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Insurance FAQs

Increasing or Decreasing Coverage

  • I am a Federal retiree. How do I cancel or reduce my FEGLI life insurance coverage? View more
    If you are a retiree, you can cancel or reduce your FEGLI life insurance at any time. There is no form; you must mail a signed letter to OPM's Retirement Office at: U.S. Office of Personnel Management Retirement Operations Center P.O. Box 45 Boyers, PA 16017-0045 The cancellation or reduction must be in writing and have an original signature by the insured retiree.  Be sure to include your retirement claim number (CSA) or Social Security Number (SSN) and specify what action you want taken.  Please note that you cannot increase your coverage after retirement or reinstate coverage that you cancel.
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  • I am a Federal employee. How do I cancel or reduce my FEGLI life insurance coverage? View more
    If you are an employee, you can cancel or reduce your FEGLI life insurance at any time by submitting this form to your human resources office. If you want to reduce life insurance, sign only for the coverage you want to KEEP.   If you want to cancel all life insurance, sign in Box 5. Exception: if you have assigned your life insurance by transferring ownership to another person or to a company, then you cannot cancel or reduce your Basic, Option A, or Option B coverage.
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  • Do I have to wait for a life insurance Open Season to enroll in FEGLI? View more
    No. FEGLI life insurance open seasons are extremely rare.  Outside of an open season, eligible employees can enroll in FEGLI by taking a physical exam or with a Qualifying Life Event. The form to request FEGLI by taking a physical exam is available the SF 2822.  The form is completed partly by you, partly by your agency, and partly by your healthcare provider.  If OFEGLI approves your request, you are automatically enrolled in Basic. If you want Optional insurance as well as Basic, you can enroll in Option A and/or Option B within 60 days from the date of OFEGLI's approval. You cannot enroll in Option C by getting a physical. With a FEGLI Qualifying Life Event, you can enroll in FEGLI Basic, Option A, up to five multiples of Option B, and/or up to five multiples of Option C.  Qualifying Life Events are marriage, divorce, death of spouse, or acquisition of an eligible child. To enroll or increase your FEGLI coverage based on a life event, submit an SF 2817 to your human resources office within 60 days after the life event.
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  • How do I increase my coverage based on a Life Event? View more
    If you already have Basic, you may elect Option B or you can increase your multiples of Option B based on a life event. A life event is marriage, divorce, death of a spouse, or acquisition of a child. The number of multiples of Option B you can get depends on the event. For example, if you marry, the number of multiples you can get is equal to the number of additional family members acquired with your marriage. There is a table in the FEGLI Booklet (FE 76-21 or FE 76-20 for Postal employees) with the life events and the number of multiples you may elect. You can also elect Option C or increase your multiples of Option C based on a life event. You can elect from one to five multiples, regardless of the number of eligible family members you have or acquired. You can increase your coverage based on a life event by completing a Life Insurance Election(Standard Form 2817 [159 KB]). You must submit the SF 2817 to your human resources office within 60 calendar days after the date of the event.
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  • When is the next FEGLI life insurance open season? View more
    FEGLI life insurance open seasons are extremely rare and none are currently scheduled.  Your agency and OPM's website will announce when there is a life insurance open season coming up.  The most recent FEGLI open seasons were held in 2004 and 1999. Outside of an open season, eligible employees can enroll or increase their coverage in FEGLI by taking a physical exam or with a Qualifying Life Event. The form to request FEGLI by taking a physical exam is the SF 2822.  The form is completed partly by you, partly by your agency, and partly by your healthcare provider.  If OFEGLI approves your request, you are automatically enrolled in Basic. If you want Optional insurance as well as Basic, you can enroll in Option A and/or Option B within 60 days from the date of OFEGLI's approval. You cannot enroll in Option C by getting a physical. With a FEGLI Qualifying Life Event, you can enroll in FEGLI Basic, Option A, up to five multiples of Option B, and/or up to five multiples of Option C.  Qualifying Life Events are marriage, divorce, death of spouse, or acquisition of an eligible child. To enroll or increase your FEGLI coverage based on a life event, submit an SF 2817 to your human resources office within 60 days after the life event.
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  • If I get a physical and am approved, can I also elect Option C? View more
    No. Employees can only enroll in Basic, Option A and Option B this way. Obtaining a physical does not allow you to enroll in Option C. You must either enroll during an unrestricted Open Season or else in connection with a life event — marriage, divorce, death of spouse or acquisition of eligible children.
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  • How long does it take if I am electing more coverage by getting a physical? View more
    It takes the Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI) an average of one week to process an election to enroll or increase coverage by getting a physical. If more than one week has passed since your doctor sent your request to OFEGLI and your human resources office has not yet received a decision, you can check on the status by calling OFEGLI at 1-800-633-4542.
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  • I want to enroll in FEGLI life insurance by taking a physical exam.  When will the new coverage be effective? View more
