Is it FEGLI Open Season yet?
FEGLI Open Season
In a FEGLI open season, a person employed by the federal governments can enroll him/herself for FEGLI coverage. The employees, who are already enrolled in the federal life insurance plan, can make changes to their coverage plans in the open season.
Since its establishment in 1954 the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance or FEGLI and has become the largest life insurance plan in the world. As federal employee life insurance, FEGLI, covers millions of federal employees, retirees and their family members. An eligible federal employee is automatically covered with the Basic coverage of FEGLI, unless he/she waived the FEGLI coverage. Aside from the basic coverage plan, there are also 3 optional coverage plans, which can be included in the employees insurance which are all subject to the employee paying the applicable FEGLI rates.
The FEGLI Options allow a federal employee to gain coverage for their family and increase the employee’s own federal life insurance coverage by either $10,000 or a multiple of the employee’s base salary. The government pays a part of the premium and the rest is deducted from your monthly paycheck. There have been FEGLI open seasons, in which the eligible employees can enroll, change their benefit plans and make other alterations to their life insurance coverage, however they are no longer necessary.
Next FEGLI Open Season
The last FEGLI open season was held in 2004 on the 50th anniversary of FEGLI; but there hasn’t been an open season since then. The open seasons used to be held every 5 to 7 years, but it has been 10 years since the last open season. The federal government has said that it does not plan on holding a FEGLI open season in the near future.
FEGLI Open Season Not Required
There has been a change in the policy of FEGLI, which all but eliminates the need for an open season. People who want to change or cancel their FEGLI coverage can now do so without waiting for an open season. They no longer have to wait for a long period of time to change their benefits. But if they choose to cancel their coverage, they should know that re-enrolling yourself into the coverage plan is not that easy.
An employee is only eligible to enroll in to the FEGLI basic insurance plan if there is an open season. Outside of the open season, an employee can only enroll into the coverage plan if there is a “qualifying life event”. A wedding or childbirth can be considered a qualifying life event and an employee must notify OPM within 60 days of the event.
If you are waiting for the next FEGLI open season then you may be waiting for a long time. Fortunately, you can make changes to the plan without the open season and you can even cancel the insurance if you find a better deal, without an open season. Thankfully, CompareFEGLI.com offers federal employees with a wide range of highly-rated insurance companies that can offer much cheaper and better life insurance options than FEGLI.