Alera Group, Inc.

Las Vegas, NV

Formerly Distinctive Insurance

    About Us

    About Us

    Since 1990, Distinctive Insurance has provided insurance and employee benefits consulting services to Southern Nevada businesses.

    Distinctive was founded on the belief that a benefit and risk management firm should function as an arm of the company it represents. Distinctive strives to deliver tailored insurance solutions with thoughtful strategic planning, valuable professional services, and technology-based resources.

    In 2018, Distinctive joined Alera Group, one of the nation’s top 15 largest independent insurance agencies and one of the top 10 largest privately held benefits firms.

    The Alera Group comprises over 80 firms and serves thousands of clients nationwide.  This national presence allows Distinctive  to provide employee benefits, property and casualty, and wealth management services with the resources, technical expertise and best practices of a larger national firm.
    Our Team

    Meet Our Team

    Jonathan Johnson

    Managing Partner
    Jonathan Johnson

    Jonathan is a seasoned Group Benefits Producer with over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, specializing in delivering comprehensive benefits solutions for businesses. Based in Las Vegas, Jonathan has earned a reputation as a trusted advisor and an industry leader, guiding organizations through the complexities of employee benefits.

    His career began with an insurance carrier, where he developed a deep commitment to understanding clients' needs and creating innovative insurance strategies to meet them. As a former owner of Distinctive Insurance, a well-known agency in the Las Vegas community, Jonathan has continually empowered businesses of all sizes to make informed decisions that align with their goals and budgets.

    Jonathan’s collaborative approach fosters strong, lasting relationships with clients, built on trust and transparency. He is dedicated to helping businesses navigate the ever-changing landscape of group benefits with confidence and clarity.

    Outside of work, Jonathan is happily married and the proud father of five children. He is deeply involved in his community and church, and he loves attending Dodgers games and spending time with his family at the beach.

    Amanda Armstrong

    Account Coordinator
    Amanda Armstrong

    Amanda Armstrong, Account Coordinator

    Damari Bermudez

    Account Manager
    Damari Bermudez

    Damari Bermudez has 30 years of experience in the Health Insurance Industry, beginning her career as a Member Services at Health Plan of Nevada/ Sierra Health and Life. She has been with Alera Group | Las Vegas for the past 4 months and enjoys helping all clients. She thinks outside the box and is a problem solver. Her attention to detail is one of her many strong points. She is quick to respond to all issues and her response time is what set her aside from her competitors. Customer Service is very important to her and wants to make sure all clients are treated with kindness, urgency, and professionalism. Senior Professional Customer Service with over 30years in servicing the insurance claims processing industry, dependable interpersonal skills. Service experience supporting business groups while ensuring outstanding customer service and prompt issue resolution has followed her career. Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills with developed training and development experience.

    Damari is Bi-Lingual Spanish and English and loves spending time with her family and friends. She loves volunteering at the homeless shelters.

    Received The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of Cf Courtesy Award in 1998 & 2000.

    Resources

    Resources

    Portal Resources

    Alera Group NV Client Portal

    EXPERT EDUCATION

    Events and Webinars

    Employee Benefits

    Maximizing Impact: The Value of Voluntary Benefits for Today’s Workforce

    In this session, our experts will showcase the value of voluntary benefits, from financial savings to improved retention to addressing the specific needs of their employees.

