In a self-funded group health insurance policy, what is the role of the insurer?

In a self-funded group health insurance policy, the primary role of the insurer is to process claims on behalf of the group. In self-funding, the employer takes on the financial risk for providing health care benefits to employees, meaning they pay the full cost of claims from their own resources rather than purchasing a traditional insurance policy where the insurer assumes all risk.

In this arrangement, while the employer is responsible for the payment of covered claims, the insurer may handle the administrative functions associated with the claims process. This includes receiving claims submissions, evaluating them for compliance with the plan's terms, and authorizing payments, thus providing valuable support to the employer without taking on the insurance risk.

Other roles such as underwriting the insurance risks, providing coverage directly, or managing investments typically don't apply in a self-funded context; those functions are more characteristic of fully insured plans where the insurer retains the risk and has a direct financial obligation to cover the claims.