Stop Loss Risk
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Stop Loss Basics
  • Self Funded vs Insured
  • Brokers & Consultants
  • Placing Benefits
  • Why is Stop-Loss Needed?
  • Specific Stop Loss
  • Aggregate Stop Loss
  • Contract Types
Policy Endorsements
  • Advanced Funding
  • Plan Mirroring
  • No New Laser (NNL)
  • Rate Cap
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  • Transplant Vendor
Captives
  • What is a Captive?
  • Good Fit for a Captive?
  • Captive Reinsurance
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Stop Loss Risk
Home
Stop Loss Basics
  • Self Funded vs Insured
  • Brokers & Consultants
  • Placing Benefits
  • Why is Stop-Loss Needed?
  • Specific Stop Loss
  • Aggregate Stop Loss
  • Contract Types
Policy Endorsements
  • Advanced Funding
  • Plan Mirroring
  • No New Laser (NNL)
  • Rate Cap
  • Experience Refund
  • Monthly Agg Accommodation
  • Gapless Renewal
  • Terminal Liability
  • Transplant Vendor
Captives
  • What is a Captive?
  • Good Fit for a Captive?
  • Captive Reinsurance
  • Captive Structures
More
  • Home
  • Stop Loss Basics
    • Self Funded vs Insured
    • Brokers & Consultants
    • Placing Benefits
    • Why is Stop-Loss Needed?
    • Specific Stop Loss
    • Aggregate Stop Loss
    • Contract Types
  • Policy Endorsements
    • Advanced Funding
    • Plan Mirroring
    • No New Laser (NNL)
    • Rate Cap
    • Experience Refund
    • Monthly Agg Accommodation
    • Gapless Renewal
    • Terminal Liability
    • Transplant Vendor
  • Captives
    • What is a Captive?
    • Good Fit for a Captive?
    • Captive Reinsurance
    • Captive Structures
  • Home
  • Stop Loss Basics
    • Self Funded vs Insured
    • Brokers & Consultants
    • Placing Benefits
    • Why is Stop-Loss Needed?
    • Specific Stop Loss
    • Aggregate Stop Loss
    • Contract Types
  • Policy Endorsements
    • Advanced Funding
    • Plan Mirroring
    • No New Laser (NNL)
    • Rate Cap
    • Experience Refund
    • Monthly Agg Accommodation
    • Gapless Renewal
    • Terminal Liability
    • Transplant Vendor
  • Captives
    • What is a Captive?
    • Good Fit for a Captive?
    • Captive Reinsurance
    • Captive Structures

Specific Stop-Loss

Specific stop loss insurance (also called individual stop loss) is a form of protection purchased by self-funded employers to limit their financial exposure from high-cost medical claims incurred by a single covered individual.


Below is a detailed explanation of how it works in practice.

What “Specific” Stop Loss Means

Specific stop loss protects against large claims incurred by one individual.

It reimburses the employer when claims for a single covered member exceed a predetermined dollar threshold called the specific deductible.


Example:


  • Employer has a $75,000 specific deductible.
  • An employee incurs $250,000 in medical claims due to cancer treatment.


How payment works:


  • Employer pays the first $75,000.
  • Stop loss carrier reimburses the remaining $175,000.


The employer’s exposure for that individual is capped at $75,000 (plus premium and fees).

The Specific Deductible

The specific deductible is chosen by the employer and directly impacts premium cost.


Deductibles can range from $25,000 for small employers to $250,000+ for large employers.
 

Lower deductible:


  • Higher premium
  • Less financial risk retained by employer


Higher deductible:


  • Lower premium
  • More risk retained by employer


The deductible resets each policy year.

What Claims Count Toward the Deductible?

Most eligible medical and pharmacy claims accumulate toward the specific deductible, including:


  • Hospital stays
  • Surgery
  • Oncology treatments
  • Specialty drugs
  • Transplants
  • NICU claims
  • Complex chronic conditions


Claims must:


  • Be covered under the employer’s health plan
  • Be eligible under stop loss policy terms
  • Be incurred within the policy contract period

Financial Impact on Employer

Specific stop loss creates:


  • Predictability — caps exposure per individual
  • Cash flow protection — reimburses large claims
  • Risk transfer only for catastrophic severity
  • Flexibility — employer retains plan control


Without specific stop loss, one premature baby or transplant could create multi-million-dollar liability.

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