Life and accidental death and dismemberment

What are basic and supplemental life insurance?

Basic life  

Basic (employer-paid) life insurance covers the employee only and pays their designated beneficiaries in the event of the employee's death. Newly eligible employees are automatically enrolled in basic life insurance with $35,000 in coverage.

Supplemental life

In addition to basic life insurance, employees may choose to enroll in supplemental (employee-paid) life insurance. Employees who elect supplemental life insurance for themselves may also elect supplemental coverage for their eligible spouse/state-registered domestic partner (SRDP) and children.

*Guaranteed issue is the amount of coverage a newly eligible employee may select during their 31-day eligibility window without submitting evidence of insurability to MetLife.

Learn more about the life and AD&D insurance benefits on the Public employees website.

What are basic and supplemental AD&D insurance?

Basic AD&D

Basic accidental death & dismemberment insurance covers the employee only and provides benefits for certain injuries or death resulting from a covered accident. Newly eligible employees are automatically enrolled in basic AD&D insurance with $5,000 in coverage.

Supplemental AD&D

In addition to basic AD&D insurance, employees may choose to enroll in supplemental AD&D insurance. Employees who elect supplemental AD&D insurance for themselves may also elect supplemental coverage for their eligible spouse/SRDP and children.

Supplemental AD&D Insurance never requires EOI.

Learn more about the life and AD&D insurance benefits on the public employees website.

MetLife Advantages

Employees with basic life and AD&D insurance through MetLife can take advantage of MetLife's comprehensive suite of services at no additional cost, such as grief counseling and travel assistance. Employees enrolled in supplemental life insurance also have access to will preparation services and estate resolution services. To learn more, see MetLife Advantages for PEBB employees and visit MetLife's website.

MetLife Advantages also include beneficiary support services, in partnership with Empathy, Inc., to help beneficiaries and their families cope with and plan for issues that follow the loss of a loved one. Learn more about Empathy services.

Enrolling in life and AD&D insurance

Newly eligible employees are automatically enrolled in basic life and AD&D insurance when eligibility is entered into Benefits 24/7.

Basic life and AD&D insurance coverage begins the first day of the month following the day the employee becomes eligible for PEBB benefits. If the employee becomes eligible on the first working day of the month, coverage begins that day (WAC 182-12-114).

Newly eligible employees may elect supplemental life insurance for themselves and their eligible dependents up to the guaranteed issue coverage amounts without providing statement of health/evidence of insurability (EOI). To receive the guaranteed issue coverage(s), MetLife must receive the employee's elections no later than 31-days after the employee's date of eligibility.

Requests submitted during the 31-day eligibility window for life insurance coverage over the guaranteed issue amount will require EOI. However, if the additional amount is denied, the employee or dependent will be enrolled in the guaranteed issue amount.

• For example: The guaranteed issue amount of supplemental life insurance for a newly eligible employee is $500,000 but an employee may request up to $1 million in coverage. If the employee elects an amount over $500,000 (up to $1 million), MetLife will require EOI for the amount requested over the guaranteed issue amount. If the employee's EOI is denied, they will still be enrolled in the guaranteed issue amount of life insurance coverage.

If elected, supplemental life and/or AD&D insurance coverage begins the first day of the month following the date MetLife receives the required form or approves the enrollment (WAC 182-12-114).

Enrolling in supplemental life and AD&D insurance with MetLife

Employees have two options for enrolling in supplemental life and AD&D insurance:

1. Online through MetLife's MyBenefits portal, or
2. By completing the MetLife Enrollment/Change form and submitting the form directly to MetLife using the submission instructions listed at the bottom of the form.
   • Employers do not collect or manage MetLife enrollment forms and should not submit forms on behalf of their employees. In addition, MetLife cannot accept bulk form submissions.

For a newly eligible employee to access MetLife's MyBenefits portal, the employee must be enrolled in Benefits 24/7 with a current coverage effective date.

• Once an employee is enrolled in Benefits 24/7 and their coverage becomes effective, an eligibility file is transferred from the Benefits 24/7 to MetLife.
• The employee will be able to access the portal approximately two days after MetLife receives eligibility for the employee.
  • Please note that pending eligibility/enrollment is not transferred to MetLife.

If an employee's eligibility is entered into the Benefits 24/7 after their 31-day eligibility window, follow the Enrollment Extension process outlined on page 6 of the Life and AD&D Administration Manual.

Making changes after the 31-day eligibility window

At any time, employees may request to enroll in, make changes to, or cancel supplemental life or AD&D insurance for themselves and their eligible dependents online through MetLife's MyBenefits portal or by submitting the applicable form to MetLife.

Evidence of insurability (EOI) is required if electing enroll in or increase supplemental life insurance more than:

• 31-days after the employee becomes newly eligible
• 60-days after a qualifying special open enrollment event

The effective date will depend on the change requested and whether EOI is required (WAC 182-08-197).

