Founder Shield vs Gallagher Employee Health Benefits

Founder Shield is a retail insurance brokerage, described on its site as “the innovation arm of The Baldwin Group,” and places Founder Shield Employee Health & Benefits with third-party carriers rather than underwriting the policy itself. ⁷Company-reported. About-us page; applies to Founder Shield's brokerage model generally, restated here for this line.

Gallagher Small Business advises employers on setting up an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) and provides one-on-one consulting to employees shopping the individual health insurance marketplace; Gallagher does not issue health coverage itself under this offering. ¹³Company-reported. Small-business alternative health insurance and ICHRA product page.

Founder Shield says it places policies, including Founder Shield Employee Health & Benefits, only with carriers rated A- or better by AM Best, chosen for the client's industry. It does not name the issuing insurer for this line; that depends on which carrier the policy is placed with. ³Company-reported. General carrier-selection FAQ, not specific to this line's placements.

The ICHRA page does not name a specific health insurer or marketplace plan; ICHRA lets employees choose their own individual-market plan rather than one plan selected by Gallagher. ¹³Not publicly disclosed. Checked the small-business ICHRA product page on 2026-09-23.

Founder Shield markets this line to startups building a first benefits package, established businesses retaining staff, non-profits, and remote or distributed teams. ⁶Company-reported. Employee Health & Benefits product page.

Gallagher says ICHRA has no minimum participation requirement and can be customized by employee class (for example full-time, part-time or remote), unlike a group health plan that often requires a minimum enrollment percentage. ¹³Company-reported. Product page comparison table.

Founder Shield lists medical, dental and vision plans, life insurance, disability insurance, and retirement plans such as 401(k)s with employer matching among the benefits it places. ⁶Company-reported. Product page; actual plan design depends on the carrier and employer choices.

Gallagher describes ICHRA as letting an employer set a fixed monthly reimbursement allowance while employees choose and buy their own individual health plan, contrasted against a traditional group health plan where the employer selects one or a few plans for everyone. ¹³Company-reported. Product page comparison table; a structural description of ICHRA, not a specific plan's terms.

Gallagher says employer ICHRA contributions are tax-deductible and reimbursements are tax-free for employees, and that a properly designed ICHRA can meet the ACA employer mandate. ¹³Company-reported. Product page comparison table.

Not described in the reviewed sources.

The ICHRA page does not publish a recommended or typical monthly allowance amount; it says the allowance is fixed by the employer. ¹³Not publicly disclosed. Checked the small-business ICHRA product page on 2026-09-23.

The reviewed page does not describe specific benefits-administration or HR support services Founder Shield itself provides beyond plan placement. ⁶Not found in reviewed sources. Employee Health & Benefits product page, checked 2026-09-23.

Gallagher says its team keeps employers compliant with state and federal ICHRA regulations and reduces the administrative time a business spends evaluating, managing and selecting a health plan compared with a group plan. ¹³Company-reported. Product page "ICHRA benefits for employers" section.

You request Founder Shield Employee Health & Benefits through Founder Shield's website or an insurance advisor rather than binding coverage directly; Founder Shield says its placement team then approaches carriers on the client's behalf. ^7,3Company-reported. About-us and carrier-selection pages describe the general placement process, not a line-specific application form.

Gallagher routes interested employers to a Connect With An Advisor form asking for company details, contact information and state. ¹³Company-reported. Product page inquiry form, inspected without submission.