Specific Attachment Point

The specific attachment point is the dollar amount any single covered member must accrue in claims before specific stop-loss insurance starts paying. It's a per-person deductible on the stop-loss policy. Common attachment points on small and mid-sized self-funded plans run $50,000 to $250,000 per person per year, depending on group size, claims history, and risk appetite.

Lower attachment points mean more stop-loss premium and less plan-level risk on any single catastrophic claim. Higher attachment points mean lower premium but more exposure. A 100-life employer might sit at $75,000; a 500-life employer at $150,000; a 2,000-life employer at $300,000. The attachment point choice is a genuine risk-management decision, not just a cost input — a $50,000 versus $100,000 attachment can swing $200,000+ in premium and shift meaningful exposure back onto the plan. Stop-loss policies also come in different contract bases: "paid" contracts cover claims paid in the contract year regardless of when the service occurred; "incurred" contracts cover services rendered during the contract year regardless of when paid.

The takeaway: pick the specific attachment point based on how much monthly claims volatility your organization can absorb, not just on quoted premium. A quiet year makes low premium look smart; a bad year makes low deductible look smart.