Chicago's Linden Group Health Services Joins Digital Benefit Advisors; Now Ranks as Digital's Largest Market

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Linden Group Health Services has joined Digital Benefit Advisors (DBA) (digitalbenefitadvisors.com), the nationwide advisor division of Digital Insurance, the country's largest employee benefits-only company. Digital acquired the leading Chicago firm, which specializes in innovative group benefits solutions for small to mid-sized companies, and will open a second DBA office in Chicago, increasing the number of DBA locations across the country to 22. Managing Principals Steve Van Spankeren and John Kann, along with their entire 35-member team, aligned with DBA to provide clients expanded offerings and enhanced support.

“Aligning with a well-respected firm such as Linden Group is indicative of our continued focus on building strategic thinking teams across the country,” says Mike Sullivan, executive vice president of DBA and chief marketing officer of Digital Insurance. “Adding Steve, John and their talented team of benefits professionals to our expanding DBA network strengthens our foothold in the Chicago area and reshapes the employee benefits landscape for small and mid-sized employers throughout the region.”

The DBA network combines the commitment of experienced, local market advisors with the sophisticated technology and resources of a leading national company. Clients gain access to a broader variety of carriers, dynamic tools, proprietary products and the company's private exchange solution -- Digital Benefits Marketplace (digitalbenefitsmarketplace.com), which was introduced last October. The approach enables employers to fix costs through a defined contribution and provides greater choice for employees, allowing members to select the benefits they want and need.

“Digital was a perfect fit for us,” explains Van Spankeren, co-managing principal of DBA's Metro Chicago office. “The company provided a cultural fit, which was a key component in our alignment decision. While we will continue maintaining the successful relationships we've built over the past 25 years with hundreds of clients, we're now armed with vastly expanded resources and unparalleled capabilities to provide much greater value.”

“Being a part of Digital puts us in a unique position, enabling our team to offer innovative services and deliver support to our clients and their employees,” adds Kann, co-managing principal. “We've virtually gone from a 35-person local firm to being an affiliate of a 600-employee, best-in-class benefits company with a growing national footprint. Our enhanced capabilities now allow us to provide clients access to resources typically reserved for larger companies, including compliance, legal and plan analytics.”

About Linden Group Health Services

Established in 1988, Linden Group Health Services (lindengrouphealth.com) specializes in innovative group benefits solutions for small to mid-sized companies. One of Chicago's largest employee benefits firms, Linden services more than 600 clients and specializes in a variety of niche industries including fire protection districts, manufacturing, municipalities and housing authorities, non-profits, professional service firms and schools. Superior customer service is the hallmark of Linden's decades of success and attributable to the firm's impressive 96 percent customer retention rate.

About Digital Insurance

Digital Insurance (digitalinsurance.com) is the largest 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 FNF, Digital serves more than 26,000 companies, partners with 275 leading industry businesses and manages more than $2 billion in premiums. Digital Insurance has been named to the Inc. 5000 List of America's fastest-growing companies every year since the honor's inception in 2007.