Continuation of Life Insurance Information:
- Employees who are terminated from active employment are eligible for the Conversion (Whole Life) or Portability (Term Life) option.
- Employees who retire or terminate while on a leave or disability may only opt for the Conversion option.
Conversion is for those who wish to convert any or all life insurance coverage when they terminate a whole life policy. By converting their coverage to an individual policy, they will continue to receive coverage without the need for a physical examination. Even if they are seriously ill, or have a pre-existing medical condition, they can still change their life insurance coverage. The only type of coverage that is available under the conversion option is converting to a permanent whole life insurance policy. This type of policy offers a guaranteed death benefit and guaranteed cash value provided if all premiums are paid when due and there have been no substantial loans or withdrawals.
Portability is for employees, a spouse, and children who wish to continue their optional term life insurance coverage only (VTL and AD&D). One of the benefits of portability of term life insurance is that the coverage does not lapse if applied within 31 days of the employee's termination date. Coverage is uninterrupted and will not be required to provide evidence of insurability for the insurance provider to maintain their coverage. This is beneficial if a member has a medical condition that developed after the coverage first began. They can continue to pay the premium at the group level, which may represent significant savings over purchasing a policy as an individual or converting to a whole life, but may still be charged a higher rate than the group plan. Portability is not available to employees who are retiring or disabled and is only available if the employee has been actively employed prior to leaving employment. There is not a separate policy for this provision. It is included in the active employee certificate.