Life insurance

Who is eligible?

The SEBB Program will provide life insurance to all SEBB benefits-eligible school employees. Eligible school employees will automatically be enrolled in basic life and AD&D insurance coverage, even if you waive medical coverage.

To enroll your eligible dependents in supplemental life and AD&D insurance, you must elect employee supplemental life and AD&D insurance for yourself. 

If you are anticipated to work fewer than 630 hours, you may be eligible for some SEBB benefits, including basic life and AD&D insurance. You will not be eligible for supplemental life and AD&D. See How to determine eligibility for more information. If you are a union-represented employee, please check with your union or union contract regarding your eligibility. Otherwise, contact your  payroll or benefits office.

How do I enroll?

You can enroll in supplemental life and AD&D insurance through MetLife's MyBenefits portal during the first annual open enrollment, October 1 through November 15, 2019.

Enroll online using MetLife’s MyBenefits portal. If you have questions about enrollment or need to request paper forms, please contact MetLife at 1-833-854-9624. Note: It can take up to 30 days to process the MetLife enrollment/change form.

Create an online account with MetLife

1. Visit MetLife’s MyBenefits portal.
   A Welcome to MyBenefits screen will appear.
2. You should see "WA State Health Care Authority SEBB" in the Account Sign in box.
   • If you see "Enter your company name," type "SEBB" (without the quotes) into the field and a dropdown of options should appear. Select "WA State Health Care Authority SEBB."
3. Click the Submit button.
   This will take you to a Welcome to MyBenefits screen that has Life Insurance and Tools & Resources boxes in the center of the screen and a Not Registered? box on the right.
   • If you have visited this link before and completed steps 2 and 3, you will see the Welcome to MyBenefits screen that has Life Insurance and Tools & Resources boxes when you click the MetLife's MyBenefits portal link above.
4. In the Not Registered? box on the right, click the Register Now! button.
5. Complete the registration form.
6. Click the Register button.
7. On the next screen, click the Continue button.
   You will now see a personalized screen that reads "Your Name, WA State Health Care Authority SEBB" in the upper right, and your registration is complete.

You will receive a “thank you” email from MetLife that includes a link back to the MyBenefits page. If you have questions regarding enrollment or the MetLife website, please contact MetLife at 1-833-854-9624, Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Time (except for major holidays).

What are basic (employer-paid) life insurance and AD&D insurance?

The SEBB Program's benefits package includes basic life and AD&D insurance for all eligible subscribers at no cost to you. It provides:

• $35,000 for death from any cause.
• Up to $5,000 in case of accidental death or dismemberment (AD&D).

As an employee, your basic life insurance covers you and pays your designated beneficiaries in the event of your death. AD&D insurance provides extra benefits for certain injuries or death resulting from a covered accident.

What are supplemental (employee-paid) life and AD&D insurance? 

If you purchase supplemental life and AD&D insurance for yourself, you may also purchase supplemental life and AD&D insurance for your eligible dependents.

How long do I have to enroll in supplemental life insurance?

You may enroll in supplemental life insurance during the SEBB Program’s first annual open enrollment period (October 1 to November 15, 2019) for up to the guaranteed issue amounts without submitting evidence of insurability to MetLife.

After the SEBB Program’s first annual open enrollment period, you may apply for up to the guaranteed issue amounts of supplemental life insurance without submitting evidence of insurability to MetLife. The deadlines to apply are as follows:

• No later than 31 days after the date you become eligible for SEBB benefits.
• No later than 60 days after the date of marriage or state-registered domestic partnership certification.
• No later than 60 days after the birth or adoption of a child, once the child is 14 days old.
  • Once you have enrolled one child in Child Dependent Life Insurance, each succeeding child will automatically be covered for the same amount on the date that child becomes eligible as defined in the certificate of coverage.

If you apply for or increase your employee or spouse/state-registered domestic partner supplemental life insurance coverage amounts outside of the deadlines mentioned above, you must provide evidence of insurability to MetLife for approval.

Requests for coverage over the guaranteed issue amount submitted within the above deadlines will require evidence of insurability only for the amount over the guaranteed issue. If the additional amount is denied, the enrollee will be covered for the guaranteed issue amount.

Can I waive life and AD&D insurance?

If you are eligible for SEBB benefits, you cannot waive life and AD&D insurance. However, you have two options if you object to this coverage:

• You can name a charity as your beneficiary.
• On your enrollment form, you can leave the beneficiary information blank. Tell your family and anyone who might be handling your estate not to file a claim on your death. If you choose not to identify a beneficiary, the benefit amount will be turned over to the state as abandoned property.

Can I continue my life insurance coverage after employment ends?

If you are eligible for portability or conversion due to termination or other reasons, MetLife will send you information and an application. 

Portability Provision

Under the Portability Provision, you can apply to continue your active employee basic and supplemental life insurance until age 100 if certain conditions are met.

You must be actively enrolled in coverage to have the opportunity to continue all or part of your coverage through portability.

You may also apply to continue your dependent basic life insurance and your spouse or state-registered domestic partner supplemental life insurance at the same time you apply to continue your own life insurance. You may continue life insurance for your dependents even if you choose not to continue your life insurance. 

To continue life insurance under the Portability Provision, you must apply to MetLife no later than 60 days after the date your SEBB Program life insurance ends. Any amount of life insurance not ported may be converted.

Conversion of Life Insurance Provision

You may convert your basic life, supplemental life, spouse or state-registered domestic partner life, or dependent life insurance to an individual policy.

The amount of the individual policy will be equal to (or if you choose, less than) the amount of life insurance you or your insured dependents had on the termination date of the policy you are converting.

You must apply to continue your coverage under the Conversion of Life Insurance Provision. You have 60 days to apply for conversion coverage after your employee life insurance ends. Contact MetLife directly at 1-833-854-9624 with any questions.

Is there an accelerated benefit in SEBB Program life insurance coverage?

Yes, our basic and supplemental life insurance plans have an accelerated benefits option. If a subscriber becomes terminally ill and is expected to die within 24 months, they can request to receive a portion of their life insurance benefit before their death.

• Subscribers may receive up to 80 percent of their basic life benefit amount, not to exceed $28,000. 
• Subscribers may receive up to 80 percent of their combined basic life and supplemental life benefit amount, not to exceed $500,000.
• This option is also available for spouse or state-registered domestic partner dependent life insurance.

What are MetLife Advantages?

Employees enrolled in basic life can take advantage of a suite of additional services at no charge to the employee.  They include beneficiary claim assistance, digital storage, funeral assistance, grief counseling, life settlement account, online will preparation, transition solutions, and travel assistance.

Additionally, employees enrolled in supplemental life insurance through MetLife can take advantage of MetLife’s will preparation and estate resolution services at no additional cost.