Life Insurance
Life Insurance Offers protection for your loved ones in the event of your death. The County has partnered with The Standard as our Life Insurance vendor effective September 1, 2010. This overview is provided for brief information purposes only.
Eligibility
Life Insurance is available to active employees working either; 30 hours or more each week in a 35-hour position or 34 hours or more each week in a 40-hour position.
Basic Life Insurance
Benefit Amount
- Employees hired and eligible prior to July 1, 1997 receive two times their annual salary calculated by rounding the annual salary up to the nearest $1,000 then multiplying by two, up to a maximum of $200,000. (This coverage my be carried into retirement.)
- Employees hired on or after July 1, 1997 receive one times their annual salary rounded up to the nearest $1000 up to a maximum of $200,000.
Employee Rate/County Subsidy
The cost is shared by you and the County. The County subsidizes the Basic Life Insurance as outlined below. Effective September 1, 2010, the total premium is $.40 per $1,000 of coverage.
| County Subsidy | Employee Group |
|---|---|
| 90% | Supervisory, Management and Confidential group employees, Elected Officials, Directors of Offices and Departments, Administrative Officer, BCFPE employees hired and eligible prior to July 1, 1997. |
| 80% | IAF Firefighters, Professional Staff Nurses Association members, AFSCME employees, FOP, and any other employee hired and eligible prior to July 1, 1997. |
| 80% | Eligible employees hired and eligible on or after July 1, 1997. |
80% Subsidy - Employee Rate = $.08 per $1,000
90% Subsidy - Employee Rate = $.04 per $1,000
Example of employee with 80 percent subsidy
$50,000 salary / $1,000 = 50
$.40 rate X 20% EE share = X $.08
Monthly Payroll Deduction $4
Additional Life Insurance Plans
The County recognizes that individuals have different needs and has provided you the opportunity to apply for the right amount of protection for you at very competitive group rates. Enrollment in Basic Life is a requirement for enrollment in Additional Life Insurance. Additional life coverage can be purchased as follows:
- Legacy Additional Life Insurance for Employees Hired and Eligible Prior to July 1, 1997
Employees hired and eligible prior to July 1, 1997 may elect $10,000 or $20,000 at the rate of $1 per every $1,000 of coverage. This coverage may be carried into retirement. - Additional Life Insurance with Age-Banded Rates
All eligible employees, including those hired prior to July 1, 1997, may elect Additional Life Insurance in any multiple of $10,000, starting at $10,000 up to $100,000 with rates based on your age. This coverage cannot be carried into retirement; however, you may apply for portability. refer to the portability section for additional information.
Additional Life Insurance Rates
Monthly Additional Life Insurance Rates
| Age as of January 1 | Rate per $1,000 of total coverage |
| <30 | $0.035 |
| 30 - 34 | $0.035 |
| 35 - 39 | $0.046 |
| 40 - 44 | $0.065 |
| 45 - 49 | $0.098 |
| 50 - 54 | $0.130 |
| 55 - 59 | $0.225 |
| 60 - 64 | $0.385 |
| 65 - 69 | $0.700 |
| 70 - 74 | $1.132 |
| 75 + | $4.292 |
Additional Life Insurance Calculation Worksheet
(Refer to rates above to calculate your monthly deduction)
| Steps | Line Number | Your Calculation | Example Calculation (Age 40) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 - Amount Elected: Between $10,000 and $100,000 | Line 1 | $100,000 | |
| Step 2 - Line 1 divided by $1,000 = Line 2 | Line 2 | 100 | |
| Step 3 - Select your rate from the rate and enter on Line 3 | Line 3 | .065 | |
| Step 4 - Line 2 multiplied by Line 3 = Your monthly cost | Line 4 | $6.50/month |
Requesting Life Insurance
Employees may enroll, cancel, increase or decrease the amount of life insurance by completing an enrollment online at www.standard.com/enroll. During Open Enrollment, you may elect any of the plans you are eligible for with no medical underwriting approval. All late applications and requests for increases after that time are subject to medical underwriting approval.
