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The State Group Life Insurance Program offers term life insurance to eligible
employees and their spouses and dependent children. All state agencies
participate in this program, and the insurance is portable from agency to agency
if you change jobs.
The State Group Life Insurance Program is authorized under Wisconsin statute
(ss. 40.70 and 40.72). It is administered by the Department of Employee Trust
Funds (ETF) under the direction of the State of Wisconsin Group Insurance Board.
The current insurer, under contract with the Group Insurance Board, is Minnesota
Life Insurance Company. The ETF web site also has information on the
State Group Life
Insurance Program, including the
plan certificate.
Eligibility
- You must be employed in a UW position covered by the Wisconsin Retirement
System (WRS).
- You are eligible for coverage when you have completed six months of WRS
employment (with any participating employer).
Enrollment
- Generally, you must file an
application with
your campus benefits office within 30 days after you become eligible.
- New hires with at least six months of prior WRS coverage: apply within
30 days after beginning work. WRS service that you forfeited does not count
toward your six months.
- New hires with less than six months of prior WRS coverage: apply by the
end of the month after the month in which you complete six months of WRS
coverage.
- Transfers from other state agencies: apply within 30 days after
beginning work. Unless you had a 30-day break in service, you may only apply
for the coverages you had in your previous employment.
- Returning from a leave or layoff during which coverage lapsed: apply
within 30 days after returning to work. You may only apply for the coverages
you had prior to the leave.
- Reaching age 70 as an active employee with Additional coverage: apply
for Over Age 70 Additional within 30 days before your 70th birthday.
- If you have a spouse and/or dependent child(ren) when you become eligible,
the enrollment period for spouse and dependent coverage is the same as for
coverage on yourself. Otherwise, apply within 30 days after the date you marry
or first have a dependent child to insure. NOTE: If you do not enroll your
eligible dependents when you are first eligible to enroll them, no dependents
can be added later without providing evidence of insurability for all eligible
dependents. All eligible family members must be approved before coverage can go
into effect.
- Coverage is effective on the first of the month following the date you
submit your application to your campus benefits office. If you file on the first
day of the month, coverage is effective that day.
- If you miss your open enrollment period, or decide later to add more
coverage, you may apply by proving
evidence of insurability.
Coverage is effective on the first of the month following approval by Minnesota
Life. You must be under age 70 to apply through evidence for Basic or
Supplemental coverage.
Coverage
- You may
select one to five times annual salary. Automatic
annual increase if your salary increases.
- For spouse
and dependent coverage, you select one or two units.
Each unit insures your spouse for $10,000 and each
dependent child for $5,000.
Premiums
- Your
age and salary determine cost
of the insurance.
- Premium
for the first $50,000 of coverage is taken from your
earnings on a pre-tax basis.
- Spouse
and dependent coverage: $2.50 per month per unit regardless
of age or the number of dependents. Premiums are taken
after taxes.
- The University
contributes toward the Basic and Supplemental premium.
- Premiums
are paid two months in advance.
Program
Features
- Plan Components:
- Basic
Plan: Insurance equal to WRS earnings received
during the previous calendar year rounded to the
next higher $1,000 (does not decline if your salary
declines). Decreases at age 70 (age 65 if retired).
- Supplemental
Plan: equal to Basic coverage. Basic Plan is a
prerequisite. Terminates at age 70 (age 65 if
retired).
- Additional
Plan: equal to one, two, or three times Basic
coverage. Basic Plan is a prerequisite. Terminates
at age 70 (age 65 if retired).
- Age
70 and Over Coverage: equal to one, two, or three
times the previous year's WRS earnings. Basic
Plan is not a prerequisite. Active employees who
participate in the Additional Plan when they reach
age 70 may apply for this coverage without proving
medical evidence. Others may apply through evidence.
- Employee's
insurance includes benefits up to age 70 (age 65 if
retired) for accidental death, dismemberment or loss
of use.
- Spouse
and Dependent Coverage. Basic Plan is a prerequisite.
For spouse
and dependent coverage, you select one or two units.
Each unit insures your spouse for $10,000 and each
dependent child for $5,000. Unmarried dependent children can be insured through
the end of the calendar year in which they reach age
19, or age 25 if full-time students. All coverage
terminates at employee's age 70 (age 65 if retired).
- Premiums
may be waived if you become totally disabled while
actively employed.
- Living
Benefits: Insurance proceeds may be paid to you if
you become terminally ill or are permanently confined
to a nursing home.
- After
you terminate employment:
- You
may continue group coverage up to age 65 if you
meet age and service requirements. Basic coverage
then continues for your lifetime at a reduced
level without cost to you; other group coverages
terminate.
- If
you are not eligible to continue group coverage,
you may convert to an individual policy if you
have been insured for at least six months. Conversion
is also available for an insured spouse or child
when group coverage ends.
- At age
66 or later, you may elect to use the present value
of your Basic life insurance to pay State Group Health
Insurance premiums.
More information
- Please
see the brochure
for more information
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This document was last
revised on July 7, 2009
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