Wawanesa shifts focus in group insurance, emphasizing flexibility, customization, and solutions for underserved markets
After years of working in the group and retirement insurance industry, Mike Aiken, VP, Group Insurance at Wawanesa Life Insurance Co., joined Wawanesa two years ago and saw the value of being a Mutual carrier. With the focus truly on the member and how to provide a level of service to all parties involved, they started to profile themselves as the alternative to the regular offerings in the industry.
“I came to Wawanesa because I was looking for something different,” Aiken explains. “I wanted to get back to what I thought the real value of being in the insurance space was about—providing a great service and a great product to meet the needs of the general population.”
This search for purpose has become the connective thread in Wawanesa’s transformation. Historically, its group insurance offerings played a secondary role, primarily supporting its dominant property and casualty (P&C) business. But under Aiken’s leadership, the group division is no longer an afterthought. It has evolved into a distinct and forward-thinking entity that leads with innovation while staying grounded in the company’s member-first principles.
“Our focus is on building something new—being a viable and growing group insurance carrier with the right product for today’s market,” Aiken says.
For Lauren Mazurkewich, director of Group Insurance Product and Pricing, this shift resonates deeply. Her own journey at Wawanesa mirrors Aiken’s. “It’s exciting to be in a smaller mutual organization where we can build and create something in our own vision,” she reflects. “It’s empowering not just for me but for my team. We’re doing something new, something different.”
Innovations for small businesses
This shared commitment to reimagining group insurance has led Wawanesa to rethink its approach at every level. Where the division once offered structured, pre-packaged products, it now emphasizes flexibility and customization. The launch of its revamped Essentials product is a prime example, offering small businesses the ability to tailor benefits to meet specific needs, all while simplifying the quoting and renewal process.
Wawanesa’s revamped small business offering debuted in September 2024. Designed for businesses with three to 15 employees, the product brings a level of customization and flexibility rarely seen in the group insurance market.
“This new offering allows employers to tailor their plans at both the benefit and employee segment levels,” Aiken explains. “They’re not locked into one plan for the entire group. Instead, they can customize life , health and disability benefits, along with adding a healthcare or personal spending accounts as needed.”
Essentials also streamlines the traditionally cumbersome quoting process, reducing it to just five minutes. This efficiency empowers brokers to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time supporting their clients. In its first month alone, brokers generated over 800 quotes using the Essentials platform.
Employers and brokers can use Wawanesa’s intuitive toolset to build a plan, generate a quote, and integrate it into their workflows—all in a matter of minutes. The plan also features a two-year rate guarantee and is pooled with similar small businesses, ensuring rate stability and protection against the volatility of individual claims experience.
“We market-tested this with key partners, and the feedback was resounding,” Aiken shares. “They told us, ‘This is exactly what we need.’”
Bridging the gap for niche markets with hybrid disability
Wawanesa’s innovations extend beyond small businesses to address the needs of niche markets. One standout product is the hybrid long-term disability (LTD) offering, designed for employers facing challenges with traditional disability plans.
The hybrid LTD product provides a tailored solution for businesses struggling with high disability claims or limited financial resources. It offers meaningful coverage for employees while balancing affordability for employers. The plan guarantees coverage for a minimum two-year period, after which a change in definition occurs. If employees remain disabled, the plan transitions to cover critical sickness categories, providing peace of mind for both employers and employees.
Mazurkewich emphasizes the accessibility this product provides to industries that may have been priced out of traditional options. “Hybrid gives employers an option to still offer disability coverage to their plan members,” she explains. “It may not be a standard LTD plan, but it provides some protection and keeps coverage affordable.”
The product also helps bridge the gap between challenging financial realities and future stability. “Hopefully, as employers improve their experience and gain more stability, they can transition to a traditional LTD plan,” Mazurkewich adds. “But for now, hybrid ensures everyone can have some level of insurance protection.”
The product’s impact goes beyond its structure. Aiken emphasizes the importance of Wawanesa’s top-notch disability case management, which helps ensure positive outcomes for employees and employers alike. “We see 75 to 80% of employees on disability return to work within the first 18 months,” he says. “That’s a testament to the strength of our approach and our focus on client outcomes.”
Through tailored solutions like hybrid LTD, innovative small business offerings, and investments in technology, Wawanesa is meeting people where they are and ensuring their offerings reflect real-world needs. Aiken concludes with: “If you haven’t checked out Wawanesa Group lately, take a look – we have what you need!”
For more information and greater detail, connect with a Wawanesa Life Broker here.