Requesting Life Insurance as a New Hire
Employees electing life insurance coverage within 31 days of employment may obtain coverage without providing Evidence of Insurability. The effective date of coverage is the first day of the following month after online enrollment. Simply select the basic life and the additional life option that you wish to purchase online at www.standard.com/enroll.
Requesting Life Insurance Due to Family Status Change - Marriage, Newborn, Adoption, Divorce)
Employees may request a change in the amount of life insurance by completing a paper enrollment application within 31 days of the event. You will be required to submit documentation of your status change with your enrollment form.
Features of All County Life Insurance Plans
- Accelerated Death Benefit
If you become terminally ill as a result of an illness or physical condition which is reasonably expected to result in death within 12 months, you may have the right to receive a portion of your insurance as an accelerated benefit within your lifetime. You must apply and may receive up to 75 percent of your insurance. The minimum accelerated benefit is $5,000 or 10 percent of your insurance, whichever is greater. There are no restrictions on how this money can be spent, and no fees will be charged. - Portability
If your coverage ends because your employment terminates, you may buy a term life policy. You must be under age 65, able to be gainfully employed and meet minimum coverage requirements. You must complete an application, available online, within 31 days of the date that your coverage ends. - Conversion
If your coverage ends or reduces for any reason except failure to pay premium or payment of an accelerated benefit, you may buy an individual policy of life insurance without evidence of insurability. You must complete a conversion application within 31 days of the date that your coverage ends.
How Do I Change My Beneficiary Election?
You may designate or update your life insurance beneficiary information quickly and easily at www.standard.com/enroll. If you have not already established an outline account, simply select "Need a Login?" and follow the instructions to create your account with The Standard. To begin the designation process, select 'My Benefits", "Change My Benefits", "Change of Beneficiary". If you have any questions about The Standard's web site or need additional assistance, contact The Standard's Customer Service at 866-623-0622, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. EST.
Your basic life insurance benefit plus your additional benefit(if elected) will be paid to the beneficiary(ies) named. You must select a person(s), your estate, or an organization, such as a charity, as your beneficiary(ies). You must designate a primary beneficiary and have the option of designating contingent benefices. A primary beneficiary is the person(s) who will receive a benefit upon your death. A contingent beneficiary is the person(s) who will receive a benefit in the event that all of the designated primary benefices are deceased at the time of your death. If you name two or more benefices in a class (primary or contingent), two or more surviving benefices will share equally, unless you provide for unequal shares.
It is very important that you update your beneficiary as your life situation changes, (marriage, divorce, death, birth of a child, etc.) to ensure that your life insurance proceeds are paid to the appropriate person(s).
Note: A change in your life insurance beneficiary election does not change your pension beneficiary designation; they are separate elections and must be updated separately.
Additional Plan Feature -
Travel Assistance Available at No Cost with All Life Insurance Plans
MEDEX® Travel Assist helps you cope with emergencies when you travel more than 100 miles from home or internationally for trips of up to 180 days. MEDEX travel Assist can also help you with non-emergencies, such as planning your trip.
You do not have to enroll. As a participant in your Baltimore County's group Life insurance coverage from The Standard, you and your family members are automatically covered. All services are provided by MEDEX Assistance Corporation and are available 24 hours a day, every day.
MEDEX Travel Assist offers the following services:
Pre-trip Assistance
Including passport, visa, weather and currency exchange information, health hazards advice and inoculation requirements.
- Medical Assistance Services
Including locating medical care providers and interpreter services. - Travel Assistance Services
Including emergency ticket, credit card and passport replacement assistance, funds transfer assistance and missing baggage assistance. - Legal Assistance Services
Including locating a local attorney, consular officer, or bail bond services. - Emergency Transportation Services
Including arranging and paying for emergency evacuation to the nearest adequate medical facility and medically-necessary repatriation to the employee's home, including repatriation of remains. - Personal Security Services
Including evacuation and logistical arrangements in the event of political unrest, social instability, weather conditions, health or environmental hazards.
Revised September 29, 2011
