Phone (707) 935-7362
Cook & Associates
Health Insurance & Employee Benefits Advisors
A California & Nevada Employee Benefits Consulting Firm
ABOUT US
At Cook & Associates, we deliver more than you expect. Personalized service and solutions that are born from a dedication to going beyond the expected. Ingrained with an entrepreneurial spirit and many years of experience, we partner with you to make decisions that add value to your insurance benefit programs. The result is superior service, at a reasonable cost, from talented people you can trust. We assist you in establishing a budget, and negotiate with insurance carriers and service providers to develop cost-effective programs. We support you with highly skilled professionals who take the time to understand your objectives and provide day-to-day account management services. The creative solutions and hands on approach coupled with a local understanding of our clients’ unique needs brings a refreshing approach you will appreciate.
HEALTH PLANS FOR BUSINESS
Our team of talented account management staff can assist in every way possible and continue to make your experience a better one. We also serve as an extension of your benefits department for problem resolution, compliance and program performance monitoring.
SPECIALIZING IN AGRIBUSINESS
Cook & Associates is a proud representative of United Ag and other health plans available to Agribusiness.
Contact us today! We specialize in helping Agribusiness find affordable health plan options. We want to take care of you and have the expertise to do so. Let us know what your specific needs are and we’ll compile the best insurance package suited to you
Agribusiness Health Plans www.aghealthplans.com
WINE INDUSTRY BENEFIT PLANS
Through our AG trust we serve more wine-related clients than any other health plan in the industry.
Our Ag Trust is the recognized leader in providing health plans for agribusiness. We have earned a reputation for successful health plan innovation. We have saved employers millions of dollars in premium costs since the Trust’s inception. These savings, coupled with our emphasis on customer service, the ability to see any doctor, anytime, and quality health care have made this plan the premier medical coverage available in agribusiness today.
Agribusiness Health Plans www.aghealthplans.com
HR SERVICES & TECHNOLOGY
As part of our services, our clients have FREE access to Easecentral, a powerful Benefits Administration System that provides an all in one solution for onboarding, benefits management, and enrollment.
EaseCentral is the all-in-one software solution for Employee Benefits and HR. Built for agents and employers, cloud-based EaseCentral makes it simple for companies to set up and manage over 50 types of benefits, coordinate payroll and HR, collaborate with employers on new hires, changes and terminations, and deliver completed tax information - all from one location.
As part of our services, our clients have FREE access to www.zywave.com, a powerful HR and compliance system that provides a comprehensive view of human resource and benefit information, forms and posters. With access to various tools and resources, such as forms, posters, current information on health care reform and state employment laws; Zywave provides information that our clients need in a user-friendly, easy to navigate website. Users can access a comprehensive online HR library including:
Copies of the monthly e-newsletter featuring timely and current topics
Harassment Training
Compliance steps that clearly explain how to comply with the law to help avoid penalties or potential employee lawsuits
How to conduct performance reviews, interview, hire and terminate
Step-by-step approach implementing COBRA and FMLA
Fast, efficient online HR tools for developing job descriptions and salary benchmarking
Hundreds of downloadable forms, posters, model notices and Federal and state employment law information
Zywave is managed by a professional team of attorneys, HR specialists, editors and advisers, who have years of experience in developing and maintaining award-winning online HR and benefits content, guidelines and forms.
ThinkHR is a leader in providing businesses with expert HR guidance from "real" people, whose passion is helping solve your complex HR issues immediately. And that saves you time and money.
OFFERING A FULL RANGE OF SERVICES
Experience Protecting You & Your Employees
We help businesses succeed by offering a suite of innovative products. We source all of the employee benefits products for a well rounded package. Our products include HR Services, Enrollment Technology, Health, Dental, Life, Disability, Vision, FSA, HRA, HSA, 401K, Voluntary products and Payroll Services.
Years of experience has made Cook Insurance Advisors a top employee benefits planning firm in California.
Contact us to start doing business with the very best in the industry. You’ll be surprised by what we can do for you, your business and your employees.
HR TRAINING PRODUCTS
Expert Advisors: ZYWAVE HR HOTLINE
Accurate, actionable advice from a professional with years of experience. ZYWAVE certified advisors live in the world of HR solutions and they’re standing by to answer questions, provide guidance, and follow up with research to resolve issues.
Employee Training: ZYWAVE LEARNING CENTER
Learn, train and update teams with more than 400 current courses that mitigate legal risk, maintain compliance, and enhance employee engagement. Of course, we include an intuitive dashboard that makes it easy for you to administer and track usage.
Compliance Tools: ZYWAVE HR LIBRARY
Up-to-date forms, checklists, and tools that employers need to maintain compliance. Be confident that the latest information is here.
HANDBOOK CREATOR:
Generate compliant custom handbooks for any state.
HARASSMENT TRAINING PRODUCTS
California employers with 5 or more employees are required by law to provide 2 hours of sexual harassment prevention training to all supervisors and 1 hour of such training to nonsupervisory employees before January 1, 2021. Training must take place within 6 months of hire or promotion and every 2 years thereafter.
SEMINARS
Online seminars offer participants the ability to receive training in common HR Practices and Procedures
RECORDED WEBINARS
Employment Law Updates, Local Ordinances, Best Practices, Drugs in the workplace, and more.
About Our Founder
Principal Consultant/Owner: Gardner G. Cook
With 31 years of experience designing health & welfare programs, Gardner is the Principal Consultant and Owner of Cook & Associates. He is an expert in the employee benefits field. Gardner’s experience demonstrates his ability to work with many different clients in providing cost effective benefit programs. As the Principal Consultant and Owner of Cook & Associates, Gardner focuses his efforts on managing his firm & creating a positive work environment with an emphasis on being your employee benefits consultant & advocate for he believes in providing the very best to his clients. Among other areas, Gardner focuses on maintaining & enhancing client relationships, managing and promoting the educational aspects of benefits planning. His specialties include self funded programs, HRA administration, voluntary benefits, cost reduction, and benefits research. His company has specialized in serving the winery community since its inception.
Prior to joining Cook & Associates, Gardner began his career at Travelers Insurance Company as a Senior Sales Executive after attending a three month certification course to become an employee benefits specialist. After 5 years with Travelers, Gardner became a Senior Consultant serving large group clients over 100 employees at New York Life.
Gardner is an avid hiker, backpacker, flyfisherman, and licensed pilot.
Gardner has a BA from Lake Forest College.
Get In Touch
Sonoma Office
PO Box 2076 Sonoma, CA 95476
North Coast Office
Gualala, CA 95497
Mt. Shasta Office
Jack Cook Jr.
Santa Rosa Office
Marcus Pipkin
Phone (707) 935-7362
Fax 866-395-2095
