Life Insurance FAQs

You can call us at 800-279-4000 to verify your coverage for yourself or loved ones.

No. Your group life insurance coverage has no cash value and you cannot take a loan against it.

Your group life insurance has no cash value and you cannot surrender your life insurance for a payment.

Yes, your coverage can change. Any change to the group life plan benefits made by the employer affects you when you're still working for the employer. If you aren’t working because of a disability, you will not be impacted by the change until you return to work. If you have retired before a change to coverage occurs, you will maintain the same coverage in effect on your retirement date. However, if you are retired and your former employer terminates their group life plan, your coverage will:

• end if you have the Retiree Benefit — Pay-As-You-Go coverage
• end if you have the Retiree Benefit — Prepaid coverage unless you have already qualified for the Prepaid Benefit.

There are times when you may be required to show evidence of insurability, or evidence of good health, before you can be enrolled in coverage. Certain higher levels of coverage require evidence of insurability. In addition, if you apply for coverage late, evidence of insurability will be required. We will review the evidence of insurability. If we approve coverage, we will inform you in writing, and your coverage will begin on the first day of the month following our approval. Claims are monitored for two years, and incorrect or omitted information can result in coverage being revoked retroactively or claim denial.

"Plan Maximum" is the total payable amount on a covered individual's life, including Base Term Life Insurance and Additional Purchase Life Insurance. It excludes Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance. Check your Benefit Summary for your specific Plan Maximum.

Designate or change your beneficiary by completing the Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation form (Opens in new window). Call us at 800-279-4000 to receive a mailed copy of this form. The designation or change is effective when you sign and date, or on a future date you specify. We won't be responsible for any payments made before we receive your notice, so make sure to keep your beneficiary designation up to date.

You may name a minor child as a beneficiary.  However, we cannot make payment of benefits directly to a minor.  Any payment to a minor beneficiary shall be made to the legally appointed guardian of the estate or conservator of the minor, unless otherwise permitted by law.  Please consult with an estate planning professional before naming a minor child as a beneficiary. 

An irrevocable beneficiary designation can't be changed without specific consent of the beneficiary. By default, designations are revocable. To make it irrevocable, notify WEA Trust in writing. Keep your designations up-to-date when marital, family, or financial status changes.

The primary beneficiary gets the benefit when you pass away. They must outlive you to receive it. If they pass away before you, their estate doesn't get the benefit. A secondary beneficiary receives it only if all primary beneficiaries pass away. You can name both primary and secondary beneficiaries.

To ensure benefits match your wishes, keep beneficiary designations current. If none survive you or you haven't named any, benefits go to the first surviving class in this order: legal spouse, children, parents, siblings, or your estate.

Yes. If you're seriously ill, you can ask for up to 50% of your life insurance money early. To get it, you need to be terminally ill, only irrevocable beneficiaries must agree to payment of the benefit to you, and we must approve the request. You can't use accelerated life insurance benefit payments to pay debts or for government benefits. If your benefits would decrease soon due to age or retirement, the amount you can get will also be less. When you pass away, the accelerated benefit amount will be subtracted from your insurance payout. Find complete information in your Group Life Plan Document  (Opens in new window).

To qualify for premium waiver, you must be under age 60 when you become Totally Disabled and apply for waiver after 9 consecutive months of Total Disability but no later than 12 months after the day you ceased to be Actively at Work. You will need to provide proof of your Total Disability and be under the care of a Physician. If approved for waiver, your premium will waive on the first day of the month following 9 consecutive months of Total Disability. We will periodically require proof of your continued disability.

The same coverage you had on your last day of active work will remain in effect.  Premiums for all insurance coverage in force on your last day of work will waive except for Dependent Life Insurance.  If you wish to continue the Dependent Life Insurance, you will need to pay the premium.

Your loved ones should call us at 800-279-4000 to start the life insurance claim process. They can also send send an email including the insured individual's name, contact name for follow up, as well as the best way to reach that person. Report a Death Form (Opens in new window).

Contact us anytime you have a change of address (Opens in new window), if you divorce, if your covered dependent children no longer meet the eligibility requirements, or if you would like us to mail you a Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation Form (Opens in new window).

While you are an active employee, your employer will deduct any premiums you owe from your pay.  If your employer plan includes retiree continuation, you will receive a Continuation Election form when the employer notifies us of your separation. If you elect to continue coverage, premiums are due each month by the 20th of the preceding month of coverage. This applies to both employers and individuals paying premiums directly. Premium amounts are based on the current month's rates. Premium liability begins on the first day of coverage each month, except if coverage starts after the 15th, where it starts the following month. Premium liability ends on your last eligible day, even if premiums were paid.

Premium rates may change on occasion, including when the employer’s insurance contract renews, or when changes to the benefits occur. If you are an employer, you will receive formal notification of your plan renewal and associated premium changes in advance. If you pay your premiums directly, you will also receive written notification when your premium changes.

See your Benefit Summary and the Group Life Insurance Plan Document (Opens in new window) for full details.