Zenefits Allowed Back Into Utah After Insurance Brokers Tried To Kill The Innovative Startup

from the killing-rather-than-competing dept

Late last year, we wrote about the ridiculous situation in which the state of Utah effectively banned Zenefits, the innovative HR software service provider that tons of companies now use. As we noted, Zenefits came up with a creative way to build a real business by giving away its (really useful) HR software for free: coupling it with an insurance brokering business. You get to use its software for free, and Zenefits also makes it easy for businesses to get insurance and takes a cut of those deals. Zenefits started out by first just building the software, but then realized that it could tack on this business model after it found that most insurance brokers collect huge fees without really doing anything all that useful. So here, Zenefits could provide a more useful service, offer it to companies for free, and have a really successful business model. A win for everyone. Well, except traditional insurance brokers who found it more difficult to compete.

And thus, the Utah Insurance Department, run by former insurance broker Todd Kiser, declared that Zenefits broke a bunch of rules in Utah by daring to give out its software for free. Kiser determined that this violated rules against "inducements" or "rebates." This was from the ruling against Zenefits last year:
Zenefits' providing free software use of its electronic platform and dashboard violates Utah's inducement and indirect rebate insurance laws. By Zenefits offering clients the free use of its electronic platform and dashboard, by which employers can control and coordinate payroll functions and manage tax-related elections; generate tax forms; access FSA, HSA, and accounts; and administer 401k retirement savings plans and stock options; Zenefits has created a significant free inducement for clients to purchase insurance products through Zenefits. This software use is neither part of the insurance contract nor directly related to the insurance contract. Also, Zenefits connecting of the various HR benefits and insurance together creates advantages for customers to have a single internet access site to manage all HR and insurance needs; however, again, because Zenefits does all of this for free, it creates an violating inducement and indirect rebate for clients to purchase insurance through Zenefits.
Thankfully, Utah policymakers appeared to realize fairly quickly just how backwards and anti-innovation this made the state appear. A bill -- HB 141 -- was quickly produced, modifying the state insurance code to make it clear that software like Zenefits was not considered an inducement or rebate. The bill overwhelmingly passed out of both legislative houses. And, as of this morning, Utah's governor Gary Herbert signed the bill allowing Zenefits to operate freely in Utah once again.

It's good that the state reacted quickly to make this possible, but it still seems ridiculous that it had to get to this stage in the first place. Innovation shouldn't be dependent on incumbents not getting upset and/or having to convince an entire legislative body and executive branch to change the rules just to let you provide a better service that people like.
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Filed Under: competition, hr software, innovation, insurance, insurance brokers, todd kiser, utah
Companies: zenefits


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  • icon
    PW (profile), 13 Apr 2015 @ 9:28pm

    Would love to hear or read Todd Kiser's reaction to this latest development :)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 14 Apr 2015 @ 5:58am

      Re:

      I was thinking the same thing.

      I bet whimpering and butt-hurt was involved.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Violynne (profile), 14 Apr 2015 @ 3:13am

    "Thankfully, Utah policymakers appeared to realize fairly quickly just how backwards and anti-innovation this made the state appear."
    Policymakers didn't realize anything.

    It was the sheer volume of businesses outraged they couldn't use the software.

    The only difference to this situation is the lack of bipartisan dispute, making the bill easy to pass through legislation. The number of businesses easily overshadowed the smaller broker lobbying.

    That's how true government works. /s

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Devil's Advocate, 14 Apr 2015 @ 6:06am

    Don't these people hear themselves when they speak?!

    The whole Utah ID complaint comes out sounding just like a PROMOTION of Zenefits, really.

    It would be hilarious, if it weren't a symptom of a very serious problem that's spreading all over the world.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Joel Coehoorn, 14 Apr 2015 @ 6:25am

    Not Needed

    This should not have required legislation in the first place. The ruling that banned Zenefits in the first place was clearly an error. Why? Because you could use the software with other brokers. The software is only a discount or inducement if ties you to the publisher for the insurance purchase.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Spaceman Spiff (profile), 14 Apr 2015 @ 7:13am

    Toward breaking the "model"

    Established companies are very much afraid of innovators who "break the model", forcing them to adapt to a world they no longer understand - witness the record and movie industries. Talk about being "stuck in the past"! They are so stuck in the quagmire of their own making that all they can do is yell "HELP!", and then pull those trying to help them down with them into oblivion...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Phroogle, 15 Apr 2015 @ 7:43am

    Always Suspected G@@gle

    The way this company swooped down and started selling as much information it could scoop up on everyone and everything to sell it to the highest bidders always bothered the crap out of me.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Inside Joke, 20 Apr 2015 @ 10:02am

    Look Again

    I'd recommend a closer look at the new statute. The change isn't nearly as favorable to Zenefits as the author makes it sound. Zenefits can only give away their software for free or less than market value if: 1) the software is not made available contingent on the employer buying, continuing, terminating, or quoting for insurance, 2) the general public (any employer) can get the software (i.e., no insurance strings attached), 3) the software provider cannot retroactively charge the employer due to something that happens after the software is provided (i.e., software providers gets fired as the insurance broker), and 4) the insurance producer (i.e., software provider doubling as a licensed agent) discloses all this before insurance is quoted, sold, or agent of record is transferred. The reality is HB 141 is an inside joke for Utah brokers. I wonder if Zenefits is using this publicity to try and intimidate other states into not enforcing their own rebating laws. Most every state has something comparable to Utah.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

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    This is incredible. Marvelous new development. Break the model sounds dangerous for the innovators. thanks for sharing.

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