Life Insurance
Effective January 1, 2024, the Whitfield County Schools Board-Provided Basic Life Insurance benefit is $15,000.
In order to provide you and your family with additional financial protection in the event of your death, Whitfield County Schools offers voluntary term life insurance for employees, your spouse, and your child(ren) through The Hartford. The plan includes Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage, or AD&D. If you pass away as a result of an accident, the plan also pays either the amount of your life insurance or a percentage for loss of limbs, speech, hearing, and more.
Beneficiaries
You will be required to provide your beneficiary information at the time of your enrollment. A beneficiary is a person who would receive your life insurance benefit in the event of your death.
Evidence of Insurability (EOI)
As a new hire, you are able to elect up to the Guarantee Issue of $150,000 for yourself, $50,000 for your spouse, and $10,000 for your child(ren) with no health questions. Should you wish to elect an amount that exceeds the Guarantee Issue, an Evidence of Insurability Form is required. You may obtain an EOI Form from the Resources page or by calling the Benefits Service Center. Most new and additional elections at Annual Open Enrollment also require an Evidence of Insurability (EOI). To apply, simply complete the form and submit it to The Hartford for review. You will not be deducted for your pending amount unless / until you are approved.
Board-Provided Life Insurance
Whitfield County Schools provides all eligible employees a $15,000 life benefit at no cost to you.
Voluntary Life & AD&D Insurance
You may elect voluntary life insurance for yourself and your dependents through payroll deduction to supplement the basic life benefit.
Plan Maximums
Employee Life: Up to 5x earnings in $10,000 increments to a maximum of $300,000
Spouse Life: Up to 100% of employee amount in $10,000 increments to a maximum of $100,000
Child Life: $10,000 coverage up to age 26
Guarantee Issue Amounts
Employee Life: $150,000
Spouse Life: $50,000
Child Life (15 days to 6 months): $100
Child Life (6 months - 26 years): $10,000
Important Notes
- There is no age cap to be eligible to enroll.
- Common law spouses and domestic partners are not eligible for spouse life coverage.
- Spouse life cannot exceed 100% of employee amount.
- Rates are age banded and spouse life rates are based on spouse's age.
- Child(ren) can be covered only until age 26.
- Beneficiary information is required upon enrollment.
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage is included with the Voluntary Life Insurance. The Voluntary Life Insurance benefit is double if the cause of death is due to a covered accident, per policy details.
- If you are married to another WCS employee:
- You must elect Employee Life only (no Spouse Life coverage is available).
- Only one employee can cover the child(ren); no duplicate coverage is allowed.
Portability and Conversion
You may have the opportunity to continue your life insurance benefit should you separate employment with Whitfield County Schools if certain conditions are met. Portability allows you to continue coverage with an individual term life insurance policy. Conversion allows you to continue coverage with an individual permanent whole life insurance policy. Your application to port and/or convert coverage must be submitted to The Hartford within 31 days of your coverage termination date.
Basic Life Insurance is eligible for the conversion option only.
Employees may port Supplemental Life and Supplemental Dependent Life Insurance. An employee must be under Social Security Normal Retirement Age to be eligible for the portability option. Portability life insurance coverage ends at age 75. An employee who is at or above Social Security Normal Retirement Age is eligible for the conversion option only.
Additional information regarding these two options may be obtained by contacting The Hartford or by visiting the Resources page.
