Business Details
40 Years
experience
Trusted Insurance & Estate Planning Solutions in Los Angeles
Balaban Group, LLC has been a trusted leader in life insurance, estate planning, and benefits solutions since 1986. Our team collaborates with top-tier law firms, accounting agencies, and wealth managers to deliver tailored strategies for affluent clients. Utilizing a proprietary method, we rigorously analyze scenarios to address risks and vulnerabilities, ensuring seamless integration with clients' holistic financial plans. With decades of collective experience, our specialists handle complex cases involving health risks, high-limit policies, and specialized coverage for entertainers and business owners.We prioritize transparency, maintaining long-term relationships with clients and top-rated insurance carriers globally. Our process begins with comprehensive risk assessment and internal underwriting to provide precise cost projections before formal applications. This meticulous approach guarantees clients receive high-quality, suitable solutions for ultra-sophisticated planning needs. Our commitment to excellence has earned recognition as a top 1% brokerage nationally, serving individuals and businesses with unparalleled expertise.
Services
Life Insurance
Group Medical Insurance
Disability Insurance
Estate Planning
Business Planning
Long-Term Care
Non-Appearance Coverage
Policy Underwriting
Risk Assessment
Premium Financing
Details
- Year established: 1986
Highlights and features
- We offer 40+ years of experience handling complex insurance cases for affluent clients.
- Our proprietary risk-assessment methodology ensures precise cost projections before applications.
- We maintain partnerships with top-rated life insurance carriers globally.
- Our team includes specialists in high-limit disability and entertainment industry coverage.
- We guarantee seamless integration with clients' existing financial and legal advisory teams.
What people say
Excellent service
Great value
Highly recommend
Knowledgeable team
Prompt and accurate
Services
Life Insurance Solutions
We provide comprehensive life insurance options including term, universal, and whole life policies. Our team specializes in high-limit coverage for affluent individuals, ensuring tailored solutions that align with estate planning goals. Through partnerships with top-rated carriers, we deliver policies that guarantee financial security for beneficiaries while optimizing tax advantages.
Estate Planning Solutions
Our estate planning services combine insurance strategies with legal frameworks to preserve wealth across generations. We implement split-dollar arrangements, tax-saving techniques, and pension rescue plans while coordinating with clients' existing advisory teams. This holistic approach ensures seamless transfer of assets while minimizing tax liabilities and administrative complexities.
Disability Insurance
We offer short- and long-term disability coverage tailored for high-income earners, athletes, and entertainers. Our Lloyd's of London partnerships enable specialized non-appearance coverage for performers, while business disability solutions protect against income loss from key personnel incapacitation through customized policy structures.
Group Medical Insurance
We design comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for businesses operating nationwide. Our solutions include 50-state compliance management, enrollment assistance, and claims advocacy. By maintaining relationships with major carriers like Blue Cross, we secure competitive rates while ensuring administrative simplicity for employers and employees.
Business Planning Solutions
We develop buy-sell agreements, key person insurance, and overhead expense coverage to safeguard business continuity. Our strategies protect against ownership transition risks and income loss from partner incapacitation through customized insurance structures that integrate with existing corporate financial frameworks.
People
Mark Balaban
Founder and President
With 40+ years in insurance, Mark established Balaban Group in 1986 after excelling at Northwestern Mutual. Recognized in the top 1% nationally, he specializes in high-net-worth estate planning and entertainment industry coverage while maintaining active roles in client advisory teams.
Zach Wolkstein
Managing Director
A 2017 University of Arizona graduate, Zach leads athlete and business owner client services since joining in 2021. Recognized as Southern California's Top Trusted Advisor in 2024, he combines tech industry experience with insurance expertise to deliver innovative coverage solutions for high-income clients.
John Reed
Strategy and Analysis Specialist
With an aerospace engineering background and MBA, John specializes in premium financing and tax-efficient acquisition strategies. Since 2022, he's provided analytical support for high-net-worth families, leveraging financial modeling expertise to optimize insurance-based wealth preservation techniques.
Kim Boyer
Director of Underwriting
Bringing 35+ years of underwriting experience from major carriers, Kim leads medical risk assessment since joining in 2014. Her expertise in forensic underwriting ensures precise evaluation of complex health profiles, directly contributing to the firm's 98% policy approval rate for high-risk applicants.
Paul Galichia
Associate Broker
A Stanford graduate and former tennis champion, Paul transitioned from entertainment and tech startups to insurance in 2022. His entrepreneurial background informs innovative approaches to policy structuring, particularly for business owners navigating complex risk management scenarios.
Questions
What types of insurance do you specialize in?
We specialize in life insurance, disability coverage, estate planning, business protection, and long-term care solutions for high-net-worth individuals and corporations.
How do you handle complex insurance cases?
Our proprietary method involves internal underwriting, medical record analysis, and carrier collaboration to develop tailored solutions for high-risk applicants and unique coverage needs.
Do you work with clients outside Los Angeles?
Yes, we serve clients nationwide with group medical insurance available in all 50 states and specialized coverage accessible to clients globally through our carrier network.
What makes your estate planning different?
We integrate insurance strategies with legal frameworks through direct collaboration with clients' existing advisory teams, ensuring comprehensive wealth preservation solutions.
How do you ensure competitive rates?
By maintaining relationships with top-rated carriers and conducting comparative pricing analysis before formal applications, we guarantee cost-effective solutions without compromising coverage quality.
Can you help with business insurance needs?
We provide buy-sell agreements, key person insurance, and customized disability coverage to protect businesses against income loss and ownership transition risks.
