Individual & Family Life Insurance

Overview

Individual & Family Life Insurance (I&F) offers term life insurance to you, your spouse or domestic partner, and eligible children. You may initially select up to $20,000 of employee coverage, $10,000 of spouse or domestic partner coverage, and $5,000 of child(ren) coverage. There is an annual opportunity to increase coverage.

In addition to benefits payable in the event of a death, this plan provides the following:

  • Access to the Lifestyle Benefit Program through Securian Financial which offers legal, financial and grief resources, travel assistance, legacy planning resources and beneficiary financial counseling to all active, State of Wisconsin employees. This program is offered free of charge and no enrollment is required. For more information review the LifeStyle Benefits Program web page.
  • Access to Empathy through Securian Financial. This program provides comprehensive support to assist beneficiaries following the loss of a loved one. The program is offered free of charge to employees enrolled in Individual & Family Life Insurance. For more information review the Empathy Flyer in the Forms & Resources section below.
  • If your or your covered dependent’s death is accidental, the death benefit will double.
  • If you become terminally ill with a life expectancy of 12 months or less, you may receive up to the full amount of your coverage prior to your death. This living benefit is also available for an insured spouse/domestic partner or child.

Individual & Family Life Insurance (Group Policy #32871-G) is administered by Universities of Wisconsin and is underwritten by Securian Financial Group.

Eligibility

The following requirements must be met to be eligible for this plan:

  • Eligible for State Group Health Insurance as an active employee; and
  • Not receiving a Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) annuity.

Note: If you and your spouse/domestic partner are both eligible for this plan as Universities of Wisconsin employees, you and your spouse/domestic partner may be covered as an employee OR a dependent – not both. This rule also applies to your eligible children who are eligible for this plan as an employee.

Enrollment

You have 30 days from your date of employment or newly benefits-eligible job to enroll in Individual & Family Life Insurance (I&F). Coverage will begin on the first of the month following 30 days from your eligibility date.

If you do not enroll in during your initial 30-day enrollment period, you may apply for coverage at any time through Evidence of Insurability (approval not guaranteed). The Evidence of Insurability form can be accessed in the Forms & Resources section below. Coverage through evidence of insurability is effective on the first of the month on or following approval of the employee’s application by the plan’s underwriter.

If you do not enroll and are not covered by the WRS when initially eligible for coverage, you will receive another opportunity to enroll if you later obtain a WRS benefits eligible position, provided you do not incur a break in service of 30 days or more. The enrollment period will be for 30 days from the date you become WRS benefit eligible.

If you do not enroll eligible family members during your initial 30-day enrollment period, you may add spouse/domestic partner and/or child(ren) coverage if you have a qualifying life event. See Life Events for more information.

Note: You may decrease or cancel coverage at any time during the year by completing the Application (Section 3: Cancel Coverage) available in the Forms & Resources section.

Coverage Levels

There are four different initial levels of Employee coverage and two initial levels of Spouse/Domestic Partner and Child(ren) coverage.

You may elect to increase Employee and Spouse/Domestic Partner coverage in increments of $5,000 during the Annual Increase Option period. Child coverage can be increased in increments of $2,500.

Coverage Type Initial Enrollment Coverage Levels Maximum Coverage Level
Employee $5,000; $10,000; $15,000; or $20,000 $300,000
Spouse / Domestic Partner* $5,000 or $10,000 $150,000
Child(ren)* $2,500 or $5,000 $25,000

*Employees must enroll in Employee coverage in order to enroll in Spouse/Domestic Partner and/or Child coverage.

*The amount of Spouse/Domestic Partner and Child(ren) coverage may not exceed the amount of Employee coverage in effect.

*For information on who can be covered on this plan, see the Dependent Eligibility Chart (UWS 25) pdf .

Conversion

Conversion of coverage to an individual policy at the end of employment is available. To convert coverage submit a conversion form and pay the required premium within 31 days after your group coverage ends.

Contact UW-Shared Services, Service Operations at serviceoperations@support.wisconsin.edu or (888) 298-0141 (7:45-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday) to obtain a conversion form.

Beneficiary Information

You are encouraged to designate a beneficiary(ies) to ensure benefits are paid according to your wishes. Whenever a life event, such as a marriage, divorce, or birth of a child, occurs, review and update your beneficiary designations. Beneficiary designations can be changed at any time.

For more information on beneficiary designations, see the Beneficiary Information web page.

Benefit Premiums

For Individual & Family Life Insurance premiums review the Benefit Premiums web page.

Employee and spouse premiums are based on the coverage level you elected and your age as of January 1st each year. Premium for child(ren) coverage is based on the coverage level elected.

Forms & Resources

Every effort has been made to ensure this information is current and correct. Information on this page does not guarantee enrollment, benefits and/or the ability to make changes to your benefits.

Updated: 05/29/2024