FAQs: FEGLI

There may be a FEGLI code on your pay stub (depending on the payroll processor your agency uses), or you may need to check your latest SF-50 which will show the FEGLI coverage types for which you are enrolled in box 27.

A0           Ineligible
B0           Waived                
C0           Basic only                            
D0           Basic + Option A                
E1            Basic + Option C (1x)                          
E2            Basic + Option C (2x)                          
E3            Basic + Option C (3x)                          
E4            Basic + Option C (4x)                          
E5            Basic + Option C (5x)                          
F1            Basic + Option A + Option C (1x)                    
F2            Basic + Option A + Option C (2x)                    
F3            Basic + Option A + Option C (3x)                    
F4            Basic + Option A + Option C (4x)                    
F5            Basic + Option A + Option C (5x)                    
G0           Basic + Option B (1x)                          
H0           Basic + Option B (1x) + Option A                      
I1             Basic + Option B (1x) + Option C (1x)                              
I2             Basic + Option B (1x) + Option C (2x)                              
I3             Basic + Option B (1x) + Option C (3x)                              
I4             Basic + Option B (1x) + Option C (4x)                              
I5             Basic + Option B (1x) + Option C (5x)                              
J1            Basic + Option A + Option B (1x) + Option C (1x)                        
J2            Basic + Option A + Option B (1x) + Option C (2x)                        
J3            Basic + Option A + Option B (1x) + Option C (3x)                        
J4            Basic + Option A + Option B (1x) + Option C (4x)                        
J5            Basic + Option A + Option B (1x) + Option C (5x)                        
K0           Basic + Option B (2x)                          
L0            Basic + Option A + Option B (2x)                    
M1          Basic + Option B (2x) + Option C (1x)                              
M2          Basic + Option B (2x) + Option C (2x)                              
M3          Basic + Option B (2x) + Option C (3x)                              
M4          Basic + Option B (2x) + Option C (4x)                              
M5          Basic + Option B (2x) + Option C (5x)                              
N1           Basic + Option A + Option B (2x) + Option C (1x)                        
N2           Basic + Option A + Option B (2x) + Option C (2x)                        
N3           Basic + Option A + Option B (2x) + Option C (3x)                        
N4           Basic + Option A + Option B (2x) + Option C (4x)
N5           Basic + Option A + Option B (2x) + Option C (5x)                        
90           Basic + Option B (3x)                          
P0           Basic + Option A + Option B (3x)                    
Q1           Basic + Option B (3x) + Option C (1x)                              
Q2           Basic + Option B (3x) + Option C (2x)                              
Q3           Basic + Option B (3x) + Option C (3x)                              
Q4           Basic + Option B (3x) + Option C (4x)                              
Q5           Basic + Option B (3x) + Option C (5x)                              
R1           Basic + Option A + Option B (3x) + Option C (1x)                          
R2           Basic + Option A + Option B (3x) + Option C (2x)                        
R3           Basic + Option A + Option B (3x) + Option C (3x)                          
R4           Basic + Option A + Option B (3x) + Option C (4x)                          
R5           Basic + Option A + Option B (3x) + Option C (5x)                        
S0            Basic + Option B (4x)                          
T0            Basic + Option A + Option B (4x)                    
U1           Basic + Option B (4x) + Option C (1x)                              
U2           Basic + Option B (4x) + Option C (2x)                              
U3           Basic + Option B (4x) + Option C (3x)                              
U4           Basic + Option B (4x) + Option C (4x)                              
U5           Basic + Option B (4x) + Option C (5x)                              
V1           Basic + Option A + Option B (4x) + Option C (1x)                        
V2           Basic + Option A + Option B (4x) + Option C (2x)                        
V3           Basic + Option A + Option B (4x) + Option C (3x)                        
V4           Basic + Option A + Option B (4x) + Option C (4x)                        
V5           Basic + Option A + Option B (4x) + Option C (5x)                        
W0          Basic + Option B (5x)                          
X0           Basic + Option B (5x) + Option A                      
Y1            Basic + Option B (5x) + Option C (1x)                              
Y2            Basic + Option B (5x) + Option C (2x)                              
Y3            Basic + Option B (5x) + Option C (3x)                              
Y4            Basic + Option B (5x) + Option C (4x)                              
Y5            Basic + Option B (5x) + Option C (5x)                              
Z1            Basic + Option A + Option B (5x) + Option C (1x)                        
Z2            Basic + Option A + Option B (5x) + Option C (2x)                        
Z3            Basic + Option A + Option B (5x) + Option C (3x)                        
Z4            Basic + Option A + Option B (5x) + Option C (4x)                        
Z5            Basic + Option A + Option B (5x) + Option C (5x)

