Watson Engineering, Inc.
Updated Filing received by DOL
Watson Engineering, Inc., a manufacturing — metal, equipment, transportation employer in Taylor, Michigan, reported 288 participants in its health and welfare plan for plan year 2025. Its Form 5500 shows $2.6M in insurance premiums across 3 contracts and $114,927 in broker commissions and fees, 3.1% of medical premium against a national median of 3.8% among plans that paid commissions in plan year 2024. The plan is fully insured (an insurance carrier pays claims). The Department of Labor received the filing on June 29, 2026, before the deadline.
Who was paid on Watson Engineering, 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 Watson Engineering, Inc. filed for 2025.
| Broker or agent | Commissions | Fees | Total | Contracts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melissa Armatis · Wyandotte, MI | $78,598 | $0 | $78,598 | 1 |
| AssuredPartners · Sterling Heights, MI | $29,434 | $3,522 | $32,956 | 3 |
| Centro Benefits Research, LLC · Kirkwood, MO | $0 | $3,373 | $3,373 | 1 |
Source: DOL Form 5500 Schedule A, Part I (broker commissions and fees), plan year 2025, as published in EBSA's 2025 "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 Michiganhealth, vision, prescription drug, PPO | 404 | $2.6M | $82,120 | 3.1% |
| The Lincoln National Life Insurance Companydental | 217 | — | $14,617 | — |
| Dearborn Life Insurance Companylife, short-term disability, long-term disability | 254 | — | $18,190 | — |
Source: DOL Form 5500 Schedule A, plan year 2025. Self-funded medical coverage has no premium; amounts shown for it are stop-loss or administrative contracts.
How Watson Engineering, 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.
Premium per covered person on medical contracts: $6,524 a year (national median $7,274).
Source: BenefitsLedger benchmarks from 58,547 employer health plans with 100 or more participants, plan year 2024. Methodology.
Year over year
| 2024 | 2025 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participants | 282 | 288 | +2.1% |
| Premiums filed | $2,388,746 | $2,635,774 | +10.3% |
| Broker commissions + fees | $108,562 | $114,927 | +5.9% |
| Commission rate | 3.1% | 3.1% | −0.0 pts |
Source: DOL Form 5500 filings for plan years 2024 and 2025.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watson Engineering, Inc. Benefits Plan#501 · insurance | December 31, 2025 | June 29, 2026 | before deadline | 288 |
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 Watson Engineering, Inc. pay in health insurance broker commissions in 2025?
Watson Engineering, Inc.'s 2025 Form 5500 reports $114,927 in broker commissions and fees across 3 insurance contracts ($108,032 in commissions, $6,895 in fees), with Melissa Armatis receiving the largest share.
Is Watson Engineering, Inc.'s health plan self-funded or fully insured?
The 2025 filing indicates the plan is fully insured (an insurance carrier pays claims). Medical coverage is written by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
How does Watson Engineering, Inc.'s broker compensation compare with similar employers?
Watson Engineering, Inc. paid 3.1% of medical premium in commissions and fees. The median for employers with 200-499 participants is 3.6%, and the median in Michigan is 3.2%. Percentages are computed only on fully insured medical contracts with filed premiums.
Send the full findings to your inbox.
A specialist writes up every finding for Watson Engineering, 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.