DSP Insurance Insights

For a growing construction or service contractor, few things are more frustrating than watching a contract opportunity pass by simply because the bonding capacity isn't there yet. The work is there. The manpower is there. The track record is building. But the balance sheet hasn't caught up, and the traditional surety market is not in the business of waiting.

Understanding why that gap exists, and how to bridge it strategically, is one of the most valuable conversations a growing contractor can have.

Prescription drug costs have become one of the fastest-growing expenses in employer-sponsored health plans. Yet despite representing a significant portion of overall healthcare spending, pharmacy benefits remain one of the least understood components of a health plan. 

In 2012 an “antitrust” class action suit was filed against the Nation’s 36 Blue Cross plans, alleging the Blue Cross Association rules prevented fair competition. In the Fall of 2020, there was a “proposed” settlement of $2.7 Billion dollars that would distribute dollars back to Blue Cross customers that had policies between 2/07/2008 and 10/16/2020. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, in partnership with the “local” Blue Cross plan(s) & the settlement administrator gave notice to eligible employer groups (and some individual employees) information about the proposed settlement and how they can register as a member of the class. Eligible employers had a deadline of November 2021 to register/file a claim as a member of the class, and the past 5 years have shown a number of delays & appeals.

Starting June 1, 2026, Illinois employers will need to navigate a new leave requirement under the Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act. This law requires certain employers to provide unpaid leave to employees whose child is receiving care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

At a high level, the law reflects a growing focus on supporting employees during critical and often unexpected life events. At the same time, it introduces additional compliance responsibilities that employers will need to manage carefully.

It's getting noisy over here. Diary of a CEO ran a 90-minute peptide episode that went viral. HHS reversed the FDA ban on most of the restricted peptide list. The wellness industry began its pivot years ago. Your CFO's group chat is asking what BPC-157 is.

Most business owners don’t have a people problem.

They have a communication problem.

Not internally, but across their advisors.

You might have a strong CPA. A solid insurance broker. Maybe even a financial advisor and an attorney you trust. On paper, that looks like a well-built team. But in reality, those individuals are often operating in completely separate lanes, solving problems without ever comparing notes.

And that’s where things start to break down.

Because your business doesn’t operate in silos. Your advisors shouldn’t either.

Most companies approach safety training the same way each year. They assign courses, send reminders, track completions, and move on. On paper, that process checks the box. But in practice, it often leaves a gap between completion and actual understanding.

That gap matters.

A driver glances at their phone for a few seconds. That’s all it takes.

A missed brake light. A delayed reaction. A crash that could have been avoided.

Distracted driving remains one of the most preventable causes of serious accidents on the road. And despite better awareness, the numbers have not meaningfully improved.

Here's something that stops me mid-conversation every time I bring it up with a business owner: If I told them they could start their own insurance company, keep the underwriting profit, and potentially save six figures a year, they'd think I was running a scam. But that's essentially what a captive is. 

A general contractor loses a subcontractor mid-project. Maybe they ran out of cash. Maybe they took on too much work and could not deliver. Maybe the signs were there for months and nobody was watching closely enough.

The result is the same regardless of the cause: delays, cost overruns, a damaged owner relationship, and a scramble to find someone who can pick up the pieces.

Here is the uncomfortable truth. In most of those situations, the outcome was preventable.