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Benefit Administration Services in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Brendan McErlaine Brendan McErlaine New York, United States Last Updated: August 2024 NAICS OD5533

Revenue

$278.7bn

2024

$278.7bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XX.Xbn

Employees

542k

Businesses

85,851

Wages

$XX.Xbn

Benefit Administration Services in the US industry analysis

Benefit administration services providers have performed fairly well during the current period but revenue has been somewhat volatile. While COVID-19 disrupted the US economy, revenue soared in 2020 as health-conscious employees sought more extensive health benefits. The industry faces current challenges from high inflation, as it's become more likely for companies to administer their benefits in-house. The repeal of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) individual mandate and the pandemic have stalled growth in the number of individuals with private health insurance, constraining a major revenue stream for the industry. Overall, revenue for the Benefit Administration Services industry is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 3.0% during the current period, reaching $278.7 billion in 2024. This includes a 1.5% rise in revenue in that year.

Trends and Insights

  • When businesses thrive and their profit soars, they often opt for external benefit administration services, fueling demand in the industry. Conversely, economic downturns and factors such as COVID-19 negatively impact profitability, limiting revenue growth for benefit providers.
  • Health and welfare plans bring in most of the industry's revenue. These plans include a range of benefits such as medical and training services, but recently, revenue growth has slowed as private health insurance numbers have stalled.
  • The Mid-Atlantic, especially New York, is the US’s financial powerhouse. It's home to giant banks and financial institutions, boosting demand for benefit administration services resulting from complex employee benefits.
  • Since there are so many benefit administration service providers, internal competition is intense. Players compete on the range of services offered, price and ability to adopt new technologies.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 3.0 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $278.7bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Shifts in corporate profit have had significant effects on providers

  • When businesses have more excess funds, they can afford external benefit administration services more easily, so demand for the industry's services tends to expand when corporate profit grows.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Benefit Administration Services in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Rising incomes will boost downstream demand

  • Despite challenges related to high inflation, rising interest rates and recessionary fears, GDP will expand at a steady pace during the outlook period.

Biggest companies in the Benefit Administration Services in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Crawford & Company
966.6
140.2
14.5

To view the market share and analysis for all 1 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Benefit Administration Services in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Administration and management of pension plan , Administration and management of self-funded health/welfare plans and Administration and management of other health/welfare plans. Administration and management of pension plan is the largest segment of the Benefit Administration Services in the US.

Trends and Insights

Health and welfare plans dominate the industry

  • Third-party administration of health and welfare plans, including medical, surgical, hospital, vacation, training and other types of employee benefits, comprises more than nine-tenths of the industry's revenue.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Benefit administration services in the US involve the management and administration of employee benefits programs such as health insurance, retirement plans, disability insurance and other perks provided by employers to their employees.

What's included in this industry?

Pension plan third-party administration and managementHealth/welfare plan third-party administration and managementWorkers' compensation third-party administration and managementAdministration and management of self-funded health/welfare plansData reporting and premium processing

Companies

Crawford & Company

Purchase this report to view all 1 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

DEFINED BENEFIT PLANWORKERS' COMPENSATIONCOBRA

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 52429 - Benefit Administration Services in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

When businesses thrive and their profit soars, they often opt for external benefit administration services, fueling demand in the industry. Conversely, economic downturns and...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Health and welfare plans bring in most of the industry's revenue. These plans include a range of benefits such as medical and training services, but recently, revenue growth ...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

The Mid-Atlantic, especially New York, is the US’s financial powerhouse. It's home to giant banks and financial institutions, boosting demand for benefit administration servi...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Since there are so many benefit administration service providers, internal competition is intense. Players compete on the range of services offered, price and ability to adop...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

The Benefit Administration Services industry is fragmented, with the largest company accounting for a very small portion of revenue. Localization and relatively low barriers ...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Crawford & Company's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Crawford & Company, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) helps state insurance regulators craft policies and set professional standards. Since a one-size-fits-all approach ...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

The industry maintains relatively stable profit because of moderate revenue volatility. Despite this, profit is limited to under 10.0% of revenue because of high legal and ad...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in United States is $278.7bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in 2024?

There are 85,851 businesses in the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 7.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in United States has been growing at a CAGR of 3.0 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Benefit Administration Services in the US market in United States?

The biggest company operating in the Benefit Administration Services market in United States is Crawford & Company

What does the Benefit Administration Services in the US in United States include?

Pension plan third-party administration and management and Health/welfare plan third-party administration and management are part of the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Benefit Administration Services in the US in United States?

The company holding the most market share in United States is Crawford & Company.

How competitive is the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Benefit Administration Services in the US industry in United States.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Insurance Brokers & Agencies in the US
  • Third-Party Administrators & Insurance Claims Adjusters in the US
  • Human Resources & Benefits Administration in the US

Complementors

  • Property, Casualty and Direct Insurance in the US
  • Health & Medical Insurance in the US

International industries

  • Life Insurance & Annuities in Canada
  • Insurance Brokerage in Australia
  • Insurance Brokerage in New Zealand
  • Risk & Damage Evaluation in the UK
  • Insurance Brokers & Adjusters in China

View all industries in United States

Methodology

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Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

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