Accidental Death
Bodily injuries sustained solely through violent,
external and accidental means, and as a direct result of
the bodily injuries, independently of all other causes,
and within 90 days afterwards, you lose your life.
Accidental
Death & Dismemberment Exclusions
Accidental death and dismemberment benefits will not
be paid if your death or loss in any way results from, is
caused by, or is contributed to by:
- physical or mental illness;
- the diagnosis of or treatment of a physical or
mental illness;
- ptomaine or bacterial infection. However,
accidental death and dismemberment benefits will
be paid if the loss is caused by an accidentally
sustained external wound;
- hernia, no matter how or when sustained;
- a war (declared or undeclared), any act of war,
or any armed aggression against the United
States, in which nuclear weapons are actually
being used;
- a war (declared or undeclared), any act of war,
or any armed aggression or insurrection in which
you are in actual combat at the time bodily
injuries are sustained;
- suicide or attempted suicide;
- injuring yourself on purpose;
- illegal or illegally obtained drugs that you
administer to yourself;
- driving a vehicle while intoxicated, as defined by the laws of the jurisdiction in which you were operating the vehicle.
Accidental
Dismemberment
Bodily injuries sustained solely through violent,
external and accidental means, and as a direct result of
the bodily injuries, independently of all other causes,
and within 90 days afterwards, you lose your limb
or eyesight.
- Loss of hand means loss by severance at or above
the wrist joint, or equivalent loss, as determined by OFEGLI.
- Loss of foot means loss by severance at or above
the ankle joint, or equivalent loss, as determined by OFEGLI.
- Loss of sight means total and permanent absence of any usable vision.
Age
Multiplication Factor
A factor used to determine the extra amount of Basic
insurance payable at the time of your death, if you die
before age 45 (also referred to as the "extra
benefit").
Agency
A department or independent establishment of the
executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the United
States Government. This includes Government-owned or
-controlled corporations, the District of Columbia
Government (for certain eligible employees), and
Gallaudet College. This term refers to the whole
organization, as distinguished from its subdivisions and
field installations.
"Independent establishment" includes the
Senate, the House of Representatives, the Library of
Congress, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, the
Administrative Office of the United States Courts, and
the Supreme Court of the United States.
In the executive branch, the Department of Defense,
Department of the Army, Department of the Navy, and
Department of the Air Force are considered to be separate
agencies.
Annuity
A retirement benefit paid on a monthly basis.
Annuitant
A former employee entitled to an annuity under a
retirement system established for employees. This
includes the retirement system of a nonappropriated fund
instrumentality of the Department of Defense or the Coast
Guard.
Annuity
Starting Date
For most types of annuities, the first day of the
month following either the date after the day you
separate from service or the date after your last day in
pay, whichever is earlier. If you were in pay status for
three days or less in the month of your retirement, the
annuity starting date is the date after either the day
you separate from service or your last day in pay and in
which you meet age and service requirements, whichever is
earlier.
For disability, survivor, discontinued service
annuities (except annuities based on involuntary
separations for Members of Congress), annuities based on
mandatory retirement requirements, and deferred
annuities, the annuity starting date is the date after
either the day you separate from service or your last day
in pay, whichever is earlier. Also called the
"Annuity Commencing Date."
Assign and
Assignment
Your irrevocable transfer of all ownership of FEGLI
coverage (except Dismemberment coverage and Option C) to
another individual, corporation, or trustee.
Assignee
The individual, corporation, or trustee to which you
irrevocably transfer ownership of FEGLI coverage (except
Dismemberment coverage and Option C).
Automatic
Cancellation of Waiver
The automatic entitlement to Basic insurance and
ability to elect Optional insurance if you are reinstated
after a break in service of at least 180 days.
Basic Insurance
The coverage, based on your annual rate of basic pay,
which you automatically have as an eligible employee
unless you waive it.
Basic
Insurance Amount
The amount of Basic insurance on which you pay
premiums. It is determined by:
- Taking your annual rate of basic pay;
- Rounding it up to the next higher thousand (if not already an
even thousand dollar amount); and
- Adding $2,000.
Cancellation
of Insurance
Your written declaration that you no longer want Basic
or all or part of your Optional life insurance coverage.
Cancellation
of Waiver
Obtaining Basic or Optional life insurance coverage
after you have previously waived
or cancelled it.
