Captive insurance is one of the most sophisticated risk finance methods used by businesses in literally every industry today. Captives can reduce the cost of insurance. They also can decrease ultimate cost of self-insured risks, deductible retentions, and hidden risks by funding for them with pre-tax dollars. If you then experience a good claims history, captives can accumulate substantial assets and profits for distribution back to owners. Captives can even be designed and structured to enhance advanced wealth management, estate planning and business succession plans.
Captive insurance companies are part of the world known as Alternative Risk Transfer or "ART." People also refer to ART as Alternative Risk Finance." Traditional Risk Transfer (TRT) programs and products are provided by commercial insurers. The ART industry is a response to TRT programs that, either for regulatory or business reasons, do not respond quickly and efficiently enough to the ever changing risk environment and risk management needs of businesses, nonprofits, government bodies and other enterprises.
