How Group Life Insurance Works

Living Choices

Living Choices is an accelerated death benefit the University offers at no cost to you. If you are terminally ill and are expected to live for less than a year, Living Choices allows you to collect part or all of your life insurance benefits before you die. The minimum payment is 25% or $50,000, whichever is less.

To apply for Living Choices, complete the form available from the Benefits Office. You will also need to submit a physician’s statement and, if necessary, other medical documentation. Within five days of receiving your completed application, the insurance company will send you information about how Living Choices will affect your life insurance coverage.

If your application is approved, you will be mailed a check. If you request less than 100% of your life insurance, the remaining benefit will be paid to your Beneficiary after you die.

A Living Choices benefit may be taxable and receiving an accelerated death benefit such as Living Choices may affect your eligibility for programs like Medicaid, aid to families with dependent children (ADC) and supplemental security income (SSI). Check with a tax adviser and the appropriate social service agency before making your decision. If you have questions about Living Choices, contact the insurance company.

While this Summary Plan Description summarizes the major provisions of this plan, it does not provide you with every plan detail. The plan documents, which govern this plan, provide full details. If there are any discrepancies between this Summary Plan Description and the legal plan documents, the legal plan documents control.