Life Insurance Frequently Asked Questions
Below are our most frequently asked questions regarding life insurance. If your question is not listed below, feel free to submit it via e-mail to askhr@wayne.edu.
- Is enrollment in life insurance automatic?
Basic life insurance/AD&D, equal to your annual salary, is provided to you at no cost at the time of hire. New employees have 45 days from the date of hire to enroll in Supplemental and/or Dependent Life Insurance. Changes to coverage can be made during a Life Status Change Event or during the annual Open Enrollment period. Any changes made during Open Enrollment will go into effect January 1st of the following year. Beneficiary changes may be made at any time.
- What is Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance?
AD&D is insurance coverage added to your existing life insurance as a paid benefit to either you or your beneficiaries if your death or dismemberment is a direct result of an accident (subject to the terms of the plan).
- What is Supplemental Life Insurance and how high can my coverage be?
Supplemental life insurance is coverage that provides a specified amount, over and above the amount provided by the university, to be paid to the insured's designated beneficiaries upon death of the insured. Supplemental coverage is paid by the employee and the cost is based on age and coverage amount. You have the ability to increase your life insurance coverage by electing supplemental coverage at 1, 2, 3 or 4 times your salary, up to a combined maximum coverage of $1 million for both the basic and supplemental life.
- How much does supplemental life insurance cost?
The cost for supplemental life insurance is based on age and coverage amount. For rates, please visit https://hr.wayne.edu/tcw/health-welfare/life-rates
- What is Dependent Life Insurance?
Dependent life insurance is offered to protect you from financial hardship if a covered eligible dependent dies. When you enroll in dependent life insurance coverage, all of your eligible dependents are covered automatically, dependent upon the level of coverage you elect. Levels of coverage include: family (spouse/OEP + children), spouse/OEP only or children only. Coverage amounts are: $20,000 coverage for your spouse/OEP and $10,000 coverage for each of your eligible dependent children.
- Who can be covered on my dependent life insurance?
Eligible dependents include: your spouse (excluding a spouse after a divorce), your other eligible person (excluding terminated arrangements) and your child(ren), defined as follows: your biological, legally adopted or placed for adoption child, your other eligible person's biological or legally adopted child (includes foreign adoptions) or your stepchild.
- How much does dependent life insurance cost?
The cost for dependent life insurance is based on who you cover. For rates, please visit: https://hr.wayne.edu/tcw/health-welfare/life-rates
- What is Evidence of Insurability (EOI) and when do I have to provide it?
Also known as proof of good health, this document is required to be completed for yourself or an eligible dependent (excluding children) in order to be considered for supplemental or dependent life insurance coverage after the initial 30-day enrollment eligibility period has expired. If necessary, you will submit the Evidence of Insurability Application to Sun Life Financial. Please do not submit health information or the EOI to the HR Service Center. If your request is approved by Sun Life Financial, the change takes effect immediately. You will receive approval communication from Sun Life Financial.
- Does my age affect my life insurance coverage?
Yes. Beginning at age 70, basic and supplemental life insurance coverage amounts start to reduce to the following percentages:
- Age 70 through 75 reduces to 67% of your annual salary
- Age 76 through 79 reduces to 45% of your annual salary
- Age 80 through 84 reduces to 30% of your annual salary
- Age 85 or over reduces to 20% of your annual salary
- What is portability and conversion?
Portability and conversion are options if your employee life insurance protection ends. You may have the option to continue the coverage by either "converting" it to an individual whole life insurance policy or "porting" (taking it with you as a term life insurance policy to a different employer). You have 31 days from the date your WSU life insurance ceases to apply for conversion or portability. For more details about portability and conversion, please see the plan documents here: https://hr.wayne.edu/tcw/health-welfare/life-insurance