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Self-insurance is the broad category of risk financing in which an organization retains and pays its own losses instead of transferring them to an insurer for a premium. It sits underneath captives and most other alternative structures, but it does not require forming an insurance company.
Retaining and funding your own losses directly, from deductibles and funded reserves to state-approved programs.
16 active providers
How are these providers ranked?The form you choose determines who regulates it and which specialists you need. Funding is the discipline that matters most: outside a licensed insurer, no regulator sets a reserve for you.
| Form | What it is | Oversight | Main specialist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deductible or self-insured retention | You pay losses up to a level under a conventional policy | Policy terms; no license | Broker, TPA |
| Funded reserve or trust | Money set aside against expected claims | Internal governance; trustee if used | Actuary, finance |
| Self-insured workers’ compensation | State-approved retention of statutory benefits | State workers’ compensation regulator | TPA, actuary, counsel |
| Self-funded health plan | Employer pays employee health claims | Federal law (ERISA); stop-loss regulated by states | TPA, benefits counsel |
| Captive | Retention formalized in a licensed insurer | Domicile insurance regulator | Captive manager, actuary, counsel |
Organizations usually move toward a captive when they retain several risk types or jurisdictions, want direct reinsurance access, or need to formalize retention for related entities. Tax treatment differs by form and facts and needs specialist advice. A TPA and an actuary are the usual first engagements.
Global financial services company providing insurance, reinsurance, employee benefits, risk management, cybersecurity, payroll, real estate services, and captive and alternative risk solutions. Acrisure Re Capital and Captives provides captive program design, formation, ongoing management, governance and reinsurance support.
Independent captive manager providing captive feasibility, implementation, ongoing management, accounting, regulatory coordination, claims support, and risk management services for U.S.-domiciled captive insurance companies.
Independent, employee-owned property and casualty actuarial and management consulting firm providing actuarial, risk financing, enterprise risk management, predictive analytics, reinsurance, regulatory, and alternative market consulting services.
Captive insurance and alternative risk practice of Risk Strategies providing captive design, formation, management, compliance, financial reporting and alternative risk financing support.
U.S.-based captive insurance consulting company focused on the creation, development and oversight of member-owned group captive insurance companies, including casualty and medical stop loss group captives.
Spring Consulting Group is an employee benefits, actuarial and risk-management consultancy providing captive feasibility, alternative-risk financing, actuarial, employee-benefits and property-and-casualty consulting services.
AmeriTrust Group is a commercial property and casualty insurance underwriter and insurance administration services company providing specialty insurance programs, claims and risk management services, and administrative services for self-insured groups, alternative risk vehicles and public entities.
CBIZ, Inc. is a publicly traded professional services company providing accounting, tax, advisory, employee benefits, insurance and technology services. Its insurance practice provides commercial insurance brokerage, risk management, captive and alternative-risk advisory, claims advocacy and employee benefits services.
Old Republic is a specialty insurance group providing property and casualty insurance, title insurance, alternative-risk financing, captive fronting and reinsurance, claims administration, risk control and other specialty insurance services.
Arizona-based captive manager and insurance broker providing captive management, alternative risk financing, self-insured program support, and specialized sports, recreation, swimming, and event insurance.
Accounting, tax, assurance, and business advisory firm serving insurance entities, captives, self-insured organizations, financial institutions, public-sector organizations, and companies across multiple industries.
The Actuarial Advantage, Inc. (TAA) is a boutique property & casualty actuarial and insurance consulting firm formed in 2021 through the merger of The Actuarial Advantage (founded 2001) and Financial Risk Analysts (founded 1993). TAA provides actuarial consulting — including loss reserving, captive feasibility studies, pricing, and statements of actuarial opinion — to insurance carriers, captive insurance companies, risk retention groups, government risk pools, and self-insured entities across the U.S. and offshore.
Not sure where to start?
Not sure whether Self-Insurance is the right route for your risk-financing need? A short structured questionnaire will map your requirements to the right kinds of provider.