COMPANY PROFILE

ARIZONA BENEFITS AUTHORITY is a business-to-consumer insurance agency that delivers Web-based, insurance information to individuals, families and small businesses who are in need of insurance information. Our integrated suite of online services facilitates a comprehensive search and review of leading insurance companies.

ARIZONA BENEFITS AUTHORITY is not owned by any insurance company, therefore we provide objective information to consumers and small business owners, helping them make informed decisions about their insurance needs. Our service is available to all Arizona residents.

MEDICAL CARRIERS WE REPRESENT

ACEC Life Health Trust
Aetna
American Community
Assurant
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Cigna
Golden Rule
Great West
Humana
Health Net
John Alden
New England Financial
PacifiCare
Starmark
TrustmarkUnited HealthCare

DENTAL CARRIERS WE REPRESENT

ACEC Life Health Trust
American General (AIG)
Ameritas
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Cigna
Delta Dental
Employers Dental Service
Fort Dearborn
Assurant Benefits
Guardian
Humana
Lincoln Financial
MetLife
Mutual Of Omaha
Principal Financial
Protective Dental
Reliance Standard
Securian
SecureCare Dental
Standard
Total Dental
United ConcordiaUnited HealthCare

LIFE & DISABILITY CARRIERS WE REPRESENT

ACEC Life Health Trust
American General (AIG)
Assurant Benefits
Fort Dearbornv Guardian
Hartford
Humana
Lincoln Financial
MetLife
Mutual Of Omaha
Principal Financial
Prudential
Reliance Standard
Standard
Sun Life Financial
United HealthCare
Unum Provident

VISION CARRIERS WE REPRESENT

ACEC
American General
Ameritas
Avesis
Eye Care Plan of America
Guardian
Principal Financial
SightCare
Vision Service Plan

HOW ARE WE PAID?

We receive compensation from the insurance companies we represent when placing your insurance. Our compensation is usually a percentage of the premium you pay for your insurance policy (a "commission"), which is paid to us by the insurance companies for placing and servicing your insurance with them. Intermediaries, such as wholesale brokers, may sometimes be used to access certain insurance companies. Such intermediaries will allocate a portion of the compensation from the insurance companies to us and may, in some cases, be an affiliated company. We receive commissions from insurance companies to defray the cost of services provided for them, including advertising, training, certain employee compensation, and other expenses.

Some of the insurance companies we represent may pay us additional commissions, sometimes referred to as contingent or bonus commissions, which may be based on the total volume of business we sell for them, and/or the growth rate of that business, retention rate, claims loss ratio, or other factors considering our entire book of business with an insurance company for a designated period of time.

The most common question we are asked by potential clients is “What makes you different?” Although your current brokerage firm may provide an adequate service, at ABA adequate is never good enough. We are always looking to provide our clients with value added benefits and services.

That is why our services include:

Employee Benefit Statements
Employee Benefit Brochures
COBRA Administration
HR Resources
Employee Benefit Websites

Arizona Benefits Authority, Inc. is a professional team dedicated to finding creative and effective solutions to the challenges you face in attracting and maintaining quality employees through your employee benefit programs. It is our pledge to find the best possible coverage for your needs, no matter what these needs are or how difficult the challenge. We believe that there is no problem or request that is too large or too small.

The team at ABA excels in researching, implementing and servicing Employer sponsored:

Medical Benefits
Life Benefits
Short & Long Term Disability Benefits
Dental Benefits
FSA & 125 Pretax Plans
COBRA Benefits
Vision Benefits
Voluntary Benefits
Benefit Fairs
Employee Communications

As an independent consulting firm we work for you, not the insurance companies we represent. We are licensed and contracted with all the insurance carriers in the marketplace. This enables us to match your benefit needs with the carrier that best fulfills those needs.

Service without limitations

Arizona Benefits Authority (ABA) Broker Services

• ABA will assist in developing & reviewing short and long-term objectives for your company.
• ABA will analyze annual renewals with you and the carrier(s) including negotiating with the carrier(s).
• ABA will prepare Requests for Bid proposals for all lines of coverage and benefit products.
• ABA will analyze the carrier’s responses and create a Custom Benefit Proposal detailing all of the carrier’s rates and benefits highlighting benefit differences.
• ABA will analyze and compare managed care networks.
• ABA will suggest plan design change(s) if appropriate.
• ABA will assist in the selection of carriers that will best fit your company’s needs, and demographics.
• ABA provides customized employee benefit websites allowing you and your company’s employees to access important and current benefit information and resources 24/7.
• ABA will assist as often as needed on benefit issues with your Human Resource staff (claim problems, billing issues, etc.).
• ABA provides HR Subscription Service. This service provides owners and managers with the tools needed to set up your own internal HR systems along with the personal support of a professional HR coach.
• ABA offers COBRA Click. Through a partnership with CMS Inc., we offer an online solution to COBRA administration. When an individual loses coverage in the company's health plan, employers required to comply with COBRA must send proper notices to Qualified Beneficiaries. COBRA Click makes this simple.
• ABA provides total employee compensations statements. These statements help show the employee their total benefits and what their true value and cost to the employer actually are.
• ABA will provide information and advise on federal, state, and local issues that impact employee benefit programs.
• ABA will conduct as many onsite visits as requested.

