What Are the Largest Third-Party Administrators? (2024)

ByMarianne Bonner

Updated on September 7, 2022

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In This Article

  • 10 Largest Third-Party Administrators
  • Services Provided by TPAs
  • How To Use a TPA With Self-Insurance
  • What To Look for When Hiring a TPA
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Are the Largest Third-Party Administrators? (1)

Third-party administrators (TPAs) provide claims administrative services to businesses. Many serve mid-sized or large companies that have opted to self-insure a portion of their liability, commercial property, or workers compensation risks. They may also administer claims on behalf of businesses that have self-funded their health, dental or other benefit plans. TPAs range in size from very small to very large companies. The 10 largest TPAs are listed in the table below.

Key Takeaways

  • Third-party administrators (TPAs) contract with businesses to handle their insurance claims.
  • The largest TPA in 2020 was Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc.
  • When choosing a TPA, you must ensure they have the experience, capacity, and quality to handle your needs.

10 Largest Third-Party Administrators

The revenues cited in the following list use 2020 data compiled by Business Insurance.

Largest Third-Party Administrators
RankCompanyRevenue (in millions $)
1Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc.3,478
2UMR Inc.1,300
3Crawford & Co.1,016
4Gallagher Bassett Services Inc.973.2
5CorVel Corp.592
6Meritain Health554
7ESIS Inc.404.9
8Helmsman Management Services LLC357.14
9Trustmark Health Benefits Inc.225
10Cannon Cochran Management Services Inc., dba CCMSI172

Services Provided by TPAs

The services provided by a TPA depend on the company's size and complexity. A small TPA may provide only claims processing services for one line of business, such as workers compensation.

Many large TPAs offer administrative services for several types of claims. For instance, Gallagher Bassett can support 10 different industries, including transportation, healthcare, and construction. Gallagher Bassett is a subsidiary of Arthur J. Gallagher, a large insurance broker. Other TPAs may only provide administrative services for employee benefit claims.

Many TPAs provide a variety of services besides claims administration. Here are some areas in which a TPA might provide assistance:

  • Loss control programs
  • Emergency response plans
  • Industrial hygiene inspections
  • Loss adjusting
  • Return to work programs
  • Absence program management (long and short-term disability, jury duty, and other types of leave)
  • Workers compensation audits
  • Forensic accounting

Note

Many TPAs provide a variety of services besides claims administration.

How To Use a TPA With Self-Insurance

The following example demonstrates how a company might use the services of a TPA. ABC Inc. is a large food products manufacturer that has an effective loss control program and a good loss history. ABC thinks it can lower its cost of insurance by self-insuring some of its liability risk. To that end, ABC buys a general liability policy that includes a $250,000 self-insured retention. The policy states that ABC will handle claims that fall below the SIR while the insurer will handle claims that meet or exceed that amount.

ABC wants to avoid the expense of creating and maintaining an in-house claims department. It hires a TPA called Ace Administration to administer its liability claims. If ABC receives a claim for less than $250,000, it forwards that claim to Ace. The TPA investigates the claim, verifies coverage, sets a reserve, establishes liability, and negotiates a settlement with the claimant.

The manufacturer also hires Ace Administration to administer ABC's worker's compensation claims. ABC has purchased a workers compensation policy that includes a $250,000 self-insured retention. The retention applies to losses only, not loss adjustment expenses. The insurer pays all claims and ABC reimburses the insurer for any that fall below the retention. If an employee files a claim that falls below the retention, ABC forwards it to Ace. The TPA conducts an investigation and ensures that the injured worker obtains the benefits he or she is entitled to under the law.

What To Look for When Hiring a TPA

If you are considering hiring a TPA for your business, here are some things to look for.

  • Experience–Make sure the TPA has substantial experience performing the services you need. For instance, if you are looking for a TPA to administer workers compensation claims, you need a company that has a solid track record in that area.
  • Assigned Team–Ask whether the employees assigned to your business have experience handling the type of claims they will be administering.
  • Work Load–Find out how many claims each adjuster is expected to handle. An overloaded adjuster will have difficulty handling your claims effectively.
  • References–Ask the TPA for references. Contact the companies on the list to see whether they are satisfied with the services they have received.
  • Quality Control–What types of quality checks does the TPA conduct to ensure claims are handled properly? What measures does it take to secure data? Does the TPAconduct self-audits?
  • Cost Control–What steps will the TPA take to control costs? For instance, a TPA that administers workers compensation claims might control costs via utilization review, medical bill reviews, and the use of nurse case managers.
  • Data Reporting–Ask the TPA what types of documents it will produce to report data. Ask to see samples of these documents.
  • Compliance–Ask how the TPA stays abreast of state and federal laws. Also, how will it help your company fulfill its legal requirements?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many TPAs are in the U.S.?

