Lutherville-Timonium, MD
About Us
Since 1999, SIG, an employee benefits firm, has been dedicated to partnering with our clients and providing exceptional customer service. The inspirational basis for our operating business principles is: “If you take care of Baltimore, Baltimore will take care of you.” This philosophy has instilled itself in our culture and practice of all employees. SIG has years of industry experience, which has given us an edge over the competition in the vast wealth of knowledge and resources we have gathered. Our employees are passionate about helping and forming long-lasting relationships with others, and when you partner with us, we become a true extension of your company.
In 2017, SIG and 23 other like- minded, entrepreneurial firms came together to form Alera Group. Since then, Alera Group has grown to become the 11th largest independent insurance and financial services firm in the nation with over 4,000 employees, 180 firms, and thousands of clients across the country.
In 2023, we officially began embracing the Alera Group brand. What remains consistent is holding our clients at the core of our business; we focus on bringing personalized solutions, expanding our capabilities, and deepening our resources nationally.
Mission
We go the extra mile to help navigate the healthcare system and marketplace for our clients in order to advise them on the creation of comprehensive benefits plans that align with their core values to maximize their investment while controlling their costs. Our team-oriented approach allows us to become an extension of our clients’ HR departments. Through our vast knowledge and resource base, we keep our clients educated and well informed with the ever-changing healthcare regulations and marketplace.
Core Values
In order to create the organizational culture we desire, we embrace and embody the following core values:
- Partnership
- Integrity
- Creativity
- Flexibility
- Passion
- Collaboration
- Excellence
Meet Our Team
People you can count on. People you can trust.
Jennifer Angelilli
Senior Account Coordinator
Jennifer joined the firm in September 2021 as an Account Coordinator. In her role, she works closely with the Account Management team in all aspects of customer service including claims resolution, answering employee benefit inquiries, audits, proposals, open enrollment and day-to-day support. Jennifer has been working in the insurance industry for twenty plus years and began her career working on the carrier side of the business, with both domestic and international insurance and then gained experience working on the TPA side of the business for both fully insured and self-insured TPAs.
Theresa Antkowiak-Tassone
Senior Account Coordinator
Theresa joined the firm in 2019 and is a Senior Account Coordinator. In her role she assists the Self-Funded Department with all aspects of customer service, including proposals, audits, renewals, client collateral and day-to-day support. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Economics from Goucher College as well as a Health and Life license.
Kelli Argo
Senior Account Coordinator
Kelli joined the firm in 2022 as a Senior Account Coordinator. In her role she assists Account Managers by helping clients with claim issues, open enrollment, renewals, and basically anything that falls within the scope of customer service and day-to-day support. She truly loves helping people and has worked in many areas of the insurance business over the last 12 years, including State Farm Insurance where she helped individuals with their insurance needs. Kelli then worked for a TPA in both the benefits and payroll divisions before switching over to the broker side of group benefits in 2017. She earned a BA in English from the University of Delaware, where she also minored in Spanish, and she holds her P&C and L&H licenses.
Kat Ashdown
Senior Communications Specialist
Kat joined the firm in 2013 and is the Senior Communications Specialist for the Self-Funded team. Previously a Senior Account Coordinator, she now offers valuable support to large group clients in all areas of employee communications. She is responsible for the development and customization of open enrollment materials, flyers, personalized benefit brochures, wellness campaigns, and a variety of other employee communication pieces. Kat serves on the Culture Committee, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Eastern University, as well as a Life and Health license.
Community Service
Paying it Forward is a core component at our firm. Our culture thrives on community involvement where we proudly support our clients, employees and the communities in which we live and work.
We empower our employees to “pay it forward” by fostering a sense of purpose and providing opportunities for impact in our community. One way we do this is by supporting causes and initiatives proposed by our team and providing opportunities to serve the
We empower our employees to “pay it forward” by fostering a sense of purpose and providing opportunities for impact in our community. One way we do this is by supporting causes and initiatives proposed by our team and providing opportunities to serve the wider world. We believe having a culture that encourages serving and giving is a significant contributor to life and career fulfillment, which enhances our overall wellbeing. With the help from our Culture Committee, we have the opportunity to serve our community together with multiple planned events each year.
We strive to creating lasting relationships with our clients. We are proud to support our clients and friends of the firm in their mission and their organizations that help create meaningful, lasting change in our community. Interested in us serving your
We strive to creating lasting relationships with our clients. We are proud to support our clients and friends of the firm in their mission and their organizations that help create meaningful, lasting change in our community.
Interested in us serving your non-profit or organization? Reach out and let us know! Email us here
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Employee Benefits
Q2 Compliance Update
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
June 4, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Optimize Your Benefits: A Three-Pronged Approach
Want to lower healthcare costs and enrich your benefits program at the same time? If so, this webinar is for you.
June 20, 2024 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
[Alera Engage] Benchmarking for the Win: How Does Your Benefits Program Rate?
Ask our clients about the No.1 tool that helps them develop an impactful benefits program, and they'll tell you is benchmarking.
July 18, 2024 at 02:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
The importance of women’s health concerns in employee benefits design
Women’s Health Month 2024 coincides with jarring controversy and growing concern over challenges and inequities regarding women’s health in general and one area in particular: maternal health. Alera Group's May 16 webinar will focus on how employer can offer solutions through their employee benefits program.
May 1, 2024
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Employee Benefits
This Mental Health Awareness Month, ‘Run Your Own Race’
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Here are tips and resources to help you get started on the route to a happier, healthier you.
April 25, 2024
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Q1 Considerations: Affordability for Applicable Large Employers
Under the ACA, Applicable Large Employers (ALEs) are required to offer “affordable” medical coverage to full-time employees or be subject to a fine. In September 2023, the IRS announced that the 2024 affordability percentage would reduce from the 2023 rate of 9.12% to 8.39% as of January 1, 2024. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has just released the 2024 Federal Poverty Level (FPL) amounts, with an increase of 3.3%.
April 23, 2024
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Three Key Considerations for Large Employers
Early in the year is the time for employers who are approaching or over 50 employees to document and update the “key components” of being a larger employer, to ensure that no compliance obligation is missed. st of an unpublished page.
April 23, 2024
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