This month on the Vita Talks Podcast, Gianna Ricciardi speaks with John Cochrane, Founder of JD Consulting, to unpack one of the most critical (yet misunderstood) parts of employee benefits: funding models and risk-sharing.
For two decades, a 600-employee company managed its employee benefits in-house. No broker. No outside review. No third-party advisor.
They believed going directly to the insurer gave them more control and better pricing. But when internal frustration over renewal numbers started to build, they agreed to something they’d never done before: an independent audit.
From fully insured plans to ASO models, and the murky middle of retention accounting, they walk through the real-world impact of how group insurance is structured—and why employers should think beyond premiums.
💡 In this episode, we cover:
✔ What do underwriting and funding arrangements mean in group insurance
✔ Key differences between fully insured, refund accounting, and ASO models
✔ Why understanding risk tolerance is essential for long-term plan sustainability
✔ The advisor’s role in guiding clients through funding model evaluations
✔ When and why employers should audit their current benefits structure
Coming next month in Part 2:
The audit results. The financial breakdown. And exactly how much they saved.
More About Our Guest
John Cochrane
John, the founder of JD Consulting, continues to guide the firm’s strategic direction and client approaches. He focuses on working with clients to identify and understand their primary goals and business needs, providing customized and relevant recommendations for their employee benefit program(s).
John brings over 30 years of experience in employee benefit consulting and is a highly esteemed professional in the industry, earning respect from his peers.
Specializes in all facets of employee benefits, having served and continuing to serve a distinguished list of Canadian and international clients.
Visit the Jones DesLauriers website
Connect to John on LinkedIn
