HRD > Benefits Administration Services > Supplemental Life

Supplemental Life Insurance

Exempt state of Ohio employees are eligible to enroll in a supplemental life insurance program, administered by Prudential, at their own cost. This benefit is available upon hire (there is no waiting period) and provides benefits in addition to the state-paid basic life insurance policy that becomes effective after one year of continuous state service. Some key points about the policy include:

• The minimum electable benefit is $10,000.
  
  
• The maximum benefit available is up to six times your annual earnings, or $500,000 - whichever is less.
    
• Note: Some levels of coverage will require that you provide evidence of good health. However, you may increase your coverage at any open enrollment period by two times your basic annual earnings without providing proof of good health. 
  
  
• You may purchase life insurance for your spouse up to $40,000. Spousal coverage in excess of $10,000 requires proof of good health.
  
  
• You may also purchase life insurance for your dependent children up to $7,000.   
  
  
• Supplemental life insurance is portable. 

*Supplemental life insurance information on this page, including rates, is effective July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.

How Do I Enroll for Supplemental Life Insurance?

Eligibility
Full-time permanent employees, part-time permanent employees, judges and other elected officials serving fixed terms of office are eligible for supplemental life insurance benefits. To be eligible, you must be actively at work and performing your normal duties on the effective date of coverage.

You may purchase coverage in $10,000 increments in any of the following four ways.

1. At Open Enrollment Without Evidence of Insurability
   If you are purchasing supplemental life for the first time, you may buy up to two times your Basic Annual Earnings or $150,000, whichever is less. Once enrolled, during each subsequent open enrollment period you may increase your coverage by up to two times your Basic Annual Earnings in $10,000 increments. Your total amount of insurance may not exceed six times your salary or $500,000, whichever is less.
   
   
2. At Open Enrollment With Evidence of Insurability
   During any open enrollment, you may buy up to six times your Basic Annual Earnings or $500,000, whichever is less, with evidence of insurability.
   
   
3. At Hire
   As a new employee, you have 90 days from your date of hire to purchase coverage up to three times your Basic Annual Earnings or $150,000, whichever is less, without evidence of insurability; however, with evidence of earnings you may purchase up to six times your Basic Annual Earnings or $500,000, whichever is less. If you apply for more than the allowable amount of coverage (an amount that requires you to submit evidence of good health), you will initially be approved for the maximum allowable amount that can be purchased without evidence of good health. Prudential will send you a Health Statement Questionnaire that must be completed and returned before the additional amount will be considered.
   
   
4. For Your Dependents
   To elect supplemental life insurance for your dependents, you must be covered under or enrolled in supplemental life insurance for yourself. You can purchase supplemental life insurance for your spouse and children:
   
   • At any open enrollment; or
   • Within 90 days of hire; or
   • Within 31 days of acquiring a new dependent.
   
   Supplemental life insurance provides up to $40,000 coverage for your spouse; $10,000 is available without evidence of insurability. If you apply for $20,000, $30,000 or $40,000 in coverage for your spouse, Prudential will mail you a medical questionnaire that must be completed and returned to them.
   
   Supplemental life insurance up to $7,000 for each child at least 15 days of age and younger than age 23 is available for a single monthly premium of 99 cents.

When a covered member dies, a certified copy of the death certificate must be sent to the address below. Benefits are paid to the beneficiary (or beneficiaries) on file. When a covered dependent dies, benefits are payable to the contract holder upon written proof of death.

Prudential Insurance Company of America
Group Life Administration, Attn: Sherri Benge
PO Box 13676
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3676
1-800-778-3827

If you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and according to your physician, have less than 12 months to live, accelerated death benefits allow you to take a cash advance of a portion of your total life insurance benefit. You can request up to 50 percent of the supplemental life policy amount, up to $75,000. All accelerated death benefit requests are subject to state approval. Accelerated death benefits are not available for spouse or dependent coverage.