Reduce or cancel supplemental life and/or AD&D coverage

• Requests to reduce or cancel supplemental life and/or AD&D insurance do not require EOI and are effective the first day of the month following the date MetLife receives the Cancellation of Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance form.

Enroll in or increase supplemental life coverage

• Requests to enroll in or increase supplemental life insurance are effective the first day of the month following the date MetLife approves the request. Once the required form has been received, MetLife will contact the employee directly to initiate the EOI process.
  • Exception: A newborn child's supplemental life insurance coverage, if elected, will be effective on the date the child becomes 14 days old.

Enroll in or increase supplemental AD&D coverage

• Requests to enroll in or increase supplemental AD&D insurance never require EOI and are effective the first day of the month following the date MetLife receives the required form.
  • Exception: A newborn child's supplemental AD&D insurance coverage, if elected, will be effective on the date the child becomes 14 days old.

To learn more, see the Life and AD&D Administration Manual and MetLife Certificate of Coverage.

Rates and premiums

The monthly basic life and AD&D insurance rate is $3.955 for the 2023 plan year and is included in the employer contribution paid by the employer for each eligible employee.

Supplemental life and AD&D insurance premiums will be billed to the employee in one of the following ways:

• State Agencies on the HRMS Payroll System and all Higher Education Institutions
  • Payroll deduction is set up with MetLife. MetLife will share a file each pay period with the amount to be deducted from the employee's paycheck.
• PEBB Participating employer groups
  • Direct Bill: Employees are direct billed each month for their supplemental life and AD&D insurance premiums. The invoice is mailed towards the end of each month. Employees may work with MetLife to set up auto-payment options.
  • List Bill: Employee premiums are withheld through a custom payroll deduction process managed by the employer. Individual employers must opt into this agreement.

View the basic and supplemental life and AD&D insurance rates on the Rates information page.

Premium waiver

The premium waiver may be available if an insured becomes totally disabled. This option allows the insured to continue basic and supplemental life insurance for themselves and their dependents without premium payment through the period of disability. Learn more in the MetLife Certificate of Coverage.

Tips for assisting employees with calculating supplemental premiums

Supplemental life insurance premiums

Employee and spouse or state-registered domestic partner

The rate used to calculate the monthly premiums for supplemental life insurance for the employee and spouse/SRDP is based on:

• The employee's age as of December 31 of the previous plan year, and
• Whether the individual being covered uses tobacco.

Once the rate has been determined, calculate monthly supplemental life insurance premiums by multiplying the applicable rate by each $1,000 of coverage.

• For example, to calculate the monthly premium for an employee, age 42, who is a non-tobacco user, and is electing $350,000 in life insurance coverage, multiply ($0.067 x 350 = $23.45 per month).

To calculate the monthly premium for the employee's spouse/SRDP, use the rate based on the employee's age and the spouse/SRDP's tobacco use. Employees may elect up to one-half the amount of supplemental coverage for their spouse/SRDP that they have elected for themselves.

• For example, an employee, age 42, elects $175,000 in life insurance coverage for their spouse who is a tobacco user. To calculate the monthly premium for the spouse, multiply ($0.077 x 175 = $13.48 per month).

Children

The rate used to calculate the monthly premium for supplemental life insurance for one or more children is $0.124.

This single rate applies even if more than one eligible child is covered.

• For example, an employee elects $20,000 in life insurance coverage for one child, the monthly premium would be ($0.124 x 20 = $2.48 per month).
• If an employee elects $20,000 in life insurance coverage for three children, the monthly premium would still be $2.48 per month.

Supplemental AD&D insurance premiums

Employee and spouse or state-registered domestic partner

The rate used to calculate the monthly premiums for supplemental AD&D insurance for the employee and spouse/SRDP is $0.019.

Calculate monthly supplemental AD&D insurance premiums by multiplying the rate by each $1,000 of coverage.

• For example, to calculate the monthly premium for an employee (or spouse/SRDP) with $250,000 in AD&D insurance coverage, multiply ($0.019 x 250 = $4.75 per month).

Children

The rate used to calculate the monthly premium for supplemental AD&D insurance coverage for one or more children is $0.016. This single rate applies even if more than one eligible child is covered.

• For example, if an employee elects $25,000 in AD&D insurance coverage for one child, the monthly premium would be ($0.016 x 25 = $0.40 per month). If an employee elects $25,000 in AD&D insurance coverage for three children, the monthly premium would still be $0.40 per month.

Learn more about calculating employee premiums for supplemental coverage.

Filing a claim

If an employee or their covered dependent dies or experiences a covered loss, the family or beneficiary should notify MetLife to initiate a claim, as soon as reasonably possible, by calling 1-866-548-7139.

Accelerated Benefits Option

If an employee becomes terminally ill and is diagnosed with 24 months or less to live, they have the option to receive up to 80 percent of their life insurance proceeds. This can go a long way towards helping their family meet medical and other expenses at a difficult time.

Learn more about filing a claim or the Accelerated Benefits Option in the MetLife Certificate of Coverage.