FEGLI coverage is underwritten by Met Life.  They will provide the death benefit check to your beneficiaries.

FEGLI was designed to be a group term insurance program.  The intention was not for you to keep this coverage in place in retirement.

No.  The FEGLI death benefit will pay out regardless whether your death occurred on the job, or off the job.

Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage is an automatic part of Basic insurance and Option A insurance (if elected) for employees, at no additional cost. There is no accidental death and dismemberment coverage with Options B and C, and there is none for annuitants or enrollees on workers’ compensation (“compensationers”).

ACCIDENTAL DEATH benefits are payable when you sustain injuries by accidental means and, within one year afterwards, you die resulting directly from those injuries. 

• Under Basic insurance, accidental death benefits are equal to your BIA (without the Extra Benefit). 
• Under Option A, accidental death benefits are equal to your Option A coverage.

ACCIDENTAL DISMEMBERMENT benefits are payable when you sustain injuries by accidental means and, within one year afterwards, you lose a limb or sight in one or both eyes resulting directly from those injuries.

• Under Basic insurance, accidental dismemberment benefits are equal to one-half of your BIA for the loss of one limb or sight in one eye.
• Under Option A, accidental dismemberment benefits are equal to one-half of your Option A coverage for the loss of one limb or sight in one eye.

As an eligible employee, you are automatically enrolled in Basic insurance unless you waive this coverage.

Basic insurance covers your life for whichever is greater: 1) Your annual rate of basic pay, rounded up to the next even $1,000, plus $2,000; or 2) $10,000. This is called the Basic Insurance Amount, or BIA.

The Government pays one-third of the premium cost for Basic and you pay two-thirds. The U.S. Postal Service pays the entire cost of Basic insurance for its employees.

If you are under age 45, you automatically have extra coverage without paying any additional premium. This Extra Benefit increases the amount of Basic insurance payable at the time of your death if you die before age 45.

Option A insures your life for $10,000.

Option B insures your life for 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 multiples of your annual rate of basic pay rounded up to the next even $1,000.

Option C insures the lives of your spouse and eligible dependent children. It comes in 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 multiples of coverage. Each multiple is equal to $5,000 for a spouse and $2,500 for each eligible dependent child.

If you are under age 45, you automatically have extra coverage without paying any additional premium. This Extra Benefit increases the amount of Basic insurance payable at the time of your death if you die before age 45.

If you are under 45, use the table below to determine the multiplier to your Basic FEGLI coverage.

35 & under      2.0
36                     1.9                
37                     1.8                        
38                     1.7
39                     1.6              
40                     1.5        
41                     1.4                        
42                     1.3                    
43                     1.2          
44                     1.1              
45                     1.0 (essentially, the extra benefit goes away at 45)    

Example: A 30-yr old with $47,500 salary would naturally have $50,000 in Basic coverage, but with the “extra” benefit, they’ll receive twice that amount (2.0 multiplied yields $100,000) at no extra cost.

There are four ways to obtain FEGLI coverage while working:

• Elect coverage upon entry into federal service
• During a FEGLI Open Season (very rare)
• Medically qualify for coverage by proving you are in good health
• Experience a qualifying life event 

You can decrease FEGLI coverage at any time.  You do NOT need to wait for a FEGLI Open Season or a Qualifying Life Event (QLE).

