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Basic Group Term Life Insurance

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801. Gene​ral In​formation​​

The Basic Group Term Life Insurance Program is a state-paid benefit provided for managerial, supervisory, confidential, and other specified, excluded employees. ​

Eligible employees may apply for supplemental coverage for themselves as well as dependent coverage for their spouse, registered domestic partner and/or eligible children.

The current carrier for this state-paid benefit is Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife). MetLife can be reached at (800) 252-8524. ​

Authority

Government Code section 19849.11 ​

802. Eligibility

Employees must work half-time or more with one of the following designations:

Permanent, CEA, limited-term of six months and over, or TAU in lieu of permanent appointment if CBID is:

  • Managerial
  • Supervisory
  • Confidential
  • E48, E50, E58, E59, E68, E78, E79, E88, E89, E92, E97, E98 or E99
  • E90 in class codes 2545, 4189, 4232, 5309, 5316, 5319 and 5695 or
  • E91 in class codes 5987, 5988, 5991 or
  • Employees moved to E01 through E21, E67 or E77 due to middle management reductions or
  • Permanent-intermittent employees who meet the above requirements. 

The judicial council is responsible for auditing and determining temporary employee's eligibility before submitting the STD. 698, Life Insurance Enrollment Authorization form to the State Controller's Office (SCO).​

803. Level of Coverage

The amount of coverage is based on the employee's eligibility as stated in Section 802.

Also, listed below is the coverage amount and employer contribution reduced at age 70.

Deduction Org Code: 200 – 003

CBID: Supervisors, confidential, E48, E58, E67***, E68, E78**, E97, E98, and supervisors moved to E01 through E21***

​​​Benefit Amount​​

Premium Rate​​

Admin Fee​​

Total Employer Contribution​​

$25,000 policy
$4.63
$0.50
$5.13
$12,500 policy at age 70
$2.31
$0.50
$2.81

Deduction Org. Code: 200 - 003

CBID: Managers, E50, E59, E77*** E79, E88, E89, E90*, E91, E92, E99​

​​​Benefit Amount​​

Premium Rate​​

Admin Fee​​

Total Employer Contribution​​

$50,000 policy
$9.25
$0.50​​
$9.75
$25,000 policy at age 70
$4.63
$0.50
$5.13

Deduction Org. Code: 200 - 004

CBID: Managers moved to E01 through E21***

​​​Benefit Amount​​

Premium Rate​​

Admin Fee​​

Total Employer Contribution​​

$50,000 policy

$9.25

$0.50​​​

$9.75​

​​$25,000 policy at age 70

$4.63

$0.50

​$5.13

Deduction Org. Code: 200 - 005

CBID: Judicial council staff and judges 

​​​Benefit Amount​​

Premium Rate​​

Admin Fee​​

Total Employer Contribution​​

$50,000 policy

$9.25

$0.50​​​

$9.75​

​​$25,000 policy at age 70

$4.63

$0.50

​$5.13

* Only in certain class codes as listed under "Eligibility."

** Employees moved to E58 or E78 due to mid-management reductions retain the $50,000 management coverage; however, future incumbents receive the $25,000 supervisory level.

*** Employees moved to E01 through E21, E67, or E77 due to mid-management reductions retain their level of coverage prior to the re-designation; however, future incumbents are designated represented and are not eligible for this benefit.

804. Enrollment

Enrollment in the Basic Group Term Life Insurance Program is automatic. Once the departmental personnel office completes the PAR transaction for the eligible employee a deduction for this benefit will be established.

If the PAR transaction is processed by the tenth of the month, the enrollment will be effective on the first of the following month.

If an eligible employee passes away prior to the PAR transaction being processed, the actual appointment date is the effective date of coverage. The employee must have been actively at work on the effective date to provide survivor benefits.

Once the deduction code is established, MetLife will mail a packet of information to each newly enrolled employee. Each packet will contain a certificate of coverage, current policy, a supplemental life insurance pamphlet, and an application for supplemental life insurance as an option.

