About Us
CA Insurance Lic# 0B89320
Founded in 1983, PWA Insurance Services has been providing quality services to the region’s businesses by focusing on finding the right solutions that meet our clients’ needs. PWA’s team of professional advisors has more than 139 years of combined knowledge, expertise, and innovation working with business owners in designing and managing employee benefits programs, payroll services, and human resources information systems. We provide fully integrated, high-level, personalized services to help your business grow and thrive.
Our Team: Trusted. Smart. Passionate
PWA and its employees are dedicated to giving outstanding service and advice to our clients. We firmly believe:
“Quality is what we deliver, our services deliver value and our people add value. We want to be your collaborator as our loyalty is to you and our mission is your success.”
Our Mission is to always focus on doing the ‘right thing’ for our clients while striving hard to accomplish the role of a responsible citizen in the community we serve. With an emphasis on collaboration and teamwork, we create unique solutions that are the right fit for the distinctive needs of our clients. We believe in open communication between clients and staff members, where being readily available and honest is key to producing long-term success.
Our Presence
As a founding firm of Alera Group, a national entity with over 1,800 employees serving thousands of clients with industry-leading solutions from experts across the country. Our clients benefit from the expertise and resources of a large national firm, while still maintaining the advantages of local service and relationships.
Become Stronger with Alera Group from Alera Group on Vimeo.
Meet Our Team
Jeff Turner
Managing Partner, Employee Benefits Consultant
Jeff is the Managing Partner and co-founder at Alera Group (Formerly PWA Insurance Services). As a business owner, Jeff understands the entrepreneurial spirit. He knows what it takes to run a successful business with its challenges and rewards.
His knowledge and experience brings a much-needed leader to solve the complexities and challenges in providing health care in today's employer health market. Working closely with Owners, C-suite Executives, HR Managers, Executive Director and Board Members in creating affordable and cost-effective benefit and wellness programs.
His mission is to educate and empower employers with the right tools and resources to minimize and mitigate the risk associated with healthcare. A strong advocate for changing the delivery of healthcare in America through next-generation solutions, technology, transparency, and education to improve the lives and health of employees. Listen to Jeff's Benefits in Brief Podcast.
Book a Meeting with JeffKatelyn (Katie) Magana
Marketing Coordinator and Communications, West Region Marketing Liaison
Katelyn (Katie) Magana joined Alera Group in 2018 as a part-time marketing student and quickly demonstrated her capabilities and dedication. After graduating from Sacramento State University with a bachelor’s in business, with a concentration in Marketing, she became a permanent member of the team.
As a Marketing Coordinator, Katie's day-to-day responsibilities include email marketing, social media management, event planning, video production, and content creation. Her expertise and creativity in these areas have significantly contributed to the company's marketing efforts.
In 2024, Katie advanced to the role of Alera Group's West Region Marketing Liaison, where she assists over 650 employees with their marketing needs. Her role is pivotal in ensuring cohesive and effective marketing strategies across the region, reflecting her commitment to excellence and her passion for marketing.
Merrisa Walker
Account Manager
Merrisa Walker is an experienced Account Manager at Alera Group, having joined the company in 2017. With over a decade of experience in the insurance and financial services industry, Merrisa has established herself as a knowledgeable and reliable professional in her field.
Merrisa is a licensed insurance agent in the State of California, bringing a high level of expertise and regulatory understanding to her role. Her extensive experience equips her with the skills necessary to provide exceptional service and tailored solutions to meet her clients' diverse needs.
At Alera Group, Merrisa's role involves managing client accounts with a focus on delivering strategic and effective solutions. Her background and proficiency in the industry ensure that she remains a valuable asset to both her clients and the organization.
Resources
Top Resources:
Other Resources:
Compliance Resources
- Compliance Assistance Guide to Providing Participant Notices
- Complete Guide to HSAs
- DOL Audit Checklist
- DOL EBSA HIPAA Self Audit Tool
- FAQ: ERISA Fiselity Bonds
- Fiduciary Responsibilities for Employer Group Benefits Plans
Employee Wellness Resources
- Mental Health Toolkit
- Dealing with Holiday Stress
- Hydration in the workplace
- Hydration poster
- Simple Reminders for Healthy Weight Loss
- Stress Management
- Understanding your Orthadontia Benefits
- Wellness/Employee Benefits Speaker Topics
Benchmark Reports & Whitepapers
Employee Resources
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Employee Benefits
HIPAA Privacy and Security Overview
Join our compliance experts for an overview of HIPAA’s Privacy and Security Rules. During this webinar, we'll review the different types of entities subject to HIPAA, take an in-depth look at protected health information (PHI), individual rights under HIPAA and what to do when there is a breach of PHI.
April 11, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Balancing Cost and Care: Could a Captive solution be the right fit for you?
In this session, our experts will discuss how Captive solutions work and what you need to consider for your own group’s needs.
April 17, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Q2 2025 Quarterly Compliance Webinar
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
May 6, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Property and Casualty
5 Steps to a Lower Workers’ Compensation Mod
Understanding how your Workers' Compensation Insurance premium is calculated can help you manage costs more effectively. One of the primary factors in determining your premium is your experience modification factor — the number that reflects your company’s claims history and directly determines what you pay.
March 13, 2025
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Employee Benefits
Getting the Most From Your Voluntary Benefit Offerings
Join Alera Group on Thursday, March 20, as we present the next in our Engage series of webinars, "Maximizing Impact: The Value of Voluntary Benefits for Today’s Workforce."
March 6, 2025
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Employee Benefits
Building Connections To Support Employee Mental Health
Mental Health Awareness Month begins in May, but to emphasize mental wellbeing as a year-round priority, Alera Group is getting an early start on distributing our new Mental Health Awareness Toolkit. Designed and refined by our Wellbeing team, the Toolkit is an employer resource to help you and your employees adopt healthy activities, build social connections and erode stigmas that have long hampered discussion of mental health.
March 4, 2025
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Weighty Matter: Obesity, GLP-1s and the Rising Cost of Healthcare
Obesity and health problems associated with it — including heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, several types of cancer, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and more — are primary factors that must be considered as employers seek to contain healthcare costs for their employers, as well as for themselves.
February 26, 2025
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