The university offers a number of life insurance plans:
- Basic Life is available to benefit-eligible faculty and staff. For retirees, Basic Life is available to those retirees who are eligible for retiree insurance benefits, have not yet reached the age of 70 and were enrolled in the plan before retiring.
- Additional Life, also called "Optional Life," is available to benefit-eligible faculty and staff, as well as retirees who are eligible for retiree insurance benefits and were enrolled in the plan before retiring.
- Dependent Life (Spouse, Sponsored Adult Dependent, and/or Child) is available to benefit-eligible faculty and staff, as well as retirees who are eligible for retiree insurance benefits and were enrolled in the plan before retiring.
See the plan contacts webpage for additional information.
2024 Life Insurance
Basic Life
The university offers several options for life insurance to help give peace of mind. The Basic Life Plan A plan is available at no cost to you and the University subsidizes Basic Life Plan B. For more details on this plan, refer to the Life Insurance Summary Plan Description (SPD).
? Levels of Coverage
For Active Employees
As an employee, you are automatically enrolled in Plan A of the Basic Life Plan because it is 100% employer paid. You may opt out of this coverage if you wish. Coverage is available at 1x (Plan A) or 2x (Plan B) your annual base salary to a maximum of $1,700,000. With both options, the coverage amount begins to decrease once you reach age 55. In addition, you must be actively at work on the effective date of coverage; otherwise, coverage will begin when you return to active work.
For Retirees
As a retiree, Basic Life is available if you are eligible for retiree insurance benefits, have not yet reached age 70 and were enrolled in the plan before retiring. Your salary is based on the year in which you retired. You may not increase your coverage; however, you may decrease or cancel your coverage at any time by completing the instructions to . Please note, once you cancel your Basic Life coverage, you cannot re-enroll.
? Premiums
For Active Employees
Monthly premium cost* for active employees, per $1,000 of coverage**:
- Plan A- (1 x annual base salary & age graded): $0
- Plan B- (2 x annual base salary & age graded): $0.022
*Premiums for faculty on a nine-month contract paid over nine months are different. For more information, visit the Premiums for 9-month faculty paid over 9 months webpage.
**Learn more about the statement of health information required for enrolling in this plan.
For Retirees
Monthly premium cost for eligible retirees, per $1,000 of coverage:
- Plan A- (1 x annual base salary & age graded): $0
- Plan B- (2 x annual base salary & age graded): $0.0717
? Opportunities to Elect and Statement of Health Requirements
You may elect Basic Life Plan B at initial enrollment without providing a statement of health form provided you submit your enrollment within 31 days of your date of hire or eligibility date. If you elect Plan B during Annual Enrollment, you must submit a statement of health form.
Learn more about the statement of health information required for enrolling in this plan.
Additional Life
Additional Life, also sometimes called "Optional Life," insurance is 100% employee/retiree-paid. This plan provides you an opportunity to add extra coverage in addition to basic life insurance. For more details on this plan, refer to the Life Insurance Summary Plan Description (SPD).
? Levels of Coverage
Coverage is available up to 8x your annual base salary to a maximum of $1,000,000, and a minimum of $20,000 even if you earn less. Monthly premiums vary by age. In addition, you must be actively at work on the effective date of coverage; otherwise, coverage will begin when you return to active work.
Employees/retirees may decrease Additional Life coverage at any time during the plan year by completing the appropriate instructions to change benefit/insurance elections.
? Premiums
Additional Life monthly premium cost* for active employees and retirees, per $1,000 of coverage**, by age as of January 1:
- < 25: $0.043
- 25 – 29: $0.051
- 30 – 34: $0.068
- 35 – 39: $0.077
- 40 – 44: $0.085
- 45 – 49: $0.128
- 50 – 54: $0.196
- 55 – 59: $0.366
- 60 – 64: $0.561
- 65 – 69: $1.08
- 70 – 71: $1.751
- 72: $1.785
- 73: $2.117
- 74: $2.346
- 75: $2.584
- 76: $2.839
- 77: $3.103
- 78: $3.392
- 79: $3.698
- 80: $4.029
- 81: $4.403
- 82: $4.837
- 83: $5.321
- 84: $5.840
- 85: $6.401
- 86: $6.987
- 87: $7.591
- 88: $8.211
- 89: $8.866
- 90: $9.554
- 91: $10.311
- 92: $11.152
- 93: $12.181
- 94+: $13.617
*Premiums for faculty on a nine-month contract paid over nine months are different. For more information, visit the Premiums for 9-month faculty paid over 9 months webpage.
**Statement of health requirements may apply.
? Opportunities to Elect and Statement of Health Requirements
As an employee, you may elect Additional Life (also sometimes called "Optional Life") at initial enrollment without providing a statement of health form (up to 2x annual base salary) provided you submit your enrollment within 31 days of your date of hire or eligibility date. If you waive this coverage, you will not be able to enroll until the next Annual Enrollment period. If you elect Additional Life during Annual Enrollment, a statement of health form is usually required for any enrollment or increase in coverage.
However, during Annual Enrollment for the 2024 plan year, faculty and staff have a unique opportunity to add 1x their annual base salary or increase coverage to 2x their annual base salary without providing a statement of health form.
Learn more about the statement of health information required for enrolling in this plan.
Dependent Life - Spouse
Dependent Spouse Life Insurance is 100% employee-paid. This plan provides you an opportunity to add coverage for a spouse or sponsored adult dependent. For more details on this plan, refer to the Dependent Life Insurance Summary Plan Description (SPD).
? Levels of Coverage
Coverage is available in increments of $10,000 up to a maximum of $100,000.
Note: If your Spouse is confined at home under a Physician’s care or hospitalized at the time coverage is scheduled to take effect, your Spouse's coverage will begin on the date your Spouse is no longer confined or hospitalized.
