and renewal activity. A portal should support those tasks while giving brokers another way to get help when an update requires review or assistance. Renaissance gives brokers several ways to submit enrollment changes, including BrokerX, client success and their designated account manager.Â
What digital features can help support member engagement?
Member-facing tools should make routine benefits tasks easier, including reviewing coverage, finding providers, accessing digital ID cards and submitting claims. When members can get answers and complete simple tasks on their own, HR teams and brokers have fewer routine questions to manage. Through MyRenBenefitsManager, Renaissance members can view coverage information, access digital ID cards, submit Life or Disability claims and find a provider.
What should employers look for in tools for enrollment and benefits administration?
HR teams need employer-facing tools that support core administration and fit into their existing technology environment. Renaissance supports employer administration through RenBenefitsAdmin and establishes connections with benefit administration systems as part of the implementation process.
Simplify Broker Account Management With Renaissance
Strong digital tools should support brokers as they manage employer accounts, access information and handle common needs throughout the year. They should also give brokers a path to knowledgeable support when an account requires more than self-service.
Ready to see how Renaissance supports brokers with digital tools and dedicated service? Connect with our team to start the conversation.
