Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund
Updated Filing received by DOL
Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund, an other services employer in Troy, Michigan, reported 933 participants in its health and welfare plan for plan year 2024. Its Form 5500 shows 2 insurance contracts with no premium reported and $45,375 in broker commissions and fees. The plan is self-funded (the employer pays claims itself, with stop-loss coverage from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan). The Department of Labor received an amended filing on March 6, 2026; the original filing date is not in the public dataset.
Who was paid on Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund's plan
Schedule A, Part I lists each broker or agent paid on each insurance contract and the amount. Totals below add every contract Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund filed for 2024.
| Broker or agent | Commissions | Fees | Total | Contracts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darris Frank Garoufalix · Troy, MI | $33,415 | $0 | $33,415 | 1 |
| Benesys Inc · Troy, MI | $11,960 | $0 | $11,960 | 1 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michiganstop-loss | 713 | — | $45,375 | — |
| The Union Labor Life Insurance Companylife | 879 | — | — | — |
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 Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund 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 | 842 | 933 | +10.8% |
| Premiums filed | $0 | $0 | — |
| Broker commissions + fees | $37,756 | $45,375 | +20.2% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet Metal Workers Local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Plan#501 · amended · insurance, trust | December 31, 2024 | March 6, 2026 | amended filing; original date not in data | 933 |
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 Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund pay in health insurance broker commissions in 2024?
Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund's 2024 Form 5500 reports $45,375 in broker commissions and fees across 2 insurance contracts ($45,375 in commissions, $0 in fees), with Darris Frank Garoufalix receiving the largest share.
Is Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund's health plan self-funded or fully insured?
The 2024 filing indicates the plan is self-funded (the employer pays claims itself, with stop-loss coverage from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan).
How does Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund's broker compensation compare with similar employers?
A commission-to-premium ratio cannot be computed for Sheet Metal Workers,local 7,zone 1 Health & Welfare Fund because the filing does not report medical premium on Schedule A (usual for self-funded plans). In dollars, employers with 500-999 participants that disclosed broker pay reported a median of $104,902.
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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.