Enrollment
You are automatically covered for basic life insurance when you are eligible.
Coverage for supplemental life/AD&D insurance is not automatic; you must elect coverage and authorize payroll deductions during your first 30 days of employment in order for your employee coverage to become effective.
You may also enroll your eligible spouse/domestic partner and children for dependent life insurance. If your spouse/domestic partner is enrolled for dependent life insurance, you do not need to enroll your children; they will automatically be covered for $5,000 of life insurance per child. For spouse coverage, you must provide a copy of your marriage certificate. For domestic partner coverage, you must provide a copy of either a Partner Enrollment Guide or the governmental registration certification.
If you do not have an eligible dependent when you are first eligible to enroll and then gain an eligible dependent at a later date, you may enroll that dependent for dependent life insurance within 31 days of acquiring the dependent by contacting the Benefits Department.
Be sure to include beneficiary designations, where applicable. You are automatically the beneficiary for any dependent life insurance.
Proof of good health is the process of disclosing your health history to the insurance company for approval of certain amounts of life insurance. Proof of good health consists of a completed health questionnaire and may include lab tests and a medical examination at the insurance company's expense.
Proof of good health will be required for employee supplemental and dependent life insurance, depending on when you apply for coverage as described under Life/AD&D Insurance Summary.
The Company pays the full cost of your basic employee life insurance. You pay the full cost of supplemental and dependent life insurance through after-tax payroll deductions. You have the opportunity to apply for this added protection at competitive group insurance rates.
The cost of employee supplemental insurance depends on the amount of coverage you choose and your age. When your age puts you in the next cost band, the change in your contribution will take effect with your next paycheck. If your annual base salary changes, the amount of your insurance will change on the date your annual base salary changes.
If the insurance company changes the rates in the future, you will be notified before the increase takes effect.
Each year during the Open Enrollment period, you will be able to request a change in your supplemental life and dependent life coverage for your spouse/domestic partner. If you are increasing your coverage more than one level, you must provide proof of good health at the insurance company's expense and be approved by the insurance company before coverage can take effect. Your spouse/domestic partner must provide proof of good health for any increase request. In either instance, there is no guarantee of acceptance.
For example, if you are a field sales employee and wish to increase your coverage from $100,000 to $200,000 (one level) during Open Enrollment, proof of good health is not required. If you wish to increase coverage from $100,000 to $300,000 (two levels), you will be approved for $200,000 without proof of good health, but you must provide satisfactory proof of good health before the additional $100,000 can be approved.
You may change your coverages at other times during the year only if you have a change in your family status as defined by federal regulations.
The following events qualify as a change in your family status:
- Marriage, divorce, or legal separation
- Formation or dissolution of domestic partnership
- Birth or legal adoption of a child
- Death of a spouse/domestic partner or child
- A change in your employment status such that you are no longer regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week
All changes must be made within 31 days of the event and will require proof of good health and approval by the insurance company before coverage can take effect. Any changes you make must be consistent with the change in your family status. You must be actively at work or on vacation for any change in coverage to take effect.
Your employee and dependent insurance starts on the latest of the following dates:
- The date you become eligible
- The date you return to active work if you are not actively at work on the date insurance would otherwise start
- The date you apply for insurance, if you have to pay any part of the premium
- The date proof of good health is approved (if applicable)
- The date your dependent is released from confinement (if he or she is confined in a hospital or care facility on the date coverage is otherwise scheduled to begin)
If you or a dependent is a late enrollee and enrolls during a subsequent Open Enrollment period, coverage will begin on the following January 1st, provided the insurance company has approved the application and you are actively at work that day. If you are not on active status, coverage will begin after you have returned to active status and have worked one full day.
Your employee and dependent insurance ends on the earliest of the following dates:
- The last day of the month in which you retire
- The last day of the month during which you were last actively at work
- The date the plan terminates
- The date this policy is replaced by a similar life insurance plan, provided you are actively at work
- The last day of the month you or a dependent is no longer eligible
- End of the period for which you last made required contributions for supplemental and dependent life coverage
- For the accelerated death benefit and AD&D insurance, the date your life insurance stops
- For life insurance you continued under the portability option, the date you attain age 70.
- For dependent insurance:
- The date your life insurance stops
- The date that dependent insurance is no longer available under the policy
- The date your dependents is no longer eligible
- The date your dependent's insurance is converted under the policy
- For a child with an intellectual disability or physical handicap:
- The date the child becomes covered under any other group plan
- The date the child is no longer incapacitated
- The date you do not give the insurance company proof of the child's incapacity when requested
- The end of the period for which you paid premiums for this continuation, if you do not make the next required premium contribution when due
- The date your dependents’ insurance would otherwise stop
You may convert your basic, supplemental, and dependent life insurance to individual policies without proof of good health when your life insurance coverage ends. To do so, you must apply to the insurance company and pay the first premium within 30 days after you are no longer covered by these life insurance coverages. You will pay the full cost of coverage for the converted policies. If your coverage stops because this life insurance plan is canceled or changed and your coverage has been in effect for at least five years, the amount of life insurance you may convert is limited to $5,000.
Regardless of whether you apply for an individual policy, if you die within 30 days following termination of coverage, the life insurance plan will pay a benefit to your surviving beneficiary as if you were still covered under the plans.