Arizona Benefits Authority (ABA) Enrollment Services

• ABA will organize and participate in all employee enrollment and informational meetings conducted at designated company location(s).
• ABA will provide a customized enrollment meeting notification including payroll deduction costs to be distributed to the employees.
• ABA will prepare an enrollment summary outlining each enrolled employee, plan selections, premiums and payroll deductions.
• ABA will calculate binder checks (if necessary) for each carrier and prepare Group Master Applications for signature on behalf of our clients.
• ABA will facilitate the enrollment process with the carriers and assist in any unforeseen issues that may arise to ensure a smooth carrier transition.
• ABA will prepare a Benefits Highlights Brochure that summarizes the employee benefits program offered to your employees. This brochure will be re-printed after each year's renewal.
• ABA will prepare cancellation notification(s) to your in force carrier(s) and submit them for signature once we have obtained a policy group number from the new carrier(s).

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Health Insurance - ABA offers PPO, POS, HMO, EPO, HRA, and MSA plans enabling us to customize a plan best suited to your needs. Dental Insurance – ABA offers PPO, Indemnity, and HMO plans enabling us to customize a plan just for your needs. Dental insurance can be offered on a voluntary or employer paid basis. Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment - ABA works with many life insurance carriers. We will customize a plan that best fits your needs. Life insurance can be offered on a voluntary or employer paid basis. Short Term & Long Term Disability Plans - ABA works with many quality Disability carriers. Disability benefits can be offered on a voluntary or employer paid basis with benefits customized to coincide with existing sick leave policies. Vision – ABA works with several carriers that provide quality vision plans. These plans can be offered on a voluntary or employer paid basis. COBRA and FMLA – ABA offers third party COBRA administration or software packages to assist in administering these federal laws. Section 125 - Section 125 plans can be provided for either a premium only plan or to include unreimbursed medical expenses and/or dependent childcare expenses. Voluntary Plans - A wide variety of voluntary plans can be offered to your employees through payroll deduction. These plans range from a simple accident policy to cancer policies, critical illness protection, etc

Ten Reasons Why Your Company Should Consider the Advantages of Arizona Benefits Authority, Inc. (ABA)

Arizona Benefits Authority, Inc. is one of the largest independent employee benefits consulting firms in Arizona, and we proudly produce innovative results for over 200 Arizona clients every year. As an independent consulting firmwe represent you, not the insurance company. Here a just a few reasons how our comprehensive services distinguishes Arizona Benefits Authority, Inc. from our competitors.

1. Providing Cost Effective Health, Dental, Life, Vision, and Disability benefits: ABA will review your current program and make recommendations to achieve the most benefit from your premium dollars. Our recommendations will compare benefits and costs of all alternative carriers in the marketplace.
2. Informing Employees: ABA provides the services you require so employees best utilize and understand their benefits. We are available for employee meetings and phone inquiries, - a tremendous assistance to your HR personnel. This reduces confusion, leads to informed decisions, and increases employees satisfaction with their company-provided benefits.
3. Resolving Problem Claims: Our staff will assist in processing any unresolved claims. Your employees will more productively utilize their time, be less frustrated, and are assured that claims are accurately reported for maximum financial benefits with this service.
4. Renewals: ABA provides (at each policy renewal or as needed) a review of your group benefits. This ongoing service addresses the dynamic needs of your company while monitoring the volatile health industry for you.
5. Independently Owned and Operated: At ABA, we are not just a division of some larger insurance agency where employees come and go. We pride ourselves in developing long-term relationships with our clients. When you call us, you will always be able to talk to the same person from year to year.
6. COBRA Administration: ABA offers their clients free OnQue COBRA software, free access to COBRA Aid an online COBRA resource for employers, or third party COBRA administration through Process Works.
7. Customized Employee Benefit Brochures: ABA will customize a tri-fold employee benefit brochure to distribute to current and potential employees. This brochure outlines information specific to your company and your company’s employee benefits.
8. Customized Employee Benefit Statements: ABA can provide you with customized employee benefit statements that outline the total cost of your benefit program to employees.
9. Customized Employee Benefit Websites: ABA will customize an employee benefit website that allows employees one stop access to all of their employees benefits including benefit summaries, applications, claim forms, SPD’s, provider directories, and more.
10. HR Subscription Service: ABA provides owners and managers with the tools needed to set up your own internal HR systems along with the personal support of a professional HR coach. All brokers and their staff are not the same. There are fundamental differences between insurance brokers. The “Ten” Reasons Why Your Company Should Consider the Advantages of Arizona Benefits Authority, Inc.” are only a few of the crucial areas that separate us from other brokers. We look forward to sharing with you all of the ways in which Arizona Benefits Authority, Inc. can assist you and your employees with effective solutions for your employee benefits needs.