Plan features - State of Minnesota
The State of Minnesota's group life insurance plan includes the following features. This is intended as a brief overview - please refer to the certificate of insurance for details.
Broad coverage
Your state-paid basic life insurance covers death from any cause. The optional life insurance for yourself, spouse, and children also covers death from any cause, except suicide within the first two years of the coverage effective date. This suicide limitation also applies to future increases of coverage.
Accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D)
AD&D insurance provides beneficiaries with additional financial protection if an insured's death of dismemberment is due to a covered accident, whether it occurs at work or elsewhere.
- Basic life and optional employee and spouse term life: These plans include an AD&D provision. See the Accidental Death, Dismemberment and Loss of Sight Coverage section of the Life Certificate of Insurance for details.
- Optional AD&D: This is a separate AD&D plan of insurance that you can elect for yourself and spouse that would pay benefits in addition to the above-mentioned coverage. See the Accidental death & dismemberment certificate of insurance for details. There is an extra cost for this coverage.
Accelerated death benefit
The benefit enables you to request early payment of an insured's life insurance coverage if you, your insured spouse, or insured dependent child has been diagnosed with a terminal condition caused by sickness or accident, with a life expectancy of twelve (12) months or less. You can request a full or a partial amount of the person's death benefit to meet any existing or future financial need. If you do take advantage of this benefit, any amounts accelerated will reduce the life insurance benefits payable to your beneficiary(ies).
Waiver of premium
If you become totally disabled according to the terms of your certificate, life insurance premiums may be waved. If you are an active employee and become totally and permanently disabled, your basic and optional term life insurance will remain in effect, at no cost to you. Premiums would be waived while you are totally disabled up to age 70.
Any spouse or child term life insurance you were enrolled for may be continued without payment of premiums until they are no longer an eligible dependent as defined by the plan or until your insurance under this provision terminates, whichever is earlier. For more information regarding this benefit refer to Extended Insurance if Totally Disabled section of your certificate.
Post-retirement death benefit
If you or your spouse participates in the optional life insurance program, you may be able to receive a post-retirement death benefit. More information about this benefit can be found in the Retirement section of the web site.
Continuation of insurance
If your life insurance coverage is lost due to resignation, termination of employment, layoff or loss of eligibility due to reduction in hours, you may continue your basic and optional employee, spouse or child term life insurance at the group rate until the earlier of 18 months or the date you become insured under another group policy. In the event one of these qualifying situations occurs, you will be notified of your continuation rights by your Human Resources representative. Premiums may be higher than those paid by active employees.
Conversion privilege
After your group eligibility ends, you can apply within 31 days to convert any of the life insurance on yourself, your spouse or children to an individual insurance policy without having to provide evidence of insurability. No health questions are asked, conversion to the individual life policy is guaranteed; you cannot be turned down. Premiums may be higher than those paid by active employees.
- For employees and spouses whose group coverage ends after an 18-month period of continuation under the Minnesota state continuation law may apply for a policy of whole life insurance.
- For children whose group coverage is ending after an 18-month period of continuation under the Minnesota state continuation law may apply for a policy of whole life insurance.
If you have questions about continuation or conversion, please contact us or review the conversion forms.