BellGroup L.L.C. Announces Formation of BellBenefits, New Employee Benefits Company for North Texas; Merger of Existing Dallas Firms Forms New Company, Management.

DALLAS -- BellGroup L.L.C. has expanded its services by joining forces with two Dallas-area employee benefits firms. The merger of BellGroup's existing benefits business, McCone Insurance Group and Andy J. Nadel, formerly of Cecil & Co., creates BellBenefits L.L.C., which began full operation this week. Agreement terms were not disclosed.

"By combining the resources of our three companies, BellBenefits will offer a powerful set of capabilities to our 11,000 clients that more effectively addresses today's costly and complex employee benefits environment," said Carl Bell, founder and chief executive officer of BellGroup.

BellBenefits' offices are located in the BellGroup headquarters, 16980 Dallas Parkway, Dallas. The combination of these firms, including Houston and Fort Worth offices, includes more than 100 employees.

BellBenefits currently serves several hundred corporate and individual clients, and anticipates double-digit growth for fiscal 2006, with $35 million in total annual premiums under management. The company's initial focus will be expanding enhancements to its service and technology offerings.

"Our primary mission for this year is to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction among existing clients from all three of our original businesses," said Tom McCone, president of BellBenefits. "We are offering our clients services that emphasize The BellAffect Program(sm), which is a practical series of seminars focused on financial health planning, wellness and health plan selection."

For Nadel, managing director of BellBenefits, The BellAffect Program encourages employee education and engagement.

"BellBenefits isn't just another brokerage firm," said Nadel. "This organization is intent on helping customers understand the complexities, costs and value of the health care system, from health savings accounts and consumer-driven health care to traditional health care delivery. We succeed by partnering with clients to foster a clearer understanding of health care costs while helping them improve the wellness of employees and their families."

The key issues facing most employers in Dallas, Fort Worth and surrounding areas, says McCone, are skyrocketing health care premiums for employers and employees. In addition, employees are often confused by today's health care system.

"Companies - and their employees - can't continue facing 10 to 15 percent annual increases in their premiums while simultaneously diluting benefits," said McCone. "In the Metroplex, it's estimated that the average family's cost for insurance and health care exceeds $12,500 a year. It's our goal to help educate the marketplace to better manage those costs. People have got to understand what they're paying for." He added that a recent survey shows that 65 percent of Americans don't know how to effectively interact with their physicians and health care providers.

BellBenefits, based in Dallas, provides employee benefits programs for middle-market companies in north Texas, and is a subsidiary of BellGroup, a Dallas insurance firm, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2005. For more information, visit www.bellgroup.com.

For more information, contact Roy Miller at 972-717-3500 x235, or via e-mail at [e-mail].