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in Employee Benefits

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We design and implement innovative corporate healthcare plans that lower your costs, while our compliance expertise keeps your health plan worry-free.

Advanced Benefit Strategies of Virginia Merged with Choice Insurance Agency

Advanced Benefit Strategies of Virginia Merged with Choice Insurance Agency and Founder Gregg Kennerly Named AVP of Health & Benefits

Virginia Beach, Virginia, May 19, 2021 — Advanced Benefit Strategies of Virginia (ABS), an insurance agency providing health benefit plans and medicare programs to both businesses and individuals, merged with Choice Insurance Agency’s Life, Health & Employee Benefits department.

ABS’s founder and principal agent, Gregg Kennerly, joined the Choice team as AVP of Health & Benefits.

ABS previously served clients state-wide, with the majority in Hampton Roads.

It designed and implemented corporate healthcare plans for hundreds of businesses while providing access and resources to ensure compliance with current laws and healthcare regulations. It also offered individual and senior healthcare plans.

“The ABS team is known for the individualized attention we give each of our clients,” said Kennerly. “With the support of over 100 team members at Choice, we have the bandwidth to provide an even more personalized experience for our clients – and that excites me.”

For Kennerly, another deciding factor to pursue the merger with Choice was the opportunity to provide additional insurance experts. “As an employee benefits agency, we stayed focused on our product lines. However, there are many other important coverages that businesses need to protect their assets. As part of Choice, we have the opportunity to guide our clients to those resources,” he said.

The president of Choice, Richard Braun, is confident that the wealth of knowledge and experience from the entire ABS team complements the rapid growth of the Choice Life & Health department.

“Companies need their employee benefits open enrollment to be less of a disruption to their business,” said Braun. We use tools and technology that help make that happen, and our clients find that their team has less trouble and confusion during the open enrollment process.”

We know that buying insurance can be confusing. That is why Choice Insurance Agency’s trusted advisors are fueled by our desire to help our clients get the “right coverage at the best price” and to provide insurance solutions that increase financial security. Offering our clients access to over 100 “A-rated” insurance carriers, our companies provide insurance solutions to individuals and businesses that include personal insurance, business insurance, health and employee benefits plans, and life insurance coverage. Headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia, we offer insurance solutions for the majority of the Eastern Seaboard ranging from New Jersey to Florida.

Innovative Approaches

We are passionate about exploring every avenue and tool available to help our clients reach their goals for their benefit plans. We adapt “National Accounts” strategies for the small to medium employer market.

We utilize self-funding, level funding, wellness, and focused communication to help employees understand how to lower costs for themselves and for you as their employer.

Innovative Approaches

We utilize self-funding, level funding, wellness, and focused communication to help employees understand how to lower costs for themselves and for you as their employer.

We Have 10+ Years of

HAPPY Clients

“If you own a business and are looking for a benefits broker, READ THIS.”

“I am an employee of a small firm. I do not own the business or make decisions about benefit brokers. I was recently diagnosed with a very serious life-threatening illness. Immediately, Gregg and his team stepped in and offered personal service to help me navigate the system and find the best options for treatment.

My appreciation at that point could not be expressed in words. I was a stranger to them and them to me other than my company using them to buy group health insurance. They spent time and money to help me. After a series of consults at a world renowned University Hospital, I was feeling better about the future and was ready to start a course of treatment.

Then came the bills. The claims were denied. The Hospital billed my insurance company incorrectly at a time of great duress and I owed over $7,000. The treatment I was planning on was in jeopardy. And, how would I pay $7,000?

I called Gregg who had Karen help me with the problem. Two days later I owed $160. They went above and beyond. I believe that this is a value offered by ABS of VA that transcends the health insurance product as a commodity. The value they offer is expertise, care, insight and integrity.

You can’t put a price on that. ABS of VA cares about the companies and people they serve. If you are an employer who regards the health of their employees as important; if you care about your team and their health, you should work with these folks at ABS of VA. I have nothing but the highest praise for ABS of VA, Gregg Kennerly and Karen Bolstad.”

– Glen K.

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We Have 10+ Years of

HAPPY CLIENTS

“If you own a business and are looking for a benefits broker, READ THIS.”

I am an employee of a small firm. I do not own the business or make decisions about benefit brokers. I was recently diagnosed with a very serious life-threatening illness.

Immediately, Gregg and his team stepped in and offered personal service to help me navigate the system and find the best options for treatment.

After a series of consults at a world renowned University Hospital, I was feeling better about the future and was ready to start a course of treatment.

The value they offer is expertise, care, insight and integrity.

I have nothing but the highest praise for ABS of VA, Gregg Kennerly and Karen Bolstad.”

– Glen K.

Get Started

WE HAVE 10+ YEARS OF

HAPPY CLIENTS

“If you own a business and are looking for a benefits broker, READ THIS.”

I am an employee of a small firm. I do not own the business or make decisions about benefit brokers. I was recently diagnosed with a very serious life-threatening illness.

Immediately, Gregg and his team stepped in and offered personal service to help me navigate the system and find the best options for treatment.

After a series of consults at a world renowned University Hospital, I was feeling better about the future and was ready to start a course of treatment.

Then came the bills. The claims were denied. The Hospital billed my insurance company incorrectly at a time of great duress and I owed over $7,000.

The treatment I was planning on was in jeopardy. And, how would I pay $7,000?

I called Gregg who had Karen help me with the problem. Two days later I owed $160.

They went above and beyond. I believe that this is a value offered by ABS of VA that transcends the health insurance product as a commodity.

The value they offer is expertise, care, insight and integrity.

You can’t put a price on that. ABS of VA cares about the companies and people they serve.

If you are an employer who regards the health of their employees as important; if you care about your team and their health, you should work with these folks at ABS of VA.

I have nothing but the highest praise for ABS of VA, Gregg Kennerly and Karen Bolstad.”

– Glen K.

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Local Expert Advisers

We are your advocates and advisers in the market. We provide advice and guidance that is in the best interest of our clients. Our goal is to provide benefits to your employees in the most cost-effective way possible… NOT to sell you insurance.

We consult with you and listen to the goals you have for your business and work within that framework to provide solutions. We are local in Virginia, and provide local solutions that suit your specific location and industry.

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Account Service

Benefits administration isn’t easy for most businesses. ABS has invested heavily in finding and hiring the best, most knowledgeable account managers in the region to give you the best local service experience in the market. You will never reach a phone tree directing you to a person you don’t know.

Our Account managers have over 40 years of combined experience, and will be onsite with you and your employees as often as it takes to get things right for you, our client. You will get to know them, and they will know what is important to you as an employer. We handle all ongoing service for our clients such as: billing, enrollment, claims, and compliance.

Account Service

Technology

There is a revolution in HR and benefits administration technology, and ABS has a suite of web-based solutions to offer our clients. From an online HR library portal, to client-branded HR administration websites, ABS can get your company on the road to increased efficiency and employee satisfaction.