Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) has announced the promotion of three professionals to vice president roles within its employer stop loss division.
Ford Coacher has been named vice president, Taft-Hartley; Chris Slezak has been named vice president, employer stop loss sales, US West; and Bill Bixler has been named vice president, employer stop loss sales, US East.
Phil Gardham, president of North America Accident & Health at BHSI, said the appointments reflect the company’s expanding footprint in the employer stop loss market.
“BHSI’s financial strength, long-term view, and ‘claims is our product’ philosophy has really resonated in the employer stop loss (ESL) marketplace,” Gardham said. “These well-deserved promotions are designed to recognize the work of our talented professionals and provide strong support for our continued growth in ESL – including the Taft-Hartley space.”
According to the company, Coacher joined BHSI in 2024 as assistant vice president, bringing more than a decade of industry experience focused on the Taft-Hartley and multiemployer health plan market. In his new role, he will oversee the expansion of BHSI’s Taft-Hartley ESL business for self-funded multiemployer union health plans.
Slezak joined the company in 2022, previously serving as regional vice president for the South-Central region. With more than two decades of industry experience, he will now oversee ESL sales for the US West, covering the Southwest, Northwest, and South-Central regions.
Bixler, who joined BHSI in 2017, previously served as regional vice president for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. He brings more than three decades of experience to his new role overseeing ESL sales for the US East, which includes the Midwest, Southeast, and Eastern regions.
BHSI launched its ESL business in 2016. The company holds an A++ financial strength rating from AM Best and an AA+ rating from Standard & Poor’s and said it does not purchase reinsurance.
The promotions come as the employer stop loss sector is experiencing significant activity. The global stop loss insurance market was valued at roughly $27.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $48.35 billion in 2033. Industry analysts attribute the expansion to the growing number of employers adopting self-funded health plans to manage rising, unpredictable medical expenses.
That growth has attracted major players. In January 2025, Nationwide announced an agreement to acquire Allstate’s ESL segment for $1.25 billion, a deal aimed at expanding the firm’s portfolio and serving small businesses better.
