Self-Funded Plans

Maximum Control and Savings with Self-Funded Insurance

Take control of your healthcare costs and plan design. Self-funded plans eliminate carrier profit margins while providing transparency, flexibility, and significant cost savings for your business.

Self-Funded Benefits

  • 20-40% Cost Savings

    Eliminate carrier profit and risk charges

  • Complete Control

    Design plans that fit your workforce

  • Full Transparency

    See exactly where every dollar goes

  • Cash Flow Advantages

    Pay claims as incurred, not in advance

Trusted by Fortune 500 companies

How Self-Funding Works

Understanding the self-funded model empowers you to make informed decisions about your company's healthcare benefits strategy.

1

You Establish a Claims Fund

Set aside funds to pay employee medical claims as they occur, based on historical data and actuarial projections.

2

Purchase Stop-Loss Insurance

Protect against catastrophic claims with specific and aggregate stop-loss coverage.

3

Partner with a TPA

Third-party administrator handles claims processing, network access, and member services.

4

Pay Claims Directly

You pay actual claims as they're incurred, gaining cash flow advantages and complete cost transparency.

Cost Breakdown

Claims Costs 70-80%
Stop-Loss Insurance 10-15%
TPA/Admin Fees 8-12%
Other Services 2-5%

Compare to Fully Funded:

  • • No carrier profit margin (5-10%)
  • • No premium taxes (2-3%)
  • • No risk charges (3-5%)
  • Total Savings: 20-40%

Self-Funded Advantages

Significant Savings

Eliminate carrier profit margins, premium taxes, and risk charges. Most employers save 20-40% compared to fully funded plans.

  • ✓ No carrier profit (5-10%)
  • ✓ No premium taxes (2-3%)
  • ✓ No risk charges (3-5%)
  • ✓ Lower admin costs

Complete Transparency

See exactly where every healthcare dollar goes. Detailed claims data helps you identify trends and opportunities.

  • ✓ Real-time claims reporting
  • ✓ Cost center analysis
  • ✓ Utilization patterns
  • ✓ Vendor performance data

Design Flexibility

Customize your plan to match your workforce needs. Change benefits, networks, and vendors without carrier restrictions.

  • ✓ Custom plan design
  • ✓ Network selection
  • ✓ Vendor choice
  • ✓ Mid-year changes possible

Cash Flow Benefits

Pay claims as incurred rather than in advance. Earn interest on reserves and improve working capital position.

  • ✓ Claims paid in arrears
  • ✓ Interest earnings on reserves
  • ✓ Better cash utilization
  • ✓ Improved balance sheet

ERISA Protection

Self-funded plans fall under federal ERISA law, preempting most state insurance mandates and regulations.

  • ✓ Federal law protection
  • ✓ Fewer state mandates
  • ✓ Uniform administration
  • ✓ Legal protections

Data-Driven Decisions

Access detailed analytics to make informed decisions about wellness programs, plan changes, and cost management.

  • ✓ Predictive analytics
  • ✓ Trend identification
  • ✓ ROI measurement
  • ✓ Strategic planning data

Stop-Loss Protection

Stop-loss insurance protects your business from unexpected high claims while allowing you to retain the cost savings of self-funding.

Specific Stop-Loss

Protects against high individual claims

Covers claims for a single individual that exceed your specific deductible (typically $50,000 - $250,000 per person per year).

Example:

Deductible: $75,000

Employee's claim: $500,000

You pay: $75,000

Stop-loss pays: $425,000

Aggregate Stop-Loss

Protects against total claims exceeding expectations

Covers when your total annual claims exceed a predetermined threshold (typically 120-125% of expected claims).

Example:

Expected claims: $1,000,000

Aggregate attachment: $1,250,000

Actual claims: $1,500,000

You pay: $1,250,000

Stop-loss pays: $250,000

Is Self-Funding Right for You?

Ideal Candidates:

  • Businesses with 100+ employees
  • Companies with healthy employee populations
  • Organizations with strong cash reserves
  • Employers wanting complete cost transparency
  • Businesses seeking maximum plan flexibility
  • Companies comfortable assuming some risk

Success Factors:

  • Adequate cash flow and reserves
  • Experienced HR/benefits team
  • Strong broker/consultant partnership
  • Quality TPA and stop-loss carrier
  • Robust wellness and disease management
  • Data analytics capabilities

Ready to Take Control of Your Healthcare Costs?

Discover if self-funding could save your business 20-40% on healthcare costs. Our self-funding experts will analyze your situation and provide a comprehensive feasibility study.

Common Questions

Self-Funded Insurance FAQ

Common questions about self-funded group health plans

Get answers about self-funded insurance and how it provides maximum control and cost savings for businesses.

What is a self-funded health plan?

In a self-funded (or self-insured) plan, the employer assumes the financial risk for providing healthcare benefits. Instead of paying fixed premiums to an insurance carrier, the employer pays for claims as they occur, plus stop-loss insurance and administrative fees.

What is stop-loss insurance?

Stop-loss insurance protects self-funded employers from catastrophic claims. Specific stop-loss covers individual claims above a threshold (e.g., $50k), while aggregate stop-loss protects against total claims exceeding expected levels.

How much can we save with self-funding?

Self-funded employers typically save 20-40% compared to fully funded plans by eliminating carrier profit margins, premium taxes, and risk charges. Actual savings depend on claims experience, plan design, and administrative efficiency.

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