The Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program is a group term life insurance program for Federal and Postal employees and retirees. The Office of Personnel Management administers the Program and sets the premiums. OPM has a contract with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife) to provide this life insurance. The MetLife has an office called Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI). OFEGLI is the contractor that adjudicates claims under the FEGLI Program.

FEGLI New Employees

All Employees in eligible positions are automatically enrolled in Basic Life Insurance unless they choose to waive their coverage.  Basic Life Insurance is effective on the first day you enter a pay and duty status. FEGLI also offers three options in addition to basic coverage. No proof of insurability is required for the basic or any optional insurance you elect during the 60 day initial election period. Proof of insurability may be required for insurance changes after that time.

New employees have 60 days from the date of their appointment to elect additional Optional Insurance.  Employees must be enrolled in Basic Life in order to elect Optional Insurance. Your completed Life Insurance Election Form, SF-2817, must be submitted to your servicing Human Resources Office in a timely manner. Additionally, employees are strongly encouraged to submit the SF-2823 Designation of Beneficiary form.

There are three types of Optional Insurance available to employees: Option A (standard optional insurance), Option B (additional optional), and Option C (family optional insurance).

  • Option A insurance provides $10,000 of additional coverage.
  • Option B insurance coverage comes in 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 multiples of your annual basic rate of pay.
  • Option C coverage insures your spouse for up to 5 multiples of $5,000 and/or eligible children for up to 5 multiples of $2,500

Once you elect life insurance coverage, your enrollment automatically continues each year, as long as you remain eligible for the program. You do not have to reenroll each year.  However you can decrease your coverage at any time. There is no regularly scheduled open season for FEGLI changes.

FEGLI Election Opportunities:
You have the following opportunities to make changes to your FEGLI coverage:

  • During an open season
  • In conjunction with a qualifying life event
  • By providing medical documentation
  • If deployed as a civilian in support of a contingency operation; and

Open season is not held annually, as is the case with the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB), the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS), and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). It is held only when specifically scheduled by the Office of Personnel Management.

If you experience a qualifying life event you can elect Basic, plus any or all Optional insurance – Option A, Option B (up to the maximum of 5 multiples), and Option C (up to the maximum of 5 multiples). FEGLI qualifying life events include marriage, divorce, death of a spouse and birth or adoption of children.

If it has been at least one year since you cancelled or waived Basic insurance, Option A – Standard or Option B – Additional you can elect this coverage by providing satisfactory medical information (at your own expense) to prove insurability. You can not elect Option C or increase your Option C multiples by providing medical information.

If you are deployed in support of a contingency operation as defined by section 101(a)(13) of Title 10, you may elect Basic Option A and Option B (up to the maximum of 5 multiples). The election must be made within 60 days after the date of notification of deployment in support of a contingency operation.

PRIOR FEDERAL SERVICE

If you have prior Federal service, your FEGLI coverage when you are rehired is dependent upon the length of the break in service between the two appointments.

If the break in service is 180 days or less, you are automatically enrolled with the level of coverage that you had at the time of separation from employment. If you do not want this coverage, you may cancel all or a part of it at any time, but you may not elect to increase the coverage. If you previously waived all coverage, you are not eligible to enroll when you are rehired.

If the break in service is greater than 180 days, you will automatically be enrolled in Basic insurance and the same Optional insurance that you had in your prior position. In addition, you may elect Optional insurance or increase the multiples of Optional insurance (if you don’t already have the maximum). You must make your election by submitting a SF 2817 within 60 days of your appointment to increase your life insurance.

You should review the bi-weekly Leave and Earnings Statement you receive from our payroll office to ensure correct deductions have been withheld for your election and avoid costly errors for which you could be indebted.

The following resources provide information to help make a decision about your life insurance election:
FEGLI Program Booklet, FE 76-21
FEGLI Premiums
FEGLI Calculator
FEGLI Handbook
Family Members FAQ