Child, as used in the
definition of family member
(for Option C)
Your unmarried dependent:
It does not include a stillborn child or a grandchild
(unless the grandchild qualifies as a foster child).
Your child must be under age 22 or, if age 22 or over,
must be incapable of self-support because of a mental or
physical disability that existed before the child reached
age 22.
Child, as used in
the order of precedence
It does not include a stepchild, a stillborn
child, a grandchild, or a foster child.
Life insurance benefits cannot be paid to a minor
directly. The age of adulthood for the FEGLI Program is
18, unless the state in which the minor lives has
established a lower age. In that case, the lower age
applies.
Adopted children do not inherit under the order of
precedence from their birth parents, other than as
designated beneficiaries, but inherit from their adoptive
parents. However, a child who is adopted by the spouse of
a birth parent inherits from that birth parent.
Compensation
Compensation under subchapter I of chapter 81 of title
5, United States Code, which is payable because of an
on-the-job injury or disease.
Compensationer
An employee or former employee who is entitled to
compensation and whom the Department of Labor determines
is unable to return to duty.
Concurrent
Employment
Legally serving in more than one position at the same
time.
Contributions
Amounts which each agency is required to pay from its
salary appropriations or other available funds as the
employer's share of the cost of Basic insurance.
Conversion
The exchange of group insurance for insurance under an
individual policy purchased from a private insurance
company approved by the Office of Personnel Management.
Court Order
A court decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation, or a court order or court-approved property settlement agreement relating to any court decree of divorce, annulment, or legal separation, the terms of which require FEGLI benefits to be paid to a specific person or persons.
Date of
retirement, as used in 5 U.S.C.
8706(b)(1)(A) means the starting date of annuity.
Dependent
(for Option C)
Living with or receiving support from you as the
insured individual.
Designation
of Beneficiary
Notice, signed by you and witnessed by two persons,
indicating the person(s) you want to receive your life
insurance benefits. The form generally used for life
insurance designations is the Designation of Beneficiary
form (SF 2823).
Duly
Appointed Representative of the Insured's Estate
An individual named in a court order granting the
individual the authority to receive, or the right to
possess, your property. The order must be issued by a
court having jurisdiction over your estate.
Where the law of your legal residence provides for the
administration of estates through alternative procedures
which do away with the need for a court order, this term
also means an individual who shows that he/she is
entitled to receive, or possess, your property under the
terms of those alternative procedures.
Employee
An individual appointed or elected to a position in or
under the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of
the United States Government, as defined at 5 U.S.C.
8701(a). This includes Government-owned or -controlled
corporations, the District of Columbia Government (for
certain eligible employees), and Gallaudet College.
Employing Office
The agency office (or retirement system office) that
has responsibility for life insurance actions.
Extension of
Coverage
Automatic continuation of your life insurance coverage
for 31 days after your life insurance terminates, except
by your waiver or cancellation of coverage. Accidental
Death & Dismemberment coverage is not included.
Family member
(for Option C)
A spouse (including a valid common law marriage) and
unmarried dependent eligible child(ren).
Foster Child, as used in the
definition of family member
(for Option C)
A foster child who:
- is unmarried and under age 22 (if the child is over age 22,
he/she must be incapable
of self-support);
- lives with you;
- has a parent-child
relationship with you, not the child’s biological parent;
- is dependent upon you for his/her primary source of financial support; and
- you expect to raise to adulthood.
Immediate annuity
- An annuity that begins no later than one month
after the date the insurance would otherwise stop
- An annuity under 5 CFR 842.204(a)(1) for which
the starting date has been postponed under 5 CFR
842.204.
Incontestability
A statutory provision permitting erroneous enrollments
that have continued for at least two years to become valid, if you have
paid the applicable premiums during the period of erroneous coverage.
Inter Vivos Trust
A trust that you establish during your lifetime.
For purposes of electing or increasing Option B
and/or Option C coverage, a life event is:
Living Benefits
Basic insurance benefits (full or partial) paid to you
while you are still living, rather than paid to a
beneficiary when you die. You must be terminally ill, with a life
expectancy of 9 months or less, to
qualify for a living benefit.
OFEGLI
The Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance,
which makes payments to beneficiaries under the policy.
OFEGLI is not a Federal agency. It is staffed by
employees of the contracted life insurance carrier.
