Fully Insured vs. Self-Funded — Which One Is Actually Saving You Money?

Your healthcare plan isn't just a benefit. It's one of your biggest financial decisions of the year.

1. The two paths — Plain-language definition of each: Fully Insured (carrier takes the risk, you pay fixed premiums) vs. Self-Funded (you take the risk, you pay actual claims, stop-loss covers the big ones).
2. Where the real difference is — Not just cost. Transparency. FI gives you aggregated carrier reports; SF gives you full claim and pharmacy data.
3. Who keeps the savings? — Under FI, the carrier keeps a good claims year's surplus. Under SF, you do.
4. The question to ask your broker — Not "which is cheaper" but "which fits our risk tolerance and cash flow this year."

Download the Executive Renewal Calendar — it has FI and SF tracks side by side, month by month, so you always know what to ask and when.

Renewal cost increases are commonly running 10-15% annually right now — a reminder that whichever model you're on, early planning is what protects your budget.