Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program

Frequently Asked Questions

Changes Summary

• June 27, 2008
• October 1, 2004
• September 1, 2004
• March 13, 2003
• March 12, 2003
• January 23, 2003
• September 4, 2002
• August 15, 2002
• April 19, 2002
• February 28, 2002

June 27, 2008

• We have clarified and expanded the answers to Break in Service, LWOP, and Military and FEGLI to say that employees called up to active duty military can elect FEGLI coverage for a second 12 months (24 total) per BAL 08-203 [30 KB].

• We added a new question to the Increasing and Decreasing FAQs to discuss how an employee can elect coverage if he/she missed the FEGLI 2004 Open Season.

• We updated the look and feel of the FEGLI FAQs. It is now much easier to find what you need.

• We have amended the time frame for Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefits under the FEGLI Program. Accidental Death benefits will be payable if the employee dies within one year of the accident. Accidental & Dismemberment will be paid for the loss of a hand, foot or eyesight within one year of the accident.

• We have added a new FAQ category, Military and FEGLI. The questions address FEGLI benefits for civilians serving in combat zones, employees called-up to active duty and the payment of Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefits.

• We converted the pages to a new format. We did not make any substantive changes to the pages.

• We have added a new question to the Break in Service FAQs to clarify that employees who separate from service to enter the military are considered to be in a nonpay status for FEGLI Purposes. As long as the employee has reemployment rights under USERRA, they can keep their FEGLI coverage for up to 12 months, or until 90 days after their military service ends, whichever date comes first. This information was included in item 8 in Attachment 1 of OPM's Compensation Memo 2001-09 of September 14, 2001, Rights and Benefits of Reservists Called to Active Duty.

• We have added a new question to the Family Members FAQs to clarify that two married Federal employees may both be enrolled in Option C under the FEGLI Program, providing double Option C insurance coverage for their dependent children. This is a clarification of existing policy based on questions which we regularly receive.

• The PDF version has been updated, and is now available as either a single PDF file of all questions or individual PDF files for each section.

• The question on interest paid on claims from the date to death to the date of payment has been modified to explain that this interest covers a maxiumum two year period.

• In the question on how much insurance you have, we added a link to the FEGLI Handbook so that employees can look up the insurance codes appearing on their Standard Form 50s.

• In the question on Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage, we added a note that this applies to employees only and cannot be carried into retirement.

• In the question on increasing coverage by getting a physical, we added a parenthetical statement explaining that not electing coverage is the same as waiving the coverage.

• In the question on waiving or reducing coverage for employees, we added a statement explaining that the answer does not apply if you have assigned your life insurance.

• We added a new question explaining how a retiree waives or reduces life insurance coverage.