Life insurance

Who is eligible?

Eligible members include employees of:

• State agencies
• Higher-education institutions (including community and technical colleges)
• A PEBB Program-participating employer group that offers both PEBB Program medical and dental coverage. Contact your payroll or benefits office to see if this is part of your benefits package.

These benefits are not available to employees who are only offered medical benefits. Contact your payroll or benefits office to see if this is part of your benefits package.

When can I enroll in supplemental life insurance?

You may enroll in supplemental life insurance or supplemental dependent life insurance anytime. The guaranteed issue amounts are available for supplemental life insurance and dependent life insurance without submitting evidence of insurability when your enrollment is no later than:

• 31 days after the date you become eligible for PEBB benefits.
• 60 days after the date of marriage or state domestic partnership registration.
• 60 days after the birth or adoption of a child. A newly born child must be at least 14 days old before supplemental dependent life insurance coverage is effective.
  • Once you have enrolled one child in dependent life insurance, each succeeding child you enroll will be covered for the same amount on the date that child becomes eligible, as defined in the certificate of coverage.
• 60 days after a child becoming eligible as an extended dependent through legal custody or legal guardianship.

If you apply for or change your employee or spouse or state-registered domestic partner supplemental life insurance coverage amounts after the deadline, you must provide evidence of insurability to MetLife for approval, regardless of the coverage amount requested.

Requests for coverage over the guaranteed issue amount submitted within the above deadlines will require evidence of insurability for the amount over the guaranteed issue. If the additional amount is denied, the employee or dependent will be enrolled in the guaranteed issue amount.

How do I enroll?

To enroll, you must create an account on MetLife's MyBenefits portal. If you are unable to access the portal, you can request a MetLife Enrollment/Change form by calling MetLife or contacting your payroll or benefits office.

To create an online account with MetLife

1. Visit MetLife's MyBenefits portal. A My Group Benefits screen will appear.
2. Under Not Registered? on the right, click Register now.
3. Complete the registration form to create your login credentials.
4. After registering, select Go to Accounts in the registration confirmation pop-up.

If you have questions about enrollment or the MetLife website, or need a form, call MetLife at 1-866-548-7139, Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Pacific).

What are basic (employer-paid) life insurance and AD&D insurance?

The PEBB Program's full employee benefits package includes basic life and basic AD&D insurance to eligible members through Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife). As an employee, your basic life insurance covers you and pays your designated beneficiaries in the event of your death. Basic AD&D insurance provides extra benefits for certain injuries or death resulting from a covered accident.

You will be automatically enrolled in these benefits, even if you waive medical coverage. You do not need to provide evidence of insurability (proof of good health).

These benefits provide:

• $35,000 for basic life insurance.
• $5,000 for basic AD&D insurance.

You can also enroll in supplemental life and supplemental AD&D insurance for yourself and your eligible dependents. To enroll your eligible dependents in supplemental life and AD&D insurance, you must elect employee supplemental life insurance for yourself.

What are supplemental (employee-paid) life and AD&D insurance?

You may enroll in supplemental life insurance and supplemental AD&D insurance for yourself and your eligible dependents. Employee supplemental coverage is not available to retirees.

Employees must enroll in supplemental life insurance to enroll dependents in supplemental life insurance. See Life insurance premiums for the cost of supplemental life and AD&D insurance.

*Guaranteed issue is the amount of coverage an employee may select when initially eligible for coverage, within the required deadlines below, without submitting evidence of insurability to MetLife.

How do I add or update my beneficiary information?

You must name a beneficiary for both basic and supplemental life and AD&D insurance. To name or update a beneficiary, visit MetLife's MyBenefits. On your profile page, click Group Life Insurance, then click the Beneficiaries tab. You can also call MetLife at 1-866-548-7139 to request a Group Term Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation form.

FAQs

Can I waive life and AD&D insurance?

If you are eligible for PEBB benefits, you cannot waive life and AD&D insurance. However, you have two options if you object to this coverage:

• You can name a charity as your beneficiary.
• On your enrollment form, you can leave the beneficiary information blank. Tell your family and anyone who might be handling your estate not to file a claim on your death. If you choose not to identify a beneficiary, the benefit amount will be paid as outlined in the Certificate of Coverage.

Can I continue my life insurance coverage after employment ends?

If you are eligible for portability or conversion due to termination or other reasons, MetLife will send you information and an application. When porting or converting your employee life insurance coverage, your coverage will become an individual policy that is not tied to the PEBB Program. Call MetLife at 1-866-548-7139 if you do not receive a portability and conversation application after you separate.

Portability Provision

Under the Portability Provision, you can apply to continue all or part of your active employee basic life, supplemental life, and dependent life insurance.

You must be actively enrolled and apply within 60 days from when your coverage ended to have the opportunity to continue your coverage through portability.

Dependent child and spouse or state-registered domestic partner life insurance may be continued, even if you choose not to continue your life insurance.

Any amount of life insurance not ported may be converted.

Conversion of Life Insurance Provision

You may apply to convert your basic life, supplemental life, spouse or state-registered domestic partner, or dependent child life insurance to an individual policy. The amount of the individual policy will be equal to (or, if you choose, less than) the amount of life insurance you or your insured dependents had on the termination date of the policy you are converting.

You have 60 days to apply for conversion coverage after your PEBB employee life insurance ends.

How do I cancel my supplemental life and/or AD&D insurance?

To cancel your supplemental life and/or AD&D insurance, submit the MetLife's cancellation of supplemental life insurance form and send it to:

MetLife Recordkeeping Center
PO Box 14406
Lexington, KY 40512-4406

You can also call MetLife at 1-866-548-7139. 

For dependents who are no longer eligible due to events such as divorce or a child turning age 26, notice should be provided as soon as possible to avoid overpayment of premiums and loss of eligibility for portability or conversion of coverage. Note: MetLife is unable to pay a claim for a dependent who lost eligibility, even if MetLife was not provided timely notification of the loss of eligibility.

Is there an accelerated benefit in PEBB Program life insurance coverage?

Yes, our basic and supplemental life insurance plans have an accelerated benefits option. If a subscriber becomes terminally ill and is expected to die within 24 months, they can request to receive a portion of their life insurance benefit before their death.

Subscribers may receive up to 80 percent of their basic life benefit amount, not to exceed $28,000. Subscribers may receive up to 80 percent of their combined basic life and supplemental life benefit amount, not to exceed $500,000. This option is also available for spouse or state-registered domestic partner dependent life insurance.

Note: The maximum accelerated benefit for spouse or state-registered domestic partner is 80 percent of the dependent life amount, not to exceed $400,000.

What are MetLife advantages?

Employees with life insurance through MetLife can take advantage of MetLife's comprehensive suite of services at no additional cost. Employees enrolled in supplemental life insurance also have access to Will Preparation Services and Estate Resolution Services. Learn more on MetLife's website.