California Broker – Collaboration Partners

By CalBroker in conversation with Kyle Gerdts

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The Pinnacle Advantage in a Volatile Sales Market

Kyle Gerdts brings a decade of third-party administration experience to his role as Vice President of Sales and Account Management at Pinnacle Claims Management Inc., backed by a career that spans HR, national TPAs and leadership roles managing rapid growth in self-funded plans across the western region. He combines a deep operational understanding of claims, member engagement, and cost containment with a strong broker-centric focus that emphasizes service, transparency, and long-term partnerships. This article is adapted from a recorded conversation between Gerdts and California Broker.

By Misty Baker, Director of Compliance and Government Affairs, CRC Benefits

GLP-1s in 2026: What Brokers Need to Know

It’s no secret GLP-1 medications are reshaping the conversation around employee benefits. A few short years ago, these drugs were mainly prescribed for type 2 diabetes. Today, they’ve become household names, often associated with weight loss and, more recently, with heart health. That shift brings opportunity and plenty of compliance considerations for employer-sponsored health plans.

DRIVING REFERRALS

By Bill Cates

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Referral Momentum Drives Book Value

Why referrals should drive your growth

For California health and life brokers, organic growth and exit value increasingly hinge on something many still treat as optional: a deliberate referral and introduction strategy grounded in real client advocacy. Bill Cates emphasizes that the fastest path to relevance with new prospects is through introductions from people they already trust, which also makes your book more attractive and valuable when you are ready to sell.

CROSS SELLING

By CalBroker in conversation with Peter Buechler

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Cohesive Path to More Revenue with Annuities

Why annuities matter to seasoned brokers

Many experienced California health and Medicare brokers eventually face the same question: How do I turn a commission driven career into reliable retirement income without walking away from clients too soon? Peter Buechler has built Cohesive Insurance Services around that challenge, giving brokers a way to turn accumulated assets and ongoing relationships into guaranteed income streams while they plan their own exits. “The type of planning that we do with these types of products is guaranteed retirement growth and income planning.”

COMMISSION PLANNING

By CalBroker in conversation with Daniel Wexler

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Smart Exit Strategies for Health Brokers

Daniel Wexler has spent more than three decades as an estate planning attorney and wealth strategist, helping business owners keep more of what they earn and pass it efficiently to their families. For over 35 years, he has channeled that approach into minimizing what goes to “the IRS and to courts and legal fees,” while co-authoring “Love, Money, Control” to guide owners through legal, tax, and succession planning tailored to their goals.

In a recent conversation, Wexler joined California Broker Magazine to unpack how health insurance brokers can structure commission exits, manage retirement income streams, and deploy estate and tax tools to safeguard their books of business.

ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

February Full Issue

Cal Broker’s commitment is to be the leading source of news and information for California brokers and agents operating in the health, life, and annuity industry. We are committed to connecting Life and Health insurance professionals to valuable resources and solutions they can provide to their insurance clients.