To stand out in today’s rapidly evolving property and casualty (P&C) insurance landscape, brokers must adopt a more strategic, consultative role beyond securing policies. Key challenges include rising premiums due to severe weather, economic uncertainty, and inflation, with some sectors experiencing premium hikes over 20% in 2023.
Group captives are collaborative insurance models where businesses pool resources to cover common risks like auto liability, workers’ compensation, and general liability. While they offer benefits such as shared risk and potential cost savings, they may not address all of a company’s unique exposures.
Product recalls, once rare, have become a constant threat, with nearly 2,500 recalls reported in the U.S. by November 2024. These events, often triggered by issues like labeling errors, production flaws, or undisclosed allergens, can severely impact a company’s finances and reputation.
Stronger Business Model
Businesses who implement ERM programs combined with a captive to plan for unforseen risks stand a better chance of surviving, and passing to the next generation.
Improved Cost Controls
Captive owners can leverage their ERM and captive programs to improve their negotiating ability when renewing their commercial insurance coverages.
Wealth Accumulation
Profitable captives will see their reserves grow over time to significant sums which can be utilized by their owners for retirement or other life cycle needs.
Advantageous Tax Treatment
Insurance companies are the only entities allowed to expense projected future expense against current-year revenues (claim reserves). Small captives (premiums of $2.2M or less per year) may also elect to only be taxed on their investment income, potentially resulting in substantial tax savings for their owners.
Insurance Profits
Utilizing your captive to reduce or replace your commercial insurance coverage with policies issued by your captive allows you to capture insurance profits previously realized by the carriers.
Improved Risk Management
Adding a captive and ERM program will result in a higher awareness and enhanced strategies for how your organization thinks about and plans for all risks.
Asset Protection
The assets held by a properly organized and managed captive enjoy a very high degree of protection from both the business’ and business owner’s creditors.