Digital Benefit Advisors Strengthens N.C. Footprint with New Partnerships; Enrolls Thousands of Members in Digital Benefits Marketplace

Digital Benefit Advisors (DBA) in North Carolina (digitalbenefitadvisors.com) has significantly increased its market share through a recent acquisition, two new partnerships and by enrolling thousands in its private exchange, Digital Benefits Marketplace. DBA is the leading division of Digital Insurance (digitalinsurance.com), the nation's largest and most technologically advanced employee benefits-only agency. The company acquired Forrester & Associates Insurance, one of the Triangle area’s leading employee benefits firms, and established partnerships as the exclusive benefits provider with Raleigh-based First Citizens Bank and Watkins Financial Group.

Forrester & Associates, led by Victoria Thomas, now operates under the DBA banner, a growing division of Digital with 23 offices across the country, including those in Raleigh, Durham and Charlotte, N.C. Watkins Financial Group, led by Edward Watkins, and First Citizens Insurance Services, led by Bill Fryer, are working together with Digital to provide their clients with enhanced capabilities and resources.

“Our Raleigh office, under Wally Dawson’s leadership, has made significant strides, providing innovative benefits solutions to employers and their employees, handling their diverse needs in today’s complex healthcare environment,” says Mike Sullivan, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Digital Insurance. “Acquiring Forrester and partnering with Watkins and First Citizens reflects our aggressive growth strategy and focus on executing and delivering on our customers’ behalf.”

“We’re experiencing a huge momentum in growth this year,” says Wally Dawson, managing principal of DBA, Raleigh. “A combination of factors has created an environment enabling us to provide valuable, effective assistance to employers and employees alike.”

Elements contributing to the firm’s success include innovative solutions and services that appeal to employers and potential business partners. “Digital is recognized for being at the forefront; we’ve built our business by staying ahead of -- rather than merely keeping up with -- industry trends,” adds Sullivan.

DBA introduced Digital Benefits Marketplace (digitalbenefitsmarketplace.com) last October, and the concept caught fire with North Carolina businesses striving to find alternatives to address rising benefits costs. This approach enables employers to fix costs through a defined contribution and provides greater choice for employees, allowing members to choose the benefits they personally want and need. More than 2,000 members have enrolled throughout the state, and 60-plus companies are evaluating the exchange as an option for 2015.

“We’re gaining a significant amount of traction through referrals,” says Dawson. “A domino effect seems to be in play. As one company signs up, family members of enrollees are so impressed that they suggest our private exchange to their own employers.”

“Digital Benefits Marketplace provides a consumer experience like no other exchange,” adds Dawson. “Regardless of a company’s size, employees have access to knowledgeable customer service representatives by phone or via online chat who guide individuals and their families through the enrollment process. In addition, we offer a variety of health plans, as well as ancillary and voluntary benefits, such as life, disability, accident, critical illness, long-term care, dental and vision insurance. These distinct advantages set our exchange apart from the others.”

“In addition to expanding our firm’s client base through our private marketplace, our latest acquisition and new partnerships will further strengthen Digital’s presence throughout the state,” says Dawson.

“The expansive breadth of resources and Digital’s technology capabilities are extremely impressive and difficult to match,” says Thomas, formerly president and CEO of Forrester Insurance and currently a DBA principal. “Our customers now have direct access to the most up-to-date information about healthcare legislation and, in addition, can take advantage of the company’s compliance and legal support, which is invaluable.”

First Citizens Bank, headquartered in Raleigh with 400 branches in 17 states and Washington, D.C., has selected DBA as a partner to offer comprehensive insurance options and benefit programs for employers and individuals in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Watkins Financial Group president, Edward Watkins, offers additional perspective. “During the past 30 years, client relationships have always been at the root of our firm’s success and one of the main reasons we chose to partner with DBA,” he explains. “The opportunity to continue servicing our employee benefits clients with whom we’ve built long-term relationships, combined with Digital’s superior platform and competitive leadership made the decision to align with Digital quite simple.”

The DBA network combines the commitment of experienced, local market advisors with the sophisticated technology and resources of a respected national company. The North Carolina offices of DBA provide clients access to a broader variety of carriers, dynamic tools, proprietary products and the company’s private exchange solution.

About Digital Insurance

Digital Insurance (digitalinsurance.com) is the largest, most technologically advanced employee benefits-only agency in the United States. Distinguished by its focus on innovation and education, the company creates greater value for employers and inspires individuals to become more engaged healthcare consumers. Its largest division, Digital Benefit Advisors (digitalbenefitadvisors.com), is a national network of experienced, local market experts who deliver expanded offerings to businesses and organizations. A subsidiary of Fidelity National Financial (NYSE: FNF), Digital serves more than 26,000 companies, partners with 275 leading industry businesses and manages more than $2 billion in premiums.