The qualifying life events (QLEs) that may allow you to get more FEGLI are:

• marriage
• divorce
• death of a spouse
• birth or adoption of a child

You must file the election with your employing office on form SF-2817 Life Insurance Election, or its electronic equivalent, along with proof of the event, from 31 days before to 60 days after the change in family status.

If you cancel FEGLI coverage while you are working, you may be able to get it back.  There are three ways to obtain FEGLI coverage if you had not elected it when you were first hired:

• During a FEGLI Open Season (very rare)
• Medically qualify for coverage by proving you are in good health
• Experience a qualifying life event 

It is important to note that if you cancel FEGLI coverage within your final 5 years of federal service and then regain coverage, you must retain that coverage for 5 years immediately prior to retirement.  Essentially, your 5-year clock restarts.

If you wish to change the amount of FEGLI coverage you have (either decrease or increase if you qualify), you must file the election with your employing office on form SF-2817 Life Insurance Election, or its electronic equivalent.

Yes.  You must pay out of pocket for the physical.

You may cancel your waiver and obtain Basic insurance and/or Options A and B if at least one year has passed since the effective date of the waiver and you provide satisfactory medical information at your own expense. You must have Basic insurance to elect Optional insurance.

If you want to cancel a waiver, you must be an eligible employee and you must complete the form ​SF-2822 Request for Insurance. Your agency will complete part of the form first. Then you complete your section. Your physician or other medical professional will examine you and complete the rest of the form.

Your physician must send the completed SF-2822 to the Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI), and OFEGLI must receive the form within 60 days of the date of the medical examination. 

If OFEGLI approves coverage it will notify your human resources office. Your human resources office will automatically enroll you in Basic insurance (if you do not have Basic already).

Basic coverage becomes effective on the first day you enter on duty in pay status on or after OFEGLI's approval, provided you enter on duty in pay status within 60 days after OFEGLI’s approval. If you do not enter on duty in pay status within 60 days after OFEGLI’s approval, the approval is revoked automatically. You have 60 days from the approval date to elect Option A and/or Option B or increase your Option B multiples (up to a total of five times your annual rate of basic pay rounded up to the next even $1,000).

NOTE: You cannot elect Family Option-C based proving that you (or your family) is in good health.  

If you are considering adding FEGLI coverage and you are curious what the premiums will be, visit OPM's FEGLI Calculator to view different coverage options and the premiums associated with them.

To qualify to keep FEGLI coverage in retirement, you must be continuously enrolled for 5 years immediately prior to retirement.  This is true for both the Basic and any optional coverage (A, B and C).

When you retire, you are eligible to continue FEGLI if you meet all of the following requirements:

• You are entitled to retire on an immediate annuity under a retirement system for civilian employees​
• You have been insured for the 5 years of service immediately before the starting date of your annuity, or for the full period(s) of service during which you were eligible to be insured if less than 5 years
• You are enrolled in FEGLI on the date of retirement; and
• You have not converted to an individual policy.

Use form SF-2818 FEGLI Continuation of Life Insurance Coverage to elect what happens to each part of your FEGLI coverage in retirement.

No.  You are not permitted to add FEGLI coverage once you are already retired.

Yes.  To qualify to keep FEGLI coverage in retirement, you must be continuously enrolled for 5 years immediately prior to retirement.  This is true for both the Basic and any optional coverage (A, B and C).

Yes.  You are permitted to drop multiples of Options B and C in retirement if you choose.  

FEGLI Option C covers the lives of the enrolled employee/retiree's eligible family members. 

Eligible family members for Option C include a spouse (including a valid common law marriage) and eligible dependent children. Eligible dependent children must be unmarried and under age 22, or if age 22 or over, incapable of self-support because of a mental or physical disability that existed before the child reached age 22.

Eligible dependent children include natural children, adopted children, stepchildren (if they live with you in a regular parent-child relationship), recognized natural children, and foster children (if they live with you in a regular parent-child relationship). Stillborn children are not covered.

If you have any questions about eligible family members, please consult your human resources office. That office is responsible for determining eligibility.

