Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc.
Updated Filing received by DOL
Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc., an arts & entertainment employer in Knoxville, Tennessee, reported 136 participants in its health and welfare plan for plan year 2024. Its Form 5500 shows 5 insurance contracts with no premium reported and $48,213 in broker commissions and fees. The plan is fully insured (an insurance carrier pays claims). The Department of Labor received the filing on July 22, 2025, before the deadline.
Who was paid on Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc.'s plan
Schedule A, Part I lists each broker or agent paid on each insurance contract and the amount. Totals below add every contract Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc. filed for 2024.
| Broker or agent | Commissions | Fees | Total | Contracts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Grose · Knoxville, TN | $41,054 | $0 | $41,054 | 1 |
| Higginbotham · Houston, TX | $6,853 | $306 | $7,159 | 4 |
Source: DOL Form 5500 Schedule A, Part I (broker commissions and fees), plan year 2024, as published in EBSA's 2024 "Latest" dataset. Part I names whoever the carrier paid, which can be a firm or an individual agent; both are public record. Amounts exclude pay from carriers not tied to a listed contract.
Insurance contracts and carriers
Every insurance contract reported on Schedule A: carrier, what it covers, people covered at year end, earned premium, and broker compensation.
| Carrier · coverage | Covered | Premium | Broker pay | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln National Life Insurance Companylife | 133 | — | $1,743 | — |
| Lincoln National Life Insurance Companylife | 51 | — | $2,834 | — |
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Companyshort-term disability | 43 | — | $1,737 | — |
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Companylong-term disability | 50 | — | $845 | — |
| Bluecross Blueshield of Tennesseehealth, dental, vision | 116 | — | $41,054 | — |
Source: DOL Form 5500 Schedule A, plan year 2024. Self-funded medical coverage has no premium; amounts shown for it are stop-loss or administrative contracts.
How Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc. compares
Medians across employers for plan year 2024, the most recent complete year. Commission rates use fully insured medical contracts only; dollar medians use every employer that disclosed broker pay.
Not computable: no insured medical premium on the filing.
Source: BenefitsLedger benchmarks from 58,547 employer health plans with 100 or more participants, plan year 2024. Methodology.
Year over year
| 2023 | 2024 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | 138 | 136 | −1.4% |
| Premiums filed | $0 | $0 | not comparable |
| Broker commissions + fees | $44,146 | $48,213 | +9.2% |
| Commission rate | — | — | — |
Source: DOL Form 5500 filings for plan years 2023 and 2024.
Filings and timeliness
Plans this employer filed under its EIN with a health benefit code. Large plans are due seven months after the plan year ends, or two and a half months later with an extension; amended filings carry the amendment date, so no timing is asserted for them.
| Plan | Plan year end | Received by DOL | Timing | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc. Welfare Benefits Plan#502 · insurance | December 31, 2024 | July 22, 2025 | before deadline | 136 |
Source: DOL Form 5500 Part I and signature dates; "late" means received after the extended deadline (the 15th day of the tenth month after plan year end). What a late Form 5500 costs.
How much did Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc. pay in health insurance broker commissions in 2024?
Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc.'s 2024 Form 5500 reports $48,213 in broker commissions and fees across 5 insurance contracts ($47,907 in commissions, $306 in fees), with Ryan Grose receiving the largest share.
Is Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc.'s health plan self-funded or fully insured?
The 2024 filing indicates the plan is fully insured (an insurance carrier pays claims). Medical coverage is written by Bluecross Blueshield of Tennessee.
How does Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc.'s broker compensation compare with similar employers?
A commission-to-premium ratio cannot be computed for Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc. because the filing does not report medical premium on Schedule A (usual for self-funded plans). In dollars, employers with 100-199 participants that disclosed broker pay reported a median of $53,852.
Send the full findings to your inbox.
A specialist writes up every finding for Knoxville Zoological Gardens, Inc. with the methodology and public-source citations, in a form you can forward to your CFO or counsel. Tick the box if you also want a 15-minute walkthrough call.
We don't sell your email. By submitting, you agree that BenefitsLedger and its benefits advisory partner, WellthCare, may email or call you about these findings. Opt out anytime by replying. See our privacy policy.
Record built October 24, 2026 from U.S. Department of Labor, EBSA Form 5500 datasets (2025, 2024, 2023 plan years, 'Latest' files). Filings can run 7 to 10 months behind the plan year; always confirm against current plan documents. BenefitsLedger is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Labor. Open the DOL filing search.