If your former Spouse no longer qualifies for this coverage, it is your responsibility to cancel your Spousal Life coverage. Employees may decrease or waive Spousal Life coverage at any time during the plan year by completing instructions to change benefit/insurance elections. Retirees may decrease or cancel coverage at anytime by completing a form to instructions to change benefit/insurance elections. However, once you decrease of cancel your Dependent Life coverage(s) you cannot increase or re-enroll.
? Premiums
Dependent Life - Spouse monthly premium cost* for active employees and retirees, per $1,000 of coverage**, by age as of January 1:
- < 30: $0.064
- 30 – 34: $0.073
- 35 – 39: $0.10
- 40 – 44: $0.155
- 45 – 49: $0.228
- 50 – 54: $0.346
- 55 – 59: $0.537
- 60 – 64: $0.837
- 65 – 69: $1.32
- 70 – 74: $2.11
- 75 – 79: $3.449
- 80 – 84: $5.36
- 85 – 89: $8.399
- 90+: $12.977
*Premiums for faculty on a nine-month contract paid over nine months are different. For more information, visit the Premiums for 9-month faculty paid over 9 months webpage.
**Learn more about the statement of health information required for enrolling in this plan.
? Opportunities to Elect and Statement of Health Requirements
As an employee, your opportunities to elect dependent life for a spouse or sponsored adult dependent and the statement of health* requirements are as follows:
- New hire enrollment: You may elect coverage up to $20,000 without statement of health provided you do so within 31 days of your date of hire or benefit eligibility date.
- Annual enrollment: For the 2024 plan year, faculty and staff have a unique opportunity to increase of add coverage up to $20,000 without providing a statement of health form
- Mid-year qualifying event: You may elect coverage up to $20,000 without Statement of health provided you do so within 31 days of the date of marriage. EOI is required for existing spouses/sponsored adult dependents to enroll in any amount of coverage.
- If your spouse/sponsored adult dependent was a UM benefit-eligible employee who lost their UM Basic Life Plan coverage and is newly eligible for UM spousal life coverage, you may elect up to $20,000 without statement of health provided you do so within 31 days of the date the UM employee coverage ended.
*Learn more about the statement of health information required for enrolling in this plan.
Dependent Life - Child
Dependent Child Life Insurance is 100% employee-paid. This plan provides you an opportunity to add coverage for child. For more details on this plan, refer to the Life Insurance Summary Plan Description (SPD).
? Levels of Coverage
Coverage is available in increments of $5,000 up to a maximum of $25,000.
Note: If your Child is confined at home under a Physician’s care, receiving or applying to receive disability benefits from any source or hospitalized at the time coverage is scheduled to take effect, your Child's coverage will begin on the date your Chlild is no longer confined, receiving or applying to receive disability benefits from any source or hospitalized.
? Premiums
Dependent Life - Child Monthly premium cost* for active employees and retirees, per coverage amount listed:
- $5,000 coverage: $0.32
- $10,000 coverage: $0.64
- $15,000 coverage: $0.96
- $20,000 coverage: $1.28
- $25,000 coverage: $1.60
For more details on this plan, refer to the Dependent Life Insurance Summary Plan Description (SPD).
*Premiums for faculty on a nine-month contract paid over nine months are different. For more information, visit the Premiums for 9-month faculty paid over 9 months webpage.
? Opportunities to Elect and Statement of Health Requirements
Your opportunities to elect dependent life for a child are as follows:
- New hire enrollment: You may elect coverage up to $25,000 provided you do so within 31 days of your date of hire or benefit eligibility date; otherwise, you must wait until the next Annual Enrollment.
- Annual enrollment: You may elect to enroll or change the amount of coverage for which you’ve enrolled.
- Mid-year qualifying event: You may elect coverage up to $25,000, provided you do so within 31 days of the date of birth or adoption.
- If your dependent child was a UM benefit-eligible employee who lost their UM basic life coverage and is newly eligible for UM dependent life child coverage, in which case you may elect up to $25,000, provided you do so within 31 days of the date the UM employee coverage ended; otherwise, you must wait until the next Annual Enrollment.
If you enroll in coverage, then all of your children are covered. Children are eligible for Dependent Child Life insurance coverage until the end of the month in which they turn 26 years of age*. If your dependent(s) no longer qualify, it is your responsibility to cancel your Dependent Child Life coverage by completing instructions to change benefit/insurance elections.
*After exceeding this age limit, your child’s coverage would normally end. However, your child will remain eligible for coverage after reaching the age limit if certain criteria is met regarding disability.
Statement of Health Requirements (Evidence of Insurability)
If you elect to increase certain coverage options, you may be required to submit a Statement of Health form for evidence of insurability. The Statement of Health form is only available online for a limited period of time after your application for coverage. Please complete it as soon as possible.
To access your customized form, login to myHR (myhr.umsystem.edu). Once logged in, click on the “myBenefits” tile, select “Statement of Health Form (MetLife)” from the left-hand menu and click the “Statement of Health” link to connect to MetLife. If a statement of health form is needed for your spouse/sponsored adult dependent, please provide their email address.
If you have questions about your customized Statement of Health form, please contact MetLife customer service. See the plan contacts webpage for additional information.
- View all available Summary Plan Descriptions (SPDs)
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- for active faculty and staff; to be used for Basic Life, Additional life, AD&D, and Pre-Retirement Death beneficiary designations.
- Retiree Beneficiary Designation Information, part of the
- for retirees; to be used for Basic Life, Additional Life, and AD&D
- View full plan contract information
- Full list of forms and guides about life insurance
* In the event of a difference between this webpage and the plan document or summary plan description, the plan document and plan description prevail.
Reviewed 2024-08-14