West Coast Group Benefits

What West Coast Group Benefits does

West Coast Group Benefits is a privately held employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm headquartered in San Diego, California, operating under the legal entity Flynn & Piel Insurance Services, LLC (California License #0D78338). Founded in 2002 by Patrick J. Flynn and Phil Piel, Sr., the firm specializes in providing group benefits brokerage, ERISA Health & Welfare Trust consulting, and Service Contract Act (SCA) compliance services primarily to construction contractors, as well as large and small employer groups, gaming/casino companies, and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations nationwide. The company's product portfolio spans traditional group health, dental, vision, life, disability, HSA/HRA, self-funded plans, Section 125 Cafeteria Plans, retirement (401k/403b) plans, wellness programs, and specialized offerings including Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) Plans that help construction contractors reduce labor costs by 5-9% per hour on Davis-Bacon prevailing wage projects.

The firm operates without proprietary technology, relying instead on an integrated HR Management System with employee self-service features, the Ease enrollment platform, carrier-direct integrations, and third-party administrator partnerships for claims administration. Its go-to-market is sales-led, combining direct enterprise field sales through a team of approximately 15 account executives and managers with a contracted broker network that distributes ERISA Trust and SCA products. Revenue is generated primarily through insurance carrier commissions on placed group benefits coverage, supplemented by Trust plan consulting fees and pass-through securities commissions via a partnership with Financial Sense Securities, Inc. (Member FINRA/SIPC).

West Coast Group Benefits differentiates through deep specialization in construction industry prevailing wage fringe benefits, ERISA Trust administration, and SCA contractor compliance, supported by senior staff with 20-45 years of individual industry experience. The firm maintains active committee participation in major construction associations (AGC, ABC, ASA, The Contractors Plan Trust, BIA, SDNA) and serves clients coast-to-coast from its single San Diego office. Following the passing of co-founder Phil Piel, Sr. in 2010 and the 2023 retirement of co-founder Patrick Flynn, current leadership under President & CEO Christina Rosello and Managing Partner Rick Leon continues the founding partnership's emphasis on long-term client relationships and specialized consulting services.

Name

West Coast Group Benefits

Legal name

Flynn & Piel Insurance Services, LLC

Website

https://westcoastbenefits.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

West Coast Group Benefits is a privately held San Diego-based employee benefits brokerage and consulting firm serving construction contractors and employers nationwide. It specializes in ERISA Trust consulting, SCA compliance, and prevailing wage fringe benefit solutions across health, retirement, and HR administration products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Employee Benefits Brokerage and Consulting

NAICS

Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251), Health and Welfare Funds (525120)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Accident & Health Insurance (6321), Life Insurance (6311)

akta.pro primary industry

Benefits Administration (BPACAPAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Taft-Hartley / Union Multiemployer Group Health Plans (FSAIAFAG), Group Disability Income Insurance (Employer-Sponsored) (FSAIAIAB), Group Life Waiver of Premium & Accelerated Benefit Riders (FSAIADAI), Flexible Benefits Administration (FSA/HSA/HRA) (HLAEALAK), Benefits Administration & Enrollment Support (BPAAAIAB)

Keywords

• Employee benefits brokerage
• Group health insurance
• ERISA trust consulting
• Prevailing wage fringe benefits
• SCA contractor compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage and Commission Revenue: As an insurance brokerage, West Coast Group Benefits generates revenue through commissions from insurance carriers for placing group health, dental, vision, life, disability, and other employee benefits coverage. The company represents multiple insurance carriers and receives commissions for products sold and administered.
2. Trust Plan Consulting Fees: The company provides non-fiduciary ministerial services for ERISA Health & Welfare Trusts and receives compensation set, vetted, and determined by Trustees for services specified in Trust service agreements.
3. Financial Services Revenue: Securities offered through Financial Sense Securities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, providing retirement planning and investment services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

West Coast Group Benefits is an employee benefits brokerage and consulting firm that designs, places, and administers group benefits packages (health, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement) for employers and contractors. Its core differentiator is specialized consulting on ERISA Health & Welfare Trusts, prevailing-wage SUB Plans, and Service Contract Act compliance for construction contractors, supported by carrier relationships, an integrated HR management system, and ongoing claims and compliance support.

