What Is a Benefits Advisor and How to Become One
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What Is a Benefits Advisor?
A benefits advisor helps employees understand voluntary group benefits. Responsibilities include explaining health plan options and working with plan vendors. To have a successful career as a benefits advisor, you must understand relevant laws, such as COBRA and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and have solid interpersonal and analytical skills. Similar job titles include HR benefits coordinator and health care benefits consultant.
How to Become a Benefits Advisor
To become a benefits advisor, you need a bachelor’s degree in business, economics, or HR management. You may choose to complete an internship to get additional skills and experience in advising clients and interpreting benefits laws. Other qualifications for this job include an understanding of group health insurance. Many people in this career choose to earn their voluntary Certified Employee Benefit Specialist credentials, or a life and health insurance license.
Benefits Advisor Job Description Sample
With this Benefits Advisor job description sample, you can get a good idea of what employers are looking for when hiring for this position. Remember, every employer is different and each will have unique qualifications when they hire for a Benefits Advisor role.
Job Summary
Our company is looking for a motivated Benefits Advisor to join our team. This is a B2B sales role in which your primary goal is to help businesses manage their employee benefits program. In addition to explaining options to the employees of our clients and helping them enroll in healthcare or other voluntary benefit plans, you will assist policyholders with questions about claims or changes to their coverage. While you may customize benefit packages to meet employee needs, it is important to balance employer protections â as they are your primary client.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Build client relationships with large organizations
- Explain healthcare benefit options to employees
- Help employees enroll in voluntary benefit plans
- Assist policyholders with benefit claims
- Arrange enrollment conditions to suit business needs
- Customize benefit packages to meet employee needs
- Develop informational materials
Requirements and Qualifications
- A high school diploma or GED certificate
- An associate degree or a bachelor's degree (preferred)
- State insurance license a plus
- Customer service or sales experience a plus
- Bilingual ability (English and Spanish) a plus
- Excellent communication skills
- Basic computer skills
