Life
Questions and answers
COVERAGE CONTINUES
When called to active duty military service, some employees keep their Federal civilian job in a nonpay status (leave without pay) while others separate from their civilian job entirely.
By law, in both cases the employee is considered to be in a nonpay status for the purposes of FEGLI life insurance. FEGLI coverage continues for free (no premium) for up to 12 months of nonpay status for these employees, just as it does for any employee in nonpay status.
Employees who keep their Federal civilian job in nonpay status can elect to continue their FEGLI life insurance for a second 12 months (for a total of 24 months). While the first 12 months are free, for the second 12 months the employee must pay all premiums, including the agency’s share.
Employees who separate from their Federal civilian job for military service can elect the same second 12 months of continued coverage, but only if they have reemployment rights under The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994. The employing agency is responsible for determining whether the employee has these rights. The employee would still pay all premiums for the second 12 months.
To elect this second 12 months of continued coverage, the employee must notify his/her employing agency in writing before the end of the first 12 months of continued coverage. Typically the employing agency provides an election document when the agency learns of the deployment.
LIFE INSURANCE BENEFITS ARE STILL PAID
Regular FEGLI benefits are payable regardless of the cause or location of death. FEGLI will still pay regular benefits if your death occurs in combat.
FEGLI Basic and Option A coverage include Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage (AD&D) for employees at no additional cost. AD&D pays extra benefits on top of regular FEGLI benefits if you are killed or dismembered as the direct result of an accidental injury. OFEGLI will determine on a case-by-case basis if you qualify for these additional benefits; however, AD&D excludes “a war (declared or undeclared), any act of war, or any armed aggression or insurrection in which you are in actual combat at the time bodily injury is sustained”.
Even if AD&D benefits are not payable, regular FEGLI benefits will still be paid.
WHEN COVERAGE TERMINATES
For employees who elect to continue coverage, FEGLI terminates at the end of 24 months (as long the employee pays premiums during the second 12 months), or 90 days after military service ends, whichever comes first.
For employees who did not elect to continue coverage, FEGLI terminates at the end of 12 months or 90 days after military service ends, whichever comes first.
When your FEGLI coverage terminates, the law provides a free 31-day temporary extension of coverage to allow you to find new life insurance. You also have the right to convert your terminating coverage to a non-FEGLI individual life insurance policy with a private life insurance company.
ELECTING NEW COVERAGE
Deploying to active duty is not a qualifying life event allowing an employee to elect new FEGLI coverage. But an employee can elect new coverage at any time by passing a physical exam using Standard Form 2822, as long as one year has passed since the employee last waived coverage. The employee must be in pay and duty status for the new coverage to go into effect.
When called to active duty military service, some employees keep their Federal civilian job in a nonpay status (leave without pay) while others separate from their civilian job entirely.
By law, in both cases the employee is considered to be in a nonpay status for the purposes of FEGLI life insurance. FEGLI coverage continues for free (no premium) for up to 12 months of nonpay status for these employees, just as it does for any employee in nonpay status.
Employees who keep their Federal civilian job in nonpay status can elect to continue their FEGLI life insurance for a second 12 months (for a total of 24 months). While the first 12 months are free, for the second 12 months the employee must pay all premiums, including the agency’s share.
Employees who separate from their Federal civilian job for military service can elect the same second 12 months of continued coverage, but only if they have reemployment rights under The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994. The employing agency is responsible for determining whether the employee has these rights. The employee would still pay all premiums for the second 12 months.
To elect this second 12 months of continued coverage, the employee must notify his/her employing agency in writing before the end of the first 12 months of continued coverage. Typically the employing agency provides an election document when the agency learns of the deployment.
LIFE INSURANCE BENEFITS ARE STILL PAID
Regular FEGLI benefits are payable regardless of the cause or location of death. FEGLI will still pay regular benefits if your death occurs in combat.
FEGLI Basic and Option A coverage include Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage (AD&D) for employees at no additional cost. AD&D pays extra benefits on top of regular FEGLI benefits if you are killed or dismembered as the direct result of an accidental injury. OFEGLI will determine on a case-by-case basis if you qualify for these additional benefits; however, AD&D excludes “a war (declared or undeclared), any act of war, or any armed aggression or insurrection in which you are in actual combat at the time bodily injury is sustained”.
Even if AD&D benefits are not payable, regular FEGLI benefits will still be paid.
WHEN COVERAGE TERMINATES
For employees who elect to continue coverage, FEGLI terminates at the end of 24 months (as long the employee pays premiums during the second 12 months), or 90 days after military service ends, whichever comes first.
For employees who did not elect to continue coverage, FEGLI terminates at the end of 12 months or 90 days after military service ends, whichever comes first.
When your FEGLI coverage terminates, the law provides a free 31-day temporary extension of coverage to allow you to find new life insurance. You also have the right to convert your terminating coverage to a non-FEGLI individual life insurance policy with a private life insurance company.
ELECTING NEW COVERAGE
Deploying to active duty is not a qualifying life event allowing an employee to elect new FEGLI coverage. But an employee can elect new coverage at any time by passing a physical exam using Standard Form 2822, as long as one year has passed since the employee last waived coverage. The employee must be in pay and duty status for the new coverage to go into effect.