| Broker | Address | Carrier | Commissions | Fees | Total comp | % of premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MERCER HEALTH AND BENEFITS, LLC3 Filed as: MERCER HEALTH & BENEFITS, LLC | 701 MARKET STREET SUITE 1100 ST LOUIS, MO 63101 | ACE AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY | $9K | — | $9K | 20.12% |
| Provider | Services | Address | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRINCIPAL FUNDS, INC. AFFILIATE OF PLAN SPONSOR | Investment management fees paid indirectly by plan Service code 52 | PO BOX 8024 BOSTON, MA 02266 | $0 |
| PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY EIN 42-0127290 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR | Recordkeeping and information management (computing, tabulating, data processing, etc.); Investment management fees paid directly by plan; Contract Administrator; Investment management; Investment management fees paid indirectly by plan; Insurance services Service code 13 | — | $0 |
Benefits declared on the Form 5500 main form (✓ = also has a Schedule A insurance contract; otherwise the benefit is funded out of plan assets or via a Schedule C TPA).
The plan reports several different headcounts depending on which form you read. Each one measures a different slice of the population.
| Active participants | 10,559 | Currently employed and enrolled or eligible. |
| Retired/separated still receiving benefits | 2,688 | Continuation coverage (COBRA, retiree health). |
| Total participants (= "Plan participants" tile) | 13,247 | Active + retired/separated + beneficiaries. No dependents. |
| Coverage | Top carrier | Persons covered EOY | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life insurance(3 contracts) | PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY | 13,673 | $7.0M |
| Short-term disability | ACE AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY | 10,018 | $45K |
| Persons covered (= "Persons covered" tile) | Max across the rows above | 13,673 | — |
Why the numbers differ. Form 5500 line 6 counts employees + retirees + beneficiaries; no dependents. Schedule A persons-covered counts everyone enrolled, including spouses and children, so it usually exceeds line 6 by 30-60% on a working-age workforce. The medical row is normally the broadest single line because it has the highest take-up; dental/vision/life often dip below it. Stop-loss / reinsurance contracts sometimes report the carrier's full underwriting pool rather than this filer's headcount; the row is shown for transparency but shouldn't be read as "people in this plan."
Total premium grew more than 20% over prior year. Renewal pain — prime candidate for re-shopping the carriers.
The primary carrier changed from prior filing. The plan is already willing to move; opportunity to re-pitch on the next cycle.
Primary broker changed. Recently changed advisors; vulnerable to a second-look pitch or hostile takeover.
Broker comp is under 1% of premium on a >$1M plan. Plan may be flying solo or paying a flat fee — consultant sales target.