​If eligible employees elect to waive state-paid basic life Insurance benefits, the employee must complete a Life Insurance Enrollment Authorization, Standard form 698, to cancel the basic life insurance coverage. The standard form 698 must be submitted by the department personnel office, who then will forward to the SCO, Miscellaneous Deductions Unit.

 805. Supplemental Coverage

 Employees enrolled in the state-paid basic life insurance may apply for supplemental coverage at any time.

Employees may elect coverage amounts in increments of $10,000 up to eight times their basic annual earnings, not to exceed $750,000 or eight times their basic annual earnings, whichever is less. The monthly premium is based on the employee's age and the adjusted annually on January 1 of each contract year.

Employees can also purchase dependent coverage for their spouse or registered domestic partner and dependent child(ren) up to age 23 at any time, in the following amounts at a flat monthly rate based on the employee's age.

Spouse/Domestic Partner Child(ren) Coverage Employee Age <65 Employee Age >65 Admin Fee
$7,500
$7,500$1.85$7.25
$0.50
$15,000$7,500$3.71
$14.51
$0.50
$25,000$7,500$12.35$48.35$0.50

Eligible dependent child(ren) from birth to six months is insured for $750.00.

Employees interested in purchasing supplemental coverage should contact MetLife at (800) 252-8524 for an informational brochure and to request an “Application for Group Supplemental Life and AD&D benefits" form. The completed and signed application must be returned to MetLife for processing.

If MetLife approves the employee's request for supplemental coverage, the premium information will be forwarded to SCO to initiate the payroll deduction.

Coverage begins on the first day of the month immediately following the month in which the first deduction is made, provided the employee was actively at work on the effective date. Otherwise, it will be effective on the date the employee returns to work. 

Cancellation of Supplemental Coverage

Employees may cancel their supplemental coverage at any time by submitting a written request to:

MetLife Insurance Company

MetLife Recordkeeping
PO Box 14402
Lexington, KY 40512-4402
Attention: State of California Policy Administrator (Policy No. 74503)

The request must include the employee's name, Social Security number, and deduction code 075-107. Once MetLife has processed the request, a form will be sent to SCO authorizing cancellation of the monthly premium deduction. If the form is received by SCO by the tenth of the month, the cancellation will be effective the first of the following month.

806. Accelerated Benefit Option

 The Accelerated Benefit Option (ABO) allows an employee to receive partial payment of the basic and supplemental insurance benefit prior to death. To qualify for the benefit, the employee must suffer from a terminal illness. Terminal illness is defined as a sickness or injury, which is expected to result in the employee's death within six months. It must be verified by a physician's statement on the claim form. The ABO allows the employee to select payment up to 80 percent of the face amount of the policy with a service charge of four percent of the amount paid.

Eligible employees should contact MetLife at (800) 252-8524 to obtain detailed information and the ABO Claim form. The ABO applies to both the basic life insurance and supplemental life insurance for active and retired employees. The minimum amount payable on the basic life insurance is $10,000. A claimant must have a minimum of $20,000 supplemental coverage before an ABO claim.​

807. Assignment of Group Term Life Insurance

An eligible employee may be able to assign their basic life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. All state laws permit assignments of basic life insurance. Generally, the basic life insurance specifically permits absolute assignments by gift and, in some cases, absolute assignment to viatical settlement providers for viatical purposes. An assignment, other than a gift or viatical, such as a collateral assignment to obtain a bank loan, is not generally permitted by the basic life insurance.

​If an employee wishes to pursue the assignment of the basic life insurance, an employee must contact MetLife at (800) 252-8524 for additional information.

808. Beneficiary Designation

Benefits payable under this program will be paid to the standard order of beneficiary if one is on file with MetLife.

If there is no beneficiary designated or surviving beneficiary at the employee's death, MetLife will determine the beneficiary according to the following order:

  1. Employee's spouse or domestic partner, if alive;
  2. Employee's child(ren), * if there is no surviving spouse or domestic partner;
  3. Employee's parent(s), if there is no surviving child*;
  4. Employee's estate, if there is no surviving parent.

