About Us

    Since 1987 you may have known us as AIA, or American Insurance Administrators, or as one of our three core divisions: AIA Property & Casualty (P&C), Benefits Resource Group (BRG), or as Benefits Broker Solutions (BBS). You may have heard something about us becoming part of Alera Group in 2017. But we are all one company, and now we are aligning our name, our brand, our new look, and our new website to reflect that strong one-company story.

     

    Work With Us

    We are passionate about collaboration and growth. Enjoy working in a highly collaborative culture? Looking for an exciting environment that is constantly growing and improving? If you care about providing outstanding client service while serving local communities, then we may be looking for you.

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    Meet Our Team

    Julie Cave

    SVP and Regional Employee Benefits Practice Leader, Mid-Atlantic
    Julie Cave

    As Regional Practice Leader, Julie provides oversight for Employee Benefits (EB) across all Mid-Atlantic regional offices. With 15+ years of industry experience, Julie brings unique expertise in HR technology, compliance, PPACA consulting, and small and large group benefits. She excels in fostering strong relationships with regional carriers and vendor partners, ensuring optimal outcomes for Alera Group clients.

    As a strategic leader, Julie guides the direction and support of EB services, guaranteeing exceptional solutions for Alera Group  Mid-Atlantic clients. Her extensive knowledge and understanding of industry intricacies enable her to navigate compliance requirements and tailor offerings to meet diverse needs. Julie’s ability to foster partnerships enhances the value delivered to clients, ensuring top-notch service in all aspects of Employee Benefits.

    Chris Wert

    Managing Partner
    Chris Wert

    Chris is Managing Partner of the Alera Group, Harrisburg office and is a specialist in Risk Management and Property & Casualty insurance.  In this role, he works closely with business owners and non-profit leaders to create and operate sustainable risk management and insurance programs. Working with clients of all sizes and classes, Chris is able to incorporate best practices from multiple industry segments for the benefit of his customers.

    Chris joined the team as a Producer in 2011.  Prior to coming to the agency he worked for Penn National Insurance as a Commercial Underwriter.  This experience allows Chris to provide unique insight to his customers as to how insurance carriers process, analyze, evaluate, and compete for an organization’s insurance work.  By anticipating carrier concerns and working with both carrier and customer to partner with one another for a common goal, he has come up with creative solutions for difficult and complex placements.

    Chris earned his B.S. in Marketing from Penn State’s Smeal College of Business and holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation as well as an Associate in Risk Management with a Focus on Enterprise Risk Management (ARM-E).

    In his free time Chris enjoys spending time with his fiancé Laura, is an avid skier, a devoted Penn State Football and Wrestling Fan, as well as a (very) novice but enthusiastic fly-fisherman.

    Brenda Acker

    Accounting Manager
    Brenda Acker

    Brenda is the Accounting Manager for the Mechanicsburg office and the HR Manager for our Property & Casualty division. Prior to her joining our team in 2013, she was the VP of Operations and HR Manager in the insurance division of a well-known bank. Her knowledge, professionalism, and keen attention to detail lends to a positive client and employee experience.

    Brenda received her Management certification from Messiah College. When she is not working, Brenda enjoys spending time with her family and friends and is an avid golfer.

    Taylor Baldwin

    Marketing Manager, Small Business Unit
    Taylor Baldwin

    Taylor Baldwin is a Marketing Manager who collaborates with the Harrisburg team, and agency partners to present products and offerings to potential clients – specifically small businesses. Taylor knows how difficult owning a small business can be and works hard to share and create the best educational resources. Through webinars and educational series, he strives to make it easy for busy small business owners to learn what insurance and human resources challenges they need to troubleshoot – and directs them to the right Small Business Unit team member to solve those problems.

    Taylor holds a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Music Business from Lebanon Valley College. Outside of work, he loves spending time with his family and friends and being outside with his dog Finn. His passion for music has always been with him, and he enjoys teaching local high school marching bands as well as performing with the Philadelphia Eagles drumline.

    EXPERT EDUCATION

    Events and Webinars

    Employee Benefits

    Setting Your Strategy for the New Year: Alera Group's 2025 Employee Benefits Market Outlook

    Our experts will highlight key results from Alera Group’s "2025 Employee Benefits Market Outlook" and explain how these trends can impact your benefits program this year.

    January 16, 2025 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual

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    Employee Benefits

    The Value of Voluntary Benefits

    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 Captive Insurance Be the Solution?

    In this session, our experts will discuss how Captive Insurance works 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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    THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

    Insights

    Property and Casualty

    It’s Here! — Alera Group’s Fifth Annual 'Property and Casualty Market Outlook'

    Alera Group's "2025 Property and Casualty Market Outlook" is your guide to making informed decisions regarding your business and personal insurance coverage.

    December 12, 2024

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    Employee Benefits

    Don’t Forget About Your Gag Clause Attestations

    When the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA) was enacted on December 27, 2020, it included a provision that prohibits group health plans and health insurance carriers from entering into certain agreements that, either directly or indirectly, restrict the release of certain information related to provider networks and de-identified encounter data, among other things. Such restrictions are commonly referred to as “gag clauses.” The CAA also requires plans and carriers to attest annually that their agreements do not include such impermissible gag clauses.

    November 20, 2024

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    Employee Benefits

    Avoiding an Employee Lawsuit Over a Tobacco Surcharge Claim

    Tobacco surcharges on health insurance premiums for employees who use tobacco products are attractive options for employers looking to keep their workforce healthy while lowering their organization’s healthcare costs. But surcharges can go too far, and many employers may be unaware of the limitations. Alera Group's new whitepaper on tobacco surcharges is designed to assist employers in complying with federal regulations.

    November 19, 2024

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    Employee Benefits

    Q4 Considerations: New HIPAA Privacy Considerations

    Earlier this year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a Final Rule titled HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy.

    November 15, 2024

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