About 71% of the companies in the voluntary benefits market have reduced their own budgets due to the recession.
About 53% of voluntary benefits brokers surveyed report seeing a reduction in their budgets, and about 73% of large carriers are reporting cutbacks, according to Eastbridge Consulting Group Inc., Avon, Conn.
More than 75% of the survey participants said their companies have reduced travel expenses, with budgets for industry meetings and visits with field staff being especially hard hit. Half of the participants’ companies cut cut travel budgets more than 20%.