Methodology

Self-Funding Advisor is a directory, not a marketplace. The goal is a brokers' reference that answers one question quickly: which of these vendors can actually take this group, in this state, at this size.

As of September 2026, no vendor pays to be listed, no vendor can edit its own record, and placement is not for sale. If that changes it will be disclosed on the affected pages and on the about page.

Where the data comes from

• Vendor primary sources. Product pages, broker guides, underwriting and state-availability documents published by the vendor. Each vendor page lists the sources used and the date they were checked.
• State regulators. Minimum specific deductibles, aggregate attachment rules, small-employer restrictions and regulator contacts come from state insurance departments and statutes, cross-checked against industry compilations.
• Trade and rating references. Carrier financial-strength ratings and ownership changes are checked against rating agencies and trade press.

Rules we follow

• Two sources or “Not published”. A fact appears only when the vendor publishes it and a second source agrees or does not contradict it. Anything else is shown as not published. We do not estimate, infer or fill gaps.
• Present, don't editorialize. Records describe what a vendor publishes. Opinions about quality, service or value are out of scope.
• Dated, versioned records. Every vendor and state record carries the date it last changed, and that date is what the page and its structured data report. Market data is currently versioned 2026-09-07.
• One page per record. Each vendor and each state has exactly one page. We do not generate per-state-per-vendor variants.
• State minimums are applied literally. When a vendor publishes a higher minimum group size in a state, the finder applies it for that state only, and the state page explains the statute behind it where one exists.

What the finder does

The finder takes a state and enrolled count and applies each vendor's published state list and group-size limits. Program aggregators, which do not file their own products but shop stop loss across the market, are returned on every search and shown separately because they are not comparable to a filed program. Optional filters narrow by funding type, network type, underwriting method, delivery model or balance-bill support. The count and highlights are shown immediately; vendor names and details are shown after you leave a work email so the list can be sent to you.

What we leave out on purpose

• Commission, override and distribution terms. These are negotiated and not public.
• Pricing. Level-funded rates are group-specific.
• Our own opinion of a vendor's financial strength beyond the published rating.

Corrections

If you are a vendor and a record is wrong or out of date, email us with a link to the published source and we will update the record and its date. Brokers who spot an error can do the same. Directory currently lists 162 vendors.