While captive insurance companies are recognized for managing risk and controlling costs, their potential for philanthropy is often overlooked. Yet, they can serve as more than just tools for safeguarding financial stability; they can be vehicles for meaningful charitable giving. In a world where profit and purpose increasingly intersect, captives stand as dynamic tools for businesses to protect their bottom line while leaving a lasting legacy of social impact and generosity.
As a business owner, you aspire to build a legacy that transcends generations and leaves a meaningful impact on the world. Captive insurance plays a pivotal role in this vision. Essentially, it’s an entity you establish to underwrite your own insurance risks. But it’s more than just a risk management tool—it’s a vehicle for realizing your aspirations for lasting impact. With captive insurance, you can generate sustainable wealth and support charitable initiatives, paving the way for a legacy that resonates for generations to come. It’s about building a legacy of generosity and social responsibility that stands the test of time.
In this article, we’ll explore how captives can be utilized to achieve a legacy of philanthropy while sharing the real-life example of how Grove Transportation’s captive insurance company and donor-advised fund has enabled the owners to not only initiate generations of charitable giving, but to grow their business.
How Captives Serve as a Sustainable Source for Funding Philanthropy
Captive insurance provides businesses with a unique avenue to generate sustainable wealth, which can be directed towards charitable giving in the following ways:
- Creation of Wealth: Captive insurance companies enable businesses to retain and manage their own insurance risks. By establishing a captive, a company can potentially reduce insurance costs and generate profits through underwriting activities. These profits represent new wealth creation for the business.
- Philanthropic Funding: The profits generated by the captive insurance company can be earmarked for charitable purposes, such as funding donor-advised funds (DAFs) or supporting specific charitable initiatives. This provides a reliable and sustainable source of funding for philanthropy, separate from the company’s operational revenues.
- Tax Efficiency: Contributions to charitable causes facilitated by captive insurance profits may offer tax benefits for the company and its stakeholders. Captive insurance structures can provide opportunities for tax deductions, while donations to charitable organizations are often tax-deductible. This tax efficiency maximizes the impact of charitable giving.
- Long-Term Impact: Captive insurance structures allow for the accumulation of wealth over time, creating a lasting impact on philanthropic endeavors. Unlike traditional charitable contributions, which may fluctuate based on business performance, captive insurance profits offer a stable and predictable source of funding for charitable initiatives.
- Family Legacy: Utilizing a captive insurance company for philanthropy can help businesses establish a meaningful family legacy of giving. By involving family members in the decision-making process and supporting causes that resonate with their values, businesses can pass down a tradition of philanthropy to future generations.
- Strategic Alignment: Captive insurance structures can be tailored to align with the company’s values and goals, ensuring that philanthropic efforts are integrated into the overall business strategy. This alignment reinforces the company’s commitment to social responsibility and community engagement.
The Grove Family’s Legacy of Generosity
In 1990, John and Bill Grove embarked on a journey that not only shaped their lives but also left a profound impact on their community. Drawing on the entrepreneurial spirit instilled by their immigrant grandfather, they founded Grove Transportation in Northern Kentucky. Their mission was twofold: to create jobs and economic opportunities while fostering a culture of philanthropy. So the Groves established their donor-advised fund in 2007, underscoring their enduring commitment to giving back.
In 2017, the Groves were looking for tax efficiency and decided to form a captive insurance company for their business, Aerostar Insurance Company. Although the captive was initially formed for its advantageous tax treatment, the Groves also attribute it to their survival during the COVID pandemic. While traditional, commercial insurance policies don’t cover pandemics, the Groves had it written into their captive’s policies. But most importantly, in addition to the captive covering unforeseen and complex risks, they also recognized the potential to integrate their altruistic goals with company growth. This strategic move not only facilitated the growth of their donor-advised fund but also aligned with their vision of nurturing a philanthropic legacy.
Over the years, they witnessed the symbiotic relationship between their company’s expansion and philanthropic endeavors. The proceeds generated by Aero Star Insurance fueled the growth of their donor-advised fund, amplifying the impact of their charitable contributions.
The Groves’ dedication to philanthropy extends to the next generation, with the involvement of their children in the decision-making process. Each year, they deliberate on fund allocation, identifying charities aligned with their values. Their philanthropic pursuits range from supporting Catholic education to pediatric cancer care.
Beyond monetary contributions, philanthropy imbues individuals with purpose and community stewardship. For Grove Transportation, integrating philanthropy into their business model has been transformative. From modest beginnings with four employees in 1990, to 18 employees when Aerostar Insurance Company was formed, to now over 70 employees, the strategic wealth generated through their captive insurance endeavor catalyzed this growth, enabling expansion and job creation.
John Grove aptly states, “At some point, everyone wants a legacy. How will yours be written?” For the Groves, their legacy is one of innovation, generosity, and community enrichment. Through pioneering captive insurance utilization, they secured their family’s future while cultivating a lasting legacy of generosity.
How to Determine Whether Captive Insurance Is the Right Fit
Considering forming a captive insurance company with philanthropy and family legacy in mind? Start by assessing whether a captive is the right fit for your business. Begin by asking yourself a few key questions:
- Is my business financially stable?
- Do I face unique or off-balance sheet risks that traditional insurance doesn’t adequately cover?
- In evaluating my insurance policies, do I have pressing risks that are uninsured or under-insured?
- Can I benefit from having greater control of my insurance program?
- Could I be paying too much in insurance premiums that continue to rise?
If you answered “yes” to these questions, a captive would be a good fit.
Once you’ve determined that a captive is suitable for your business, consider the additional benefits of integrating a donor-advised fund into your philanthropic strategy. A donor-advised fund, like the one utilized by the Grove family, offers a streamlined mechanism for charitable giving. It allows you to make contributions, receive immediate tax deductions and recommend grants to charitable organizations over time.
By establishing a donor-advised fund alongside your captive insurance company, you not only protect your business against risks but also create a sustainable source of funding for philanthropic endeavors. This dual approach enables you to build a legacy of generosity and social responsibility that resonates for generations to come.
