What’s In a Census? (Hint: More Than You Think)
We get it. You’re in a rush. The broker needs a quote. The TPA is doing their best to gather info. And the enrollment census? Well—it’s “mostly” complete. Good enough, right?
Not quite.
As underwriters, we live and die by the quality of the data you send. But here’s the part that often gets missed: a clean, complete enrollment census isn’t just for us—it’s for you. It’s one of the most underutilized tools a producer or TPA has to scrub a group, uncover opportunities, and start better conversations.
More Than Just Names and Dates
Let’s start with what most censuses get right: names, birth-dates, genders, zip codes, election tiers, and plan codes. That’s a solid baseline.
But to truly understand a group—and underwrite it properly—we need to go deeper. The best censuses also show:
- All Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs)—not just the enrolled ones
- Waivers (and ideally, why they waived)
- Indicators for Retirees, COBRA participants, and Seasonal workers
Why does this matter? Because it turns a basic census into a diagnostic tool—a way for you to identify black swans before they show up on our radar. And that helps everyone save time.
Participation Tells a Story
Let’s say the census shows 150 enrolled employees. But the FTE count is actually 600. That’s a participation rate of 25%—and that’s a story worth digging into.
Maybe the employer has lot of seasonal workers — currently not on the plan. Maybe they’re losing people to a spouse’s richer plan. Maybe they had a recent layoff due to financial difficulties. Maybe they’re a prime candidate for a MEC/Mini-Med strategy. Either way, a thoughtful producer doesn’t wait for us to ask—they notice the pattern and start asking smart questions.
Red Flags Aren’t Always Bad News
High average age? That might seem like a deal-breaker. But is it really? A deeper dive might show that most employees are in their 30s and 40s—and the average is skewed by a handful of retirees or long-term COBRA participants.
How about HMO enrollments? There’s a big difference between 10% vs 90% (or more).
Which leads to better questions: Why are so many COBRA folks still on the plan? Was there a recent layoff? High turnover? Are we looking at seasonal spikes?
These aren’t deal-killers—they’re just clues. And producers who can read the tea leaves make our job easier—and close more business for all of us.
Scrubbing Is a Skill
The best producers we work with use the census as a strategic asset. They look for gaps, inconsistencies, and patterns. They highlight risks before we find them. They turn what could be a long back-and-forth into a fast, productive underwriting conversation.
Because let’s be honest: nobody wants to DTQ a group after three rounds of questions. We’d all rather do it on the front end—before the time is sunk, the spreadsheets fly, and the trust gets strained.
So yes, we want a better census. But you should, too.
The Bottom Line
A clean census does more than speed up underwriting. It gives you insight. It helps you guide the client. It makes you a better consultant—and a more efficient one.
So next time you’re pulling together a group, pause. Ask yourself: “What’s really in this census—and what’s missing?” The answers might surprise you.
Happy hunting!