There were 181,300 insurance claims and policy processing clerks in the U.S. in 2021. This is the closest classification tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How does a TPA make money?

TPAs contract with businesses to handle their claims. The contract will stipulate exactly how the TPA is paid, so it's ultimately up to each entity to determine compensation and write it into the contract.

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What Are the Largest Third-Party Administrators? (2024)

FAQs

Who is the largest third-party administrator? ›

10 Largest Third-Party Administrators
Largest Third-Party Administrators
RankCompanyRevenue (in millions $)
1Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc.3,478
2UMR Inc.1,300
3Crawford & Co.1,016
7 more rows
Sep 7, 2022

What is an example of a third party administrator? ›

A hospital or a health provider organization that sets up its own health plan will often outsource the administrative responsibilities to a third party. A company that opts to self-fund its employee health insurance plan typically contracts with a third-party claims administrator to run the program.

What is a third party administrator? ›

“Third Party Administrator (TPA)” means a company registered with the Authority, and engaged by an insurer, for a fee or by whatever name called and as may be mentioned in the health services agreement, for providing health services as mentioned under the INSURANCE REGULATORY AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF INDIA (THIRD ...

What is the size of the third party administrator market? ›

The market size, measured by revenue, of the Third-Party Administrators & Insurance Claims Adjusters industry was $287.5bn in 2023.

What are the largest third parties in the US? ›

Several third parties also operate in the U.S. and occasionally have a member elected to local office; some of the larger ones include the Constitution, Green, Alliance, and Libertarian parties, with the latter being the largest third party since the 1980s.

What are two of the biggest third parties? ›

Current U.S. third parties

Currently, the Libertarian and Green parties are the largest in the U.S. after the Republican and Democratic parties.

Who are third party companies? ›

A third-party vendor is a person or company that provides services for another company (or that company's customers). While vendors are considered “third parties,” some industries differentiate a “third-party vendor” specifically as a vendor under written contract, but not all vendors work under a contract.

How do I choose a third-party administrator? ›

Comparing TPAs - 6 Things to Look for in a Claims Service Provider
  1. A focus on managing turnover. Before your TPA can care for your employees, they need to care for their own. ...
  2. Robust data-driven models. ...
  3. Advanced analytical tools. ...
  4. A results-based approach. ...
  5. High-quality investigative services. ...
  6. Flexibility.

What are the different types of TPAs? ›

There are two types of TPAs: captive TPAs and independent TPAs. Captive TPAs are typically owned by an insurance company or group of insurance companies. They provide administrative services exclusively to their parent company or affiliated insurers.

How many third party administrators are there in the US? ›

There are 120,434 Third-Party Administrators & Insurance Claims Adjusters businesses in the US as of 2023, a decline of -0.9% from 2022.

Who is a third party owner? ›

Third Party Owner means a third party with whom an entity has entered into a lease, management, or similar agreement regarding a site.

What are the disadvantages of third-party administrator? ›

Some potential disadvantages of TPAs in health insurance include additional costs for policyholders, as TPAs charge fees for their services. Additionally, there may be issues with the quality of service provided by the TPA, which can impact the claims process.

What is another name for third-party administrator? ›

Third-party administrators, also called TPAs, do not set the policies of health insurance plans but they help ensure policies are followed.

How do third party administrators make money? ›

Third party administrators make a commission once premiums are paid to an insurer for health insurance coverage. Third party administrators can also request money for specific fees, while also making money through both fees and commission, based on the scope and number of services that they offer.

Is a third-party administrator the same as a broker? ›

TPA's are considered one of the most important players in insurance and healthcare industry; they are contracted by health insurers or self-insuring companies to manage the services they offer in an efficient and effective way. An insurance broker is an expert in insurance and risk management.

How many third-party administrators are there in the US? ›

Questions Clients Ask About This Industry

There are 615,002 people employed in the Third-Party Administrators & Insurance Claims Adjusters industry in the US as of 2023.

Who are the most common third party payers? ›

In the US, the most common third-party payers are commercial insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid. All of these payers have their own sets of conditions that the provider must meet in order to get paid. One provider might be dealing with several different third-party payers.

Who was the greatest administrator? ›

Sher Shah started the Suri dynasty in 1540 by defeating Humayun. He was one of the greatest administrators of medieval India. He concentrated all administrative powers in his own persons. All major decisions were taken by Sher Shah himself and the ministers and the nobles simply carried them out.

Who are 3rd parties companies? ›

"Third party" and "vendor" are the most common terms used to describe the business entities or individuals that provide products or services directly to an organization or its customers on the organization's behalf. These days, the terms vendor and third party are often used interchangeably.

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