--- title: What is an Attachment Point? - RMC Group description: In simple terms, an “attachment point” is the point at which one person’s liability for claims ends and another person’s begins.  image: https://rmcgp.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/RMC-Blog-Header-22.png --- [ ← Back to Blog ](https://rmcgp.com/blog) # What is an Attachment Point? Written By RMC Group Published on: December 7, 2021 **Categories:** Health and Benefits ![What is an Attachment Point?](https://rmcgp.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/RMC-Blog-Header-22.png) In simple terms, an “attachment point” is the point at which one person’s liability for claims ends and another person’s begins.  However, the meaning of an attachment point depends upon the context in which it is used. For example, in the context of self-funded health plans, the attachment point is the amount that the employer has to pay before the employer’s stop-loss insurance kicks in.  There are two types of attachment points in stop-loss insurance – specific and aggregate. ### **WHAT IS A SPECIFIC ATTACHMENT POINT?** Stop-loss insurance protects an employer from catastrophic claims, both on a per participant basis and for the plan as a whole.  Specific stop-loss insurance covers claims incurred by a single participant above a certain amount.  That amount is the specific attachment point.  Let’s assume that an employer’s stop-loss insurance has a specific attachment point of $50,000.  That means that the employer is solely responsible for medical claims of a single participant up to $50,000.  Once that participant’s medical claims exceed $50,000, the employer would be reimbursed by its stop-loss insurance.  In this context, specific means single. ### **WHAT IS AN AGGREGATE ATTACHMENT POINT?** The aggregate attachment point limits an employer’s exposure for medical claims incurred by the plan as a whole.  If the aggregate attachment point is $500,000, that means that, once the employer has paid medical claims of $500,000 in total, the employer will be reimbursed by stop-loss insurance for any additional expenses.  The aggregate attachment point limits the employer’s liability even if one or more individual participants has not reached the specific attachment point.  So, for example, let’s assume that the employer has twenty participants in its plan.  If ten of those participants incur medical expenses of $50,000, for a total of $500,000, the employer will have reached its aggregate attachment point.  From that point forward, stop-loss insurance will reimburse the employer for medical expenses incurred by the plan’s participants, even though ten participants have not incurred expenses in excess of $50,000. ### **THE ATTACHMENT POINT CAN VARY** Attachment points can vary from policy to policy and are subject to negotiation between the insured and the insurer.  They are a product of the insured’s appetite for risk.  However, in the context of self-funded health plans, some states impose minimum attachment points. For more information on health insurance or to speak with one of our health experts, contact RMC at 239-298-8210 or [health@rmcgp.com](mailto:health@rmcgp.com). ## Related Blog Posts [![Closing the Gap: What Women's Retirement Security Day Means for Your Future](https://rmcgp.com/hubfs/RMC%20-%20Blog%20Header-Jul-08-2026-07-55-51-4334-PM.png) ](https://rmcgp.com/blog/closing-the-gap-what-womens-retirement-security-day-means-for-your-future) ### [Closing the Gap: What Women's Retirement Security Day Means for Your Future](https://rmcgp.com/blog/closing-the-gap-what-womens-retirement-security-day-means-for-your-future) On Women’s Retirement Security Day, we spotlight the retirement savings gap between women and men—and what you can do about it. Building a secure retirement isn't easy for anyone. But for women, the... 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