Shining Star of Perseverance - Assurant Employee Benefits

Focused on returning claimants with disabilities to work, Assurant Employee Benefits conducted studies in the mid-1990s in conjunction with the Menninger Return to Work Centers and The Gallup Organization to determine how and why people return to work following disability. With the resulting information, the company developed an integrated disability management program called WillReturn®, blending demographic and psychographic information to help predict how insureds would respond to particular claims management initiatives. The WillReturn Council® was launched soon after to allow Assurant Employee Benefits to capitalize on its research and claims management efforts.

In 1998, Assurant Employee Benefits established the WillReturn Council® to recognize the efforts of disability claimants in returning to productive lives after disabling illnesses and injuries. At the same time, this group also seeks to learn from successful disability situations and use the acquired knowledge in product development and to enhance existing claims management initiatives.

In addition to the Shining Star of Perseverance Award, Assurant Employee Benefits also presents the following awards:

The Perseverance Award

Nominated by Assurant Employee Benefits’ employees, as well as employer/ policyholders, the Perseverance Award is given quarterly to Assurant Employee Benefits’ disability claimants who have demonstrated exceptional efforts in returning to productive lives after disability.

The Partnership Award

The Partnership Award honors disability insurance policyholders who play a significant role in their disabled employees’ returns to work. An employer must have short-term and/or long-term disability coverage in force with Assurant Employee Benefits to be considered for the award. A maximum of four Partnership Awards are presented annually.

The Pacesetter Award

The Pacesetter Award recognizes those who constitute a third side of the triangle in the recovery process. The award is presented to health care facilities or individuals working in the health care field who demonstrate exceptional leadership, dedication, skill and commitment in their efforts to help disabled patients return to active, productive, healthy lifestyles. It is intended to recognize those who either demonstrate exceptional dedication to a single individual who presents unusual or extremely difficult challenges, or those who demonstrate exceptional dedication, innovation and skill to all patients on a regular and ongoing basis. Any licensed healthcare or rehabilitation professional, accredited health care or rehabilitation provider or facility, or established regular volunteer at such a facility, is eligible for the award.