What Happens If You Are Not Eligible to Continue Life Insurance as a Retiree
If your coverage did not continue into retirement, it
ended when you separated for retirement (or at the end of 12 months non-pay
status if you were in a non-pay status before your separation), subject to the
31-day temporary extension of coverage.
This 31-day extension of your life insurance coverage (excluding
accidental death and dismemberment insurance) is automatic. If you were not
eligible to (or did not want to) continue life insurance coverage as a retiree,
you had the opportunity to convert to an individual policy. Generally, to have
continuous insurance protection, you had to apply for the individual policy and
pay the first premium to the insurance company within the 31-day temporary
extension of coverage period.
Time Limit on Converting to an Individual Policy
To convert to an individual policy, you must have applied by
following the instructions on Standard Form 2819, Notice of Conversion
Privilege, within 31 days after your insurance as an employee ended or
within 31 days after receiving the notice, whichever gave you more time. If we
terminated your insurance after you retired, you must have applied within 31
days of the date you received Form RI 76-1, You Cannot Continue Your Basic
Life Insurance, or Form RI 76-6, You Cannot Continue Your Optional Life
Insurance, from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). After the
31-day temporary extension of coverage period expired, you no longer had Federal
life insurance protection.
If you were unable to convert to an individual policy within
the 31-day time limit for reasons beyond your control or you never received a
notice, you may make a belated request by writing directly to:
Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance
P. O. Box 2627
Jersey
City, NJ 07303-2627
You must mail your belated request within 6 months after you first became
eligible to convert to an individual policy. You should provide a full
explanation of the cause beyond your control that prevented you from making a
timely request. The Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance will
determine if you are eligible to convert.
The Cost of Your
Coverage
You can determine the exact cost of your coverage from the discussions below.
If you are receiving annuity payments, we withhold your life insurance premiums
from your annuity. Effective October 30, 1998, all retirees may pay the premiums
directly to us if their annuity is too low to cover the cost of the coverage. We
will notify you if your monthly annuity is too low to cover the cost of the life
insurance coverage and will give you the opportunity to make direct payment.
Once you elect to make direct payment, you must continue to make payments as
long as you are eligible for continued enrollment in the Program, even if your
monthly annuity increases to the point where we could deduct your life insurance
premiums from your annuity. The direct pay option is not available to Civil
Service Retirement System retirees whose annuities were too low to cover the
cost of their life insurance before October 30, 1998.
Note: The monthly premium rates shown in this pamphlet are correct as
of the date of publication, but are subject to change.
Regardless of when you apply, your converted coverage begins on the 32nd day
after your FEGLI coverage terminated, and you are responsible for the conversion
premiums from that date
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