Independent-contractor broker-dealers are attempting to attract talent by offering group health insurance benefits to registered representatives, Investment News reports. “Group benefits have been a missing link in the independent channel,” Jonathan Henschen of Minnesota-based recruiter Henschen & Associates told Investment News. “This is great news for advisers that medical coverage can now be offered on the broker-dealer level. According to IN, the first firms to offer these benefits are Omaha, Neb.-based Securities America and AIG Advisor Group. SA is offering its program to 1,863 affiliated representatives, while the AIG program – set to launch July 5 – has more than 7,000 affiliated brokers and advisers that qualify for the benefits.