Frequently Asked Questions Insurance

When you die, the Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI) will pay life insurance benefits in a particular order, set by law:

• If you assigned ownership of your life insurance, OFEGLI will pay benefits in the following order of precedence: First, to the beneficiary(ies) designated by your assignee(s), if any;  Second, if there is no such beneficiary, to your assignee(s).
• If you did not assign ownership and there is a valid court order on file, OFEGLI will pay benefits in accordance with that court order.
• If you did not assign ownership and there is no valid court order on file, OFEGLI will pay benefits in the following order of precedence:
  • First, to the beneficiary(ies) you designated;
  • Second, if there is no such beneficiary, to your widow or widower;
  • Third, if none of the above, to your child or children, with the share of any deceased child distributed among descendants of that child (a court will usually have to appoint a guardian to receive payment for a minor child);
  • Fourth, if none of the above, to your parents in equal shares or the entire amount to your surviving parent;
  • Fifth, if none of the above, to the executor or administrator of your estate;
  • Sixth, if none of the above, to your other next of kin as determined under the laws of the State where you lived.

To designate new beneficiaries, submit a Designation of Beneficiary to your human resources office (or to OPM's Retirement Office if you are retired). If you would like to know who is listed in your current Designation of Beneficiary, follow these instructions. 

If the insured person was a Federal RETIREE or compensationer: You must report the death to OPM's Retirement Office. You can use this tool or you can call Retirement at 1-888-767-6738. If you believe the retiree was enrolled in FEGLI Life Insurance and that you are a beneficiary, you can download a claim form and mail it to OFEGLI, an office of MetLife. MetLife determines who is entitled to FEGLI Life Insurance proceeds, for what amount, and processes all claims.  OPM has no role in this process. Due to privacy restrictions, OPM cannot release information about whether the retiree was enrolled in FEGLI Life Insurance, the amount of life insurance, or the names of the beneficiaries. MetLife will mail a claim form to each beneficiary. All inquiries about life insurance claims must be directed to MetLife. If the insured person was a Federal EMPLOYEE: You must report the death to the employee's human resources office. If you believe the employee was enrolled in FEGLI Life Insurance and that you are a beneficiary, you can download a claim form and mail it to OFEGLI, an office of MetLife. MetLife determines who is entitled to FEGLI Life Insurance proceeds, for what amount, and processes all claims. OPM has no role in this process. Due to privacy restrictions, the employee's human resources office cannot release information about whether the employee was enrolled in FEGLI Life Insurance, the amount of life insurance, or the names of the beneficiaries. MetLife will mail a claim form to each beneficiary. All inquiries about life insurance claims must be directed to MetLife. If the insured person was FAMILY MEMBER covered under FEGLI Option C: FEGLI Option C covers the lives of the employee/retiree's spouse and eligible children under age 22. If you have Option C coverage and an eligible family member dies, complete this form and submit it to the location indicated on page 1.

If the insured person was a Federal RETIREE or compensationer: You must report the death to OPM's Retirement Office.  You can use this tool or you can call Retirement at 1-888-767-6738. If you believe the retiree was enrolled in FEGLI Life Insurance and that you are a beneficiary, you can download a claim form and mail it to OFEGLI, an office of MetLife.  MetLife determines who is entitled to FEGLI Life Insurance proceeds, for what amount, and processes all claims.  OPM has no role in this process. Due to privacy restrictions, OPM cannot release information about whether the retiree was enrolled in FEGLI Life Insurance, the amount of life insurance, or the names of the beneficiaries.  MetLife will mail a claim form to each beneficiary.  All inquiries about life insurance claims must be directed to MetLife. If the insured person was a Federal EMPLOYEE: You must report the death to the employee's human resources office. If you believe the employee was enrolled in FEGLI Life Insurance and that you are a beneficiary, you can download a claim form and mail it to OFEGLI, an office of MetLife.  MetLife determines who is entitled to FEGLI Life Insurance proceeds, for what amount, and processes all claims.  OPM has no role in this process. Due to privacy restrictions, the employee's human resources office cannot release information about whether the employee was enrolled in FEGLI Life Insurance, the amount of life insurance, or the names of the beneficiaries.  MetLife will mail a claim form to each beneficiary.  All inquiries about life insurance claims must be directed to MetLife. If the insured person was FAMILY MEMBER covered under FEGLI Option C: FEGLI Option C covers the lives of the employee/retiree's spouse and eligible children under age 22. If you have Option C coverage and an eligible family member dies, complete this form and submit it to the location indicated on page 1.

The Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI) is an administrative unit of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company that pays claims for the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program. If OFEGLI is paying the beneficiary less than $5,000, the beneficiary will receive a check. If OFEGLI is paying the beneficiary $5,000 or more, the beneficiary will have a choice of two ways to receive the payment.

• A check
• A MetLife Total Control Account or (TCA), an interest bearing account set up in the beneficiary's name, with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife)

If the beneficiary is receiving $5,000 or more and does not make a decision on how to receive payment, a MetLife Total Control Account will be set up in the beneficiary' s name. For more information, see the FEGLI Handbook chapter on claims.

If you are a retiree, you can cancel or reduce your FEGLI life insurance at any time. There is no form; you must mail a signed letter to OPM's Retirement Office at: U.S. Office of Personnel Management Retirement Operations Center P.O. Box 45 Boyers, PA 16017-0045 The cancellation or reduction must be in writing and have an original signature by the insured retiree.  Be sure to include your retirement claim number (CSA) or Social Security Number (SSN) and specify what action you want taken.  Please note that you cannot increase your coverage after retirement or reinstate coverage that you cancel.

If you are an employee, you can cancel or reduce your FEGLI life insurance at any time by submitting this form to your human resources office. If you want to reduce life insurance, sign only for the coverage you want to KEEP.   If you want to cancel all life insurance, sign in Box 5. Exception: if you have assigned your life insurance by transferring ownership to another person or to a company, then you cannot cancel or reduce your Basic, Option A, or Option B coverage.

Each year, