Current Provider: MetLife
Death of a WashU/WUSM employee, retiree or dependent
If you are the surviving spouse, domestic partner, or dependent of a deceased WashU employee or retiree, or an active employee who has lost an insured dependent, please notify:
- WashU Benefits Team
314-935-2332
HR-BenefitsMail@wustl.edu
When notifying the Benefits team of a death, please provide:
- The full legal name of the deceased;
- The date of death;
- The date of birth of the deceased; and
- The dates employed at WashU if available
Washington University offers eligible employees and their families several options to meet their individual Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance needs through the convenience of payroll deduction. Life insurance provides protection if the employee or covered dependent dies for any reason. AD&D insurance provides insurance protection if the employee’s or covered dependent’s death is the result of an accident. It also provides a percent of the full amount of the AD&D benefit if the employee or covered dependent suffers paralysis; the loss of a limb; the loss of speech, hearing or sight; brain damage; or coma as a result of an accident. If the employee dies as a result of an accident, benefits are paid to his/her beneficiary. If a covered dependent dies as a result of an accident, benefits are paid to the employee.
Who Is Eligible?
Regular full-time and regular part-time benefits-eligible employees are eligible for the options described below. Basic life insurance and Basic AD&D coverage is effective as of the employee’s hire date and is automatically provided by WashU (i.e. premiums are paid by the University); however, a portion of the premium cost for Basic life insurance may be considered taxable income (see below for information on imputed income) to the employee. Other options such as Optional Life, Optional AD&D, Spouse Life and Dependent Child Life are also available for employees to select. Premiums for these optional benefits are withheld after-taxes on a per pay period basis.
Coverage Options and Cost
- Basic term life insurance
Regular full-time and part-time benefit eligible employees are automatically eligible for Basic term life insurance coverage of 1x base salary up to $1,500,000, rounded to the next higher $1,000, as of their hire date. Note: An age reduction schedule applies after age 70 and imputed income (PDF) applies to coverage in excess of $50,000.
Age Reduction Schedule for Basic Life Insurance
At age 70, the value of your insurance policy will be reduced to 68 percent.
At age 75, the value of your insurance policy will be reduced to 46 percent.
At age 80, the value of your insurance policy will be reduced to 30 percent.
Imputed Income
IRS regulations require employees to pay income tax on the value of employer-provided group term life insurance over $50,000. The taxable value of this life insurance coverage is called “imputed income.” If applicable, this additional taxable income will appear on your pay slip under the “Employer Paid Benefits” section. - Basic AD&D insurance
Regular full-time and part-time benefit eligible employees are automatically eligible for Basic AD&D coverage of 1x base salary up to $1,500,000, rounded to the next higher $1,000, as of their hire date. - Optional employee term life insurance
Benefits eligible employees can elect optional term life coverage of one through eight times their annual base salary, rounded to the next $1,000. Maximum benefit amount is $2,000,000. A Statement of Health will be required if coverage is not elected within 31 days of hire, if initially electing a coverage amount of $500,000 or more or if electing to increase coverage by one level or more. - Optional employee AD&D insurance
Benefits eligible employees can elect optional AD&D insurance of one through eight times their annual base salary up to a maximum benefit of $2,000,000. The monthly cost for coverage is $0.02 per $1,000 of coverage. A Statement of Health is not required for optional AD&D insurance. - Optional spouse/domestic partner term life insurance
Benefits eligible employees can elect $25,000, $50,000, $75,000 or $100,000 of term life insurance coverage for their spouse or domestic partner. A Statement of Health will be required if coverage is not elected within 31 days of hire, if electing coverage of $50,000 or more, or if electing to increase coverage by one level or more. Note: if an employee and their spouse/domestic partner both work for WashU, spouse/domestic partner term life insurance is not available to them. Each employee may only elect optional employee term life insurance.
Spouse/Domestic Partner Term Life Premiums (PDF) - Optional spouse/domestic partner AD&D insurance
Benefits eligible employees can elect $25,000, $50,000, $75,000 or $100,000 of AD&D coverage for their spouse or domestic partner. Note: if an employee and their spouse/domestic partner both work for WashU, spouse/domestic partner AD&D insurance is not available to them. Each employee may only elect optional employee AD&D insurance. A Statement of Health is not required for optional AD&D insurance. The monthly cost for optional spouse/domestic partner AD&D insurance coverage is:
| Coverage Amount | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| $25,000 | $0.50 |
| $50,000 | $1.00 |
| $75,000 | $1.50 |
| $100,000 | $2.00 |
- Optional child term life and AD&D insurance
Benefits-eligible employees can elect $4,000, $10,000 or $20,000 of term life and AD&D insurance for eligible dependent children from birth to age 25. A Statement of Health will not be required if coverage is elected within 31 days of hire or a life event or if coverage is elected during open enrollment. Please note:- Dependent children of two WashU employees may not be enrolled in both parents’ optional child term life and AD&D insurance plans.
- When your last dependent child reaches age 25, you must make an election through Workday to drop optional child term life and AD&D coverage. Coverage is not automatically removed.
- The monthly cost of optional child term life and AD&D insurance coverage is:
| Coverage Amount | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| $4,000 | $0.68 |
| $10,000 | $1.70 |
| $20,000 | $3.40 |
- Group Variable Universal life insurance
Benefits eligible employees can elect group variable universal life insurance coverage of one through seven times their annual base salary.
- Group Variable Universal Life Insurance Brochure (PDF)
- Group Variable Universal Life Premiums (PDF)
- View my GVUL Coverage (External Website)
Enrollment Period
Eligible employees may enroll in the optional life and AD&D plans within 31 days after their date of hire. If an employee elects optional employee term life coverage of $500,000 or more and/or elects optional spouse/domestic term life coverage in excess of $50,000, a Statement of Health (see below) will be required.
Eligible employees may also enroll or increase their optional employee and/or optional spouse/domestic partner life insurance coverage or enroll in optional child term life and AD&D insurance at any time following the 31 days of hire, by logging on to Workday and navigating to Change Benefit Elections. However, a Statement of Health (see below) will be required unless you are enrolling in optional child term life within 31 days of a life event. Eligible employees may also enroll in or change their optional employee AD&D, and/or optional spouse/domestic partner AD&D insurance at any time without having to complete a Statement of Health.
Statement of Health Application
If you elect a life insurance option that requires a Statement of Health, you will receive a Statement of Health application in your Workday inbox that will need to be completed and mailed to MetLife. Once the Statement of Health application has been completed and mailed to MetLife, you will receive correspondence directly from MetLife about the processing of your application. This review process takes approximately four to six weeks.
Pending a decision by MetLife, you may be contacted directly for additional information. If additional information is required and you fail to respond to MetLife’s requests, you will be sent two reminders before your application is closed.
Effective Date
Basic term life insurance and Basic AD&D coverage for benefits-eligible employees is effective as of the hire date. Optional employee term life, optional employee AD&D, optional spouse/domestic partner term life, optional spouse/domestic partner AD&D, optional child term life and AD&D insurance, and Group Variable Universal Life coverage that is elected within 31 days of date of hire and that does not require a Statement of Health is effective as of the date of hire. Any life insurance coverage that requires a Statement of Health will be effective as of the first day of the month following the date that the Statement of Health is approved by MetLife.
Updating Your Beneficiary Information Online
Life Insurance beneficiary information may be updated online through Workday. For step-by-step instructions on how to change your beneficiary designation, visit the Workday Help – Add, Change or Remove Beneficiaries tutorial. Beneficiary designations completed previously on paper or through MetLife remain active but are not visible in Workday. The benefits office recommends that you review your beneficiary information every year or with any family status change.
Other Services
- Accelerated Benefits Option (ABO):The Accelerated Benefits Option permits terminally ill insureds to receive a portion of their life insurance in advance to minimize the financial burden of medical and other expenses – up to 80% of the total insured amount.
- Will Preparation: Optional term life coverage provides employees and their spouse/domestic partner access to will preparation services to prepare and update a basic will, living will and power of attorney. View Will Preparation Information (PDF)