Option C comes in 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 multiples of coverage. Each multiple is equal to $5,000 for a spouse and $2,500 for each eligible dependent child.

FEGLI Option C coverage provides a death benefit on the life of eligible family members.  This generally includes a current spouse and/or children under the age of 18 (or 22 if a full-time student).

If a federal employee discovers that they have Option C coverage in place (but no longer have any eligible family members), they should complete and submit the following documents:

• SF-2817 FEGLI Election Form
• Letter to request a refund of erroneous premiums paid

No.  FEGLI does not have regular Open Seasons like FEHB does.  In fact, FEGLI Open Seasons are very rare.

No FEGLI Open Season is anticipated at this time.

You may name anyone you wish as the beneficiary.  

Your agency may grant you access to a system where you can login to see who is named as your beneficiary, or you may view your electronic Official Personnel File (your eOPF).  If you cannot readily find confirmation of who is currently named, you should simply complete a new form and submit it.  It will override any current beneficiary designation on file.

You will use form SF-2823 FEGLI Designation of Beneficiary to name the person(s) you wish to receive the lump sum benefit upon your death.

Yes.  You may submit the form (SF-2823 FEGLI Designation of Beneficiary) to update your beneficiary at any time.   You do not have to wait until an Open Season to take this action.

Yes.  If you have a trust, you are permitted to name the trust as the beneficiary and then the trust documents control how the funds are to be disseminated and used upon your death.

FEGLI coverage is underwritten by Met Life.  They will provide the death benefit check to your beneficiaries.

When your life insurance terminates, except by your waiver or cancellation, your coverage automatically continues without cost for another 31 days.  You are entitled to convert to an individual policy.  In most cases, this happens at the time of retirement.

You may convert all or any part of your Basic and Optional coverage. No medical examination is required, although you may be asked a few questions about your health to see if you qualify for a lower premium. You do not have to answer these questions, but if you do not, you may be paying a higher premium than necessary.

You (or your assignee if you assigned your life insurance) must request conversion information within 31 days of the date on the conversion notice you receive from your employing agency, or within 60 days after the terminating event, whichever is sooner.

Regardless of the date you purchase the conversion policy, conversion is effective and premiums begin at the end of the 31-day extension of coverage. 

When your life insurance terminates, except by your waiver or cancellation, your coverage automatically continues without cost for another 31 days.  You are entitled to convert to an individual policy.  In most cases, this happens at the time of retirement.

Assignment is the transfer of ownership of life insurance to another individual, corporation, or trustee. You are still the insured person, but you no longer own the insurance. Assignment is voluntary and irrevocable.

When you make an assignment, you assign Basic insurance, and Option A and Option B insurance if you have them. You cannot assign dismemberment insurance, the Extra Benefit, or Option C. You cannot make a partial assignment or assign only one type of insurance.

After making the assignment, you continue to pay the premiums from your salary or annuity. The assignee or another third party cannot make premiums payments on your behalf. If the assignee agrees to pay the premiums, you must make separate arrangements. This is a private business arrangement between you the insured and the assignee.

After making the assignment, the assignee has the right to:

• Cancel or reduce insurance
• Change your Basic post-65 reduction election to 75 Percent Reduction
• Change your Option B post-65 reduction election from No Reduction to Full Reduction.
• Designate and change beneficiaries
• Convert to a private policy when FEGLI terminates (except if your annuity or compensation terminates)
• Reassign the insurance. 

You still have the right to:

• Elect a post-65 reduction for Basic, Option B and Option C at the time of retirement. 
• Elect more insurance if you are an active employee (all of the new insurance, except Option C, will come under the existing assignment)
• Continue Option C coverage, if you have it.

An assignment automatically cancels prior designations of beneficiary. Once your assignment becomes effective, only your assignee has the right to designate a beneficiary for your life insurance proceeds. When you die, benefits are paid to your assignee's beneficiary. If your assignee does not designate a beneficiary, benefits are paid to your assignee. An assignment supersedes the order of precedence and a valid court order.

You may assign your FEGLI coverage at any time.