    March 20, 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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    Studies have shown that good pay alone is not enough to keep excellent employees. Employers have to furnish employees with competitive benefit packages as well, and that is where Distinctive Insurance comes in.
    Distinctive Insurance has been an invaluable member of our team as we have grown from two employees to twenty-two over the past seven years. I’m happy to say that the team at Distinctive Insurance doesn’t quit working for you once the policy has been sold. As our needs have changed over the years, Distinctive has continually evaluated our policies and advised us how best to spend our benefit dollars.
    In addition, they have been helpful in assisting me with other human resource issues, such as employee handbooks, interview questions, employee evaluations, and more. The staff is always cheerful and prompt in dealing with the day-to-day issues that arise, such as obtaining insurance cards, adding employees to our policies, or implementing changes to existing policies, etc. It is without reservation that I recommend Distinctive Insurance.
    Alice O’Hearn Bailey Kennedy, LLP
    Our company has worked with Distinctive Insurance since 2002. We have worked with many brokers over the years, but hands down Distinctive has been the best. Their services go far beyond our insurance needs and they are always prompt to handle our questions and requests.
    Every year Distinctive helps simplify our open enrollment process. They help with auditing, enrollment meetings, individual meetings and the paperwork process.
    Most recently we have been able to experience with great satisfaction the seminars they are offering. Their seminars have proven to be very informative and interesting. The speakers are well organized and informed and the written materials are a great tool to take back to the office in implementing changes.
    I would highly recommend Distinctive Insurance to anyone. Their staff is friendly, quick to respond and very knowledgeable. We hope to utilize more of what they have to offer as they are ever expanding their services to clients. We look forward to a long working relationship with them.
    Lydia Guderjahn Children’s Heart Center
    I am a personal Representative for my brother’s estate. I want to thank Distinctive for all that they did in regards to handling Jim’s medical insurance issues. Without their efforts, Jim’s estate would have been wiped out, and his heirs would have been left without anything.
    Jim had experienced several years of extensive illness and had exhausted his lifetime maximum on his health insurance policy. As a result of your tenacious efforts working with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, the insurance company agreed to lift the lifetime cap, and was able to receive the health care that he needed.
    Distinctive spent several months working with the health care providers and insurance company, to keep the dialogue open so that over $10M of medical claims were resolved. Jim’s estate is grateful to Anthem for their compassion in dealing with his medical claims, both Distinctive and Anthem, have demonstrated a high level of professionalism in settling these medical claims.
    It has been a pleasure working with Distinctive Insurance. You are true insurance professionals who have demonstrated that you have made a significant difference in the lives of Jim’s heirs.
    Jim’s medical insurance issues
    Distinctive Insurance has provided my company with outstanding service over the past 5 years. We have recently moved all of our insurance policies over to them and the transition was a very smooth process. Everyone at the office is very helpful – Distinctive Insurance always provides superb customer service!! I highly recommend Distinctive Insurance for all your insurance needs.
    Superb Customer Service

    THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

    Insights

    Employee Benefits

    The Market for Employee Benefits in 2025

    Join Alera Group on January 16 from 1-2 p.m. CT as we highlight the key findings in our "2025 Employee Benefits Market Outlook" and discuss how trends in employee benefits may affect your business' offerings. The insights we’ll share and the questions we’ll answer will help you determine your benefits strategy for the months ahead.

    January 6, 2025

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    Employee Benefits

    New ACA-Related Laws Provide More Flexibility to Employers

    On Monday, December 23, 2024, President Biden signed into law two bills, H.R. 3797 (the Paperwork Reduction Act) and H.R. 3801 (the Employer Reporting Improvement Act), which will positively impact applicable large employers (ALEs) and other entities required to furnish Forms 1095-B or 1095-C to individuals.

    January 2, 2025

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    Employee Benefits

    State of the Market for Employee Benefits in 2025

    What are the needs and priorities of those in the workforce and the employment market? What are rival businesses offering to attract and retain the best the market has to offer? And what shifts are taking place in the market that employers should anticipate and prepare for? Alera Group’s 2025 Employee Benefits Market Outlook, scheduled for release on January 16, provides answers to those essential questions.

    December 19, 2024

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    Employee Benefits

    IRS Releases PCORI Fee For Plan Years Ending Before October 1, 2025

    The IRS has released Notice 2024-83, which sets the applicable PCORI fee for plan years ending between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, at $3.47 per covered life.

    December 12, 2024

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