The mailing address for OFEGLI is P. O. Box 2627, Jersey City, NJ 07303-2627; the street address is 2 Montgomery St., Jersey City, NJ 07302-3802.
Open
Season
Time period, set by the Office of Personnel Management, in
which employees may elect or increase life insurance
coverage, regardless of any current waiver of insurance
in effect.
OPM
The Office of Personnel Management.
Option A
$10,000 in coverage that you can elect in
addition to Basic insurance. Also called standard
optional insurance.
Option B
Coverage, equal to up to 5 multiples of your annual
basic rate of pay, that you can elect in addition to
Basic insurance. Also called additional optional
insurance.
Option C
Coverage, to insure your spouse and eligible
child(ren), that you can elect in addition to Basic
insurance. You can elect up to 5 multiples of the coverage amounts (each
multiple equals $5,000 for a spouse and $2,500 for an eligible child). Also called family optional insurance.
Optional
Insurance
Insurance that you can elect in addition to Basic
insurance. There are three types of Optional insurance:
Option A (standard optional insurance), Option B
(additional optional insurance), and Option C (family
optional insurance).
Order of
Precedence
Under Federal law, the order in which life insurance
benefits are paid to your survivors:
- Your designated beneficiary or beneficiaries;
- If there is no designated beneficiary, to your
widow or widower;
- If neither of the above, to your child or
children in equal shares, with the share of any
deceased child distributed among the descendants
of that child (see
"Payment to a Minor");
- If none of the above, to your parents in equal
shares - or the entire amount to the surviving
parent;
- If none of the above, to the executor or
administrator of your estate;
- If none of the above, to the next of kin as
determined under the laws of the State where you
lived.
The order of precedence does not apply when you have assigned your
insurance or when a valid court order is on file.
OWCP
The Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, U.S.
Department of Labor, which administers subchapter I of
chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code.
Parent
Pay and Duty
Status
Time when you are actually at work; it does not
include time on annual or sick leave, leave without pay,
excused absence or other absence from duty.
Post-65
Reduction in Insurance
The amount by which your insurance coverage reduces
after your 65th birthday (or retirement, if
later). For Basic insurance, the choices are 75% Reduction, 50% Reduction, and
No Reduction. For Option B and Option C, the choices are Full Reduction
and No Reduction. There is no choice for Option A; it reduces by 75%.
Recognized
Natural Child
A child for whom the father:
- Has acknowledged paternity in writing;
- Was ordered by a court to provide support;
- Before his death, was pronounced by a court to be
the father;
- Was established as the father by a certified copy
of the public record of birth or church record of
baptism, if he was the informant and named
himself as the father of the child; or
- Established paternity on public records, such as
records of schools or social welfare agencies,
which show that with his knowledge he was named
as the father of the child.
If paternity is not established by one of the above
means, other evidence such as the child's eligibility as
a recognized natural child under other State or Federal
programs or proof that the father included the child as a
dependent child on his income tax returns may be
considered.
Reconsideration
The final level of administrative review of an
agency's initial decision to determine if the employing
office followed the law and regulations correctly in
making the initial decision.
Service
Civilian service which is creditable under subchapter
III of chapter 83 or subchapter II of chapter 84 of title
5, United States Code. This includes service under a
nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of
Defense or the U.S. Coast Guard for an individual who
elected to remain under a retirement system established
for employees described in Section 2105(c) of title 5.
Terminal Leave
Leave taken immediately prior to separation. Terminal
leave is generally prohibited except with specific
authority.
Terminally Ill
For purposes of qualifying for a living benefit,
having a medical prognosis of a life expectancy of 9
months or less.
Testamentary
Trust
A trust that is created by your will at your death.
Underdeduction
A failure to withhold the required amount of life
insurance deductions from your pay, annuity, or
compensation. This includes non deductions (when
none of the required amount is withheld) and partial
deductions (when only part of the required amount is
withheld). If there is no pay during a pay period, there
is no under deduction.
Viatical
Settlement Firm
A private company that exchanges cash for assignment
of life insurance to a terminally or chronically ill person.
Waiver of
Insurance
Your written decision upon your employment or
reemployment that you do not want any life insurance
coverage.
Withholdings
Amounts deducted from your pay, annuity, or
compensation for the full cost of Optional life insurance
and your share of the cost of Basic insurance.