    Your enrollment in Basic will be effective on the first day you are in pay and duty status on or after the date OFEGLI approves your request. If you also want to enroll in Option A and/or Option B, this coverage will be effective on the first day you are in pay and duty status on or after the date OFEGLI approves your request and your human resources office receives your Life Insurance Election (SF 2817) electing such coverage.
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  • Can I increase my FEGLI life insurance coverage if I am a civilian employee in the Department of Defense who is designated as "emergency essential?" View more
    Yes, Public Law 110-417, the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act, allows new FEGLI life insurance election opportunities for certain employees. The new election applies if you are a civilian employee in the Department of Defense eligible for FEGLI who is designated as "emergency essential" under section 1580 of Title 10.  You may elect Basic, Option A and Option B (up to the maximum of 5 multiples). You must make the election on the FEGLI election form within 60 days of the date of the notification of the designation as an emergency essential employee..  Contact your employing agency human resources office for more information. More details available in BAL 08-204 and BAL 12-201.
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  • How do I enroll or increase my FEGLI life insurance by getting a physical? View more
    If at least one year has passed since the effective date of your last waiver of some FEGLI life insurance coverage, you may get a physical exam at your own expense using the Request for Insurance.  You and your human resources office must complete part of the form. You then take the form to your physician. He or she will complete the rest of the form and send it to the Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI). If OFEGLI approves your request, they will notify your human resources office. Your human resources office will automatically enroll you in Basic insurance, unless you already have Basic. You will have 60 days from OFEGLI's approval to elect Option A and/or up to 5 multiples of Option B.
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  • Can I enroll in or increase my FEGLI life insurance if I have a life event during a break in service? View more
    If you had a life event during a break in service, you may still be able to enroll or increase your coverage. You normally have 60 days from the date of a life event (marriage, divorce, death of a spouse, acquisition of a child) to enroll or increase your coverage. Your agency can extend this 60-day time limit if you had a change in your family status during a break in service of less than 180 days or during the 60-day period immediately before separation. You will have 31 days from the date of reinstatement or 60 days from the date of the event, whichever gives you more time, to enroll or increase the number of multiples in Option B and/or Option C. In order to make a change based on a life event, you must submit a Life Insurance Election (SF 2817) to your human resources office within the appropriate time limit.
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  • If I get married or acquire a child, do I qualify to enroll in FEGLI Life Insurance? View more
    If you are an employee in a FEGLI-eligible position, a Qualifying Life Event allows you to enroll in FEGLI Basic, Option A, Option B (up to 5 multiples), and/or Option C (up to 5 multiples).  You must enroll in Basic to be able to enroll in any or all Optional coverage. There are four FEGLI Qualifying Life Events:
    • Marriage
    • Divorce
    • Death of a spouse
    • Acquisition of an eligible child
    To enroll based on a Qualifying Life Event, you must submit a Life Insurance Election (SF 2817) to your human resources office within 60 days after the day of the event.  For more information, contact your human resources office and review page 4, row 2 of the Election form.
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  • Can I increase my FEGLI life insurance coverage if I am deployed as a civilian in support of a contingency operation? View more
    Yes, Public Law 110-417, the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act, allows new opportunities for certain employees. The new election applies if you are a civilian employee eligible for FEGLI who is deployed in support of a contingency operation as defined by section 101 (a) (13) of Title 10. You may elect Basic, Option A and Option B (up to the maximum of 5 multiples). You must make the election on the SF 2817 (or its electronic equivalent) within 60 days after the date of notification of your deployment in support of a contingency operation. Contact your employing agency human resources office for more information. See more details in BAL 08-204.
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  • Do I need to wait until an Open Season in order to cancel my FEGLI life insurance? View more
    No. You may cancel life insurance coverage at any time. Be aware that your opportunities to re-enroll are limited.
    • Employees:
    To cancel some or all FEGLI coverage as an employee, submit SF 2817 to your human resources office and sign only for the FEGLI coverage that you want to KEEP.
    • Retirees:
    To cancel some or all FEGLI coverage as an annuitant, there is no form.  You must write a letter to: Office of Personnel Management  Retirement Operations Center  P.O. Box 45  Boyers, PA 16017-0045 Any cancellation or reduction of life insurance must be in writing and have an original signature by the insured retiree.  Be sure to include your retirement claim number (CSA number) or social security number and specify what action you want taken.  Please note you cannot increase your coverage after retirement, or reinstate any coverage that you cancel.    The cancellation is effective, and all insurance stops, at the end of the pay period in which you properly file the waiver.  For retirees, a month is considered a pay period. You continue to have the coverage through the pay period in which you file the waiver and must pay premiums for that pay period.  You will not receive a refund for premiums withheld prior to the effective date of cancellation.
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Total Count: 14, Number of Pages: 0, Page: 1

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