Product overview

West Coast Group Benefits is an employee benefits brokerage and consulting firm that operates as a platform offering multiple integrated products and services for employers across various industries. The core portfolio includes traditional group health benefits (Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability, Long Term Care, HSA, HRA) alongside retirement solutions (401k/403b) and HR administrative services. The company differentiates through specialized products including Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Plans (SUB Plans) for prevailing wage contractors, ERISA Health & Welfare Trusts, and Service Contract Act (SCA) compliance services. Additional offerings include Cafeteria Plans, Wellness Programs, Financial Services (via Financial Sense Securities), and industry-specific solutions for Construction, Gaming, Large/Small Groups, and Nonprofit organizations. The product ecosystem is unified by an integrated HR Management System with employee self-service capabilities, Third Party Administrator partnerships for claims administration, and comprehensive compliance services (COBRA, HIPAA, ACA reporting).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Health Insurance Brokerage
• Dental Insurance Brokerage
• Vision Insurance Brokerage
• Chiropractic and Acupuncture Coverage
• Life Insurance Brokerage
• Retirement Plans (401k and 403b)
• Wellness Programs
• Disability Insurance Brokerage
• Long Term Care Insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
• Self-Funded and Level-Funded Health Plans
• Cafeteria Plans (Section 125)
• Key Manager Insurance
• Financial Services (Securities and Retirement Planning)
• Supplemental Unemployment Benefit Plan (SUB Plan)
• ERISA Health & Welfare Trust Services
• Service Contract Act (SCA) Compliance Services
• Construction Industry Benefits Package
• Gaming Industry Benefits Package
• Large Group Benefits Package
• Small Group Benefits Package
• Nonprofit Organization Benefits Package
• Risk Management Services
• Claims Administration Services
• COBRA and HIPAA Compliance Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Contractors utilizing qualified fringe benefits can pay 5 to 9% less per hour when bidding on public projects
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AGC (Associated General Contractors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorey Klinke sits on various committees for AGC. Company provides benefits solutions for construction contractors and participates in AGC events including Fall Golf Tournament.
• ABC (Associated Builders & Contractors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorey Klinke serves on ABC committees. Company sponsors ABC-SoCal events including Golf Classics, Excellence in Construction Gala, and Installation Dinners.
• ASA (American Subcontractors Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorey Klinke participates in ASA committees. Phil Piel, Sr. conducted prevailing wage seminars for ASA.
• The Contractors Plan TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany serves as consultant for various ERISA Trusts in multiple states, including The Contractors Plan Trust. Provides direction, advice, and implementation for Federal ERISA Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Contractor Trusts.
• BIA, SDNA, SDECCC, SDRCCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRaquel Wourms holds associations with BIA (Building Industry Association), SDNA (San Diego Network Association), SDECCC, and SDRCC. Works with nonprofit community, specialty service, and government contractors on national basis.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Contractors Plan (Fringe Benefit Group): Specialist in prevailing-wage and Davis-Bacon/SCA fringe benefit plans for government contractors — directly overlapping WCGB's flagship construction/prevailing-wage niche (and cited as a partner trust).
• Beneco (Ameritas): Provider of prevailing-wage and Davis-Bacon fringe benefit administration for construction and service contractors, directly comparable to WCGB's SUB Plan and prevailing-wage solutions.
• OneDigital: National employee benefits brokerage and consulting firm serving employers with group health, retirement, and HR services — the same core offering as West Coast Group Benefits at larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Alliant Insurance Services: National brokerage with strong construction-industry and employee benefits practices, overlapping WCGB's contractor-focused benefits niche at larger scale.
• NFP: Large national broker of employee benefits, retirement, and insurance for employers, offering the same category of services across a far wider portfolio and geography.
• Lockton: Large independent insurance broker with a substantial employee benefits practice for employer groups, competing in the same benefits consulting/brokerage category.
• USI Insurance Services: National insurance brokerage with a major employee benefits practice serving employer groups, an established competitor and active acquirer in the benefits-brokerage space.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Global insurance brokerage and benefits consulting firm serving employers nationwide, overlapping WCGB's brokerage model at enterprise scale.
• HUB International: Global insurance brokerage with employee benefits consulting for employers; competes broadly and is a leading consolidator of independent agencies like WCGB.

Emerging players

• Newfront: Technology-enabled insurance and employee benefits brokerage serving employers; overlaps on benefits brokerage and consulting but differentiates through a proprietary platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about West Coast Group Benefits