Benefits will be paid equally among surviving children or surviving parents. Family status changes, such as divorce and remarriage are automatically adjusted, provided an employee has not designated a beneficiary other than the above.

Employees who wish to designate a beneficiary other than the standard order stated above must request a beneficiary form from MetLife. The employee must return the completed form to MetLife. Upon receipt of the completed form, MetLife will record and retain the original in the employee's file. A signed copy will be returned to the employee for his/her records. This designation will not change with marriage, divorce, or any other family status changes. Therefore, employees must complete a new designation form if their family status change alters their desired choice of beneficiaries. California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) and departmental beneficiary designations do not apply to this coverage.

*Adopted children are considered children under the standard definition. As long as they are legally adopted; this would not include just guardianship.

How to submit the beneficiary form:

Mail:

MetLife Recordkeeping
PO Box 14402
Lexington, KY 40512-4402
Attention: State of California Policy Administrator (Policy No. 74503)

​Fax:

(859) 825-6719

809. Reporting a Death

Departmental personnel offices are responsible for immediately reporting the death of a covered employee to MetLife Insurance Company at (800) 252-8524.

The person reporting the death must have the following information available:

  • Employee name
  • CBID
  • Social Security number
  • Date of birth
  • Date of death
  • Last day physically worked
  • Marital or registered domestic partner status
  • Cause of death (if known) Names, addresses and phone numbers of next of kin on file, along with the name, department and phone number of the person reporting the death.
  • Claim number will always be policy no. 74503

The employee is responsible for reporting the death of a covered spouse, registered domestic partner or dependent(s) directly to MetLife.

810. Continuation of Coverage Upon Loss of Eligibility

Involuntary Re-designation to a Represented Position

Upon an employee's involuntary change from an excluded designation to a represented designation, the employing department must pay 12 months of basic life insurance premiums as follows:

Send a cover memo and check payable to MetLife in the amount of $117.00 for employees who had the $50,000 managerial coverage; or $61.56 for employees who had the $25,000 supervisory/confidential coverage to:

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company​​

MetLife Recordkeeping
PO Box 14402
Lexington, KY 40512-4402
Attention: State of California Policy Administrator (Policy No. 74503)

MetLife will send a conversion notice to the employee prior to the end of the 12 months. At this time the employee has the option to convert to an individual plan.

If the employee also has the supplemental life insurance, the employee may keep the coverage when they transfer to a represented position. Both the coverage and payroll deduction for the supplemental policy will continue unless the employee cancels it.

Retirement

Retirees may continue their basic and/or supplemental life insurance at their own expense. The employee must contact MetLife 30-days prior to retirement to assure premiums are deducted from their retirement benefit checks. Once the employee retires, they cannot increase the amount of coverage in the basic and/or supplemental policy. The amount of basic and supplemental life insurance benefits will reduce by 50 percent and the premium will be adjusted on the first of the month in which the retiree reaches age 65.

Also at age 70, the basic coverage will reduce to $5,000.

Leave of Absence/Disability

Employees may choose to maintain the basic life insurance or supplemental life insurance at their own expense during a leave of absence or disability.

It is the employee's responsibility to contact MetLife 30 days prior to the effective date of a leave of absence or within 30 days of onset of their disability. If the employee elects not to continue the supplemental life insurance during a leave of absence, the supplemental coverage will cancel with the employee's last payroll deduction.

Upon return to active pay status, the employee would be required to reapply to regain the supplemental coverage.

Employees on disability leave (or receiving disability benefits) may apply for a waiver of premium for the supplemental coverage only.

Separation from State Service or Voluntary Transfer to a Position Designated Represented

Employees may convert their basic life insurance and/or supplemental life insurance to a private policy without proof of insurability. The employee should contact MetLife within 30 days of termination of group coverage to request a conversion authorization form.

Employees who voluntarily transfer to represented positions and are enrolled in the supplemental policy may keep the supplemental coverage. Both the coverage and payroll deduction for the supplemental life insurance will continue unless they cancel it.​

  Updated: 6/1/2022
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