Gallagher vs Heffernan Insurance Brokers Employee Health Benefits

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. ⁶Company-reported. Small-business alternative health insurance and ICHRA product page.

Heffernan Benefit Advisors is Heffernan's employee-benefits brokerage and advisory practice. It helps employers choose and manage group benefit programs rather than underwriting the plans itself. ¹⁰Company-reported. Health Insurance services page; the page does not identify a separate risk-bearing insurer for any specific plan.

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. ⁶Not publicly disclosed. Checked the small-business ICHRA product page on 2026-09-23.

The reviewed pages describe Heffernan's advisory and administrative role but do not name the insurance carriers that underwrite any specific employer's health, dental, or vision plan. ^10,11,12Not publicly disclosed. Health Insurance services, Administration and Advocacy, and Compliance and Education pages as read on 2026-09-23.

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. ⁶Company-reported. Product page comparison table.

Heffernan says it serves both large and small employer groups shopping for benefits, without publishing a minimum group size. ¹⁰Company-reported. Health Insurance services page marketing language.

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. ⁶Company-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. ⁶Company-reported. Product page comparison table.

Heffernan lists group medical, individual medical, group dental, group vision, life and disability, voluntary benefits, and Medicare among the benefit types its advisors help employers arrange. ¹⁰Company-reported. Health Insurance services page product list; actual plan design and carrier depend on the group's placement.

The ICHRA page does not publish a recommended or typical monthly allowance amount; it says the allowance is fixed by the employer. ⁶Not publicly disclosed. Checked the small-business ICHRA product page on 2026-09-23.

Not described in the reviewed sources.

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. ⁶Company-reported. Product page "ICHRA benefits for employers" section.

Heffernan says it builds employee-communication materials for benefits programs, including benefit guides, ID cards, and translated materials, plus ongoing campaigns such as mailings and health fairs. ¹¹Company-reported. Administration and Advocacy page.

Heffernan offers an Employer Hotline giving HR and operations staff phone access to PHR/SPHR certified consultants for questions on leaves of absence, hiring, terminations, and employee relations. ¹¹Company-reported. Administration and Advocacy page.

Heffernan says its benefits-compliance team includes a dedicated ERISA attorney and an underwriter who manage a benefits compliance calendar and regulatory deadlines for client plans. ¹²Company-reported. Compliance and Education page; describes advisory services, not a legal opinion for any specific plan.

Gallagher routes interested employers to a Connect With An Advisor form asking for company details, contact information and state. ⁶Company-reported. Product page inquiry form, inspected without submission.

The reviewed pages do not describe an online quote or enrollment process for employee benefits; they point toward a consultative engagement with Heffernan Benefit Advisors rather than a self-service flow. ¹⁰Not found in reviewed sources. Health Insurance services page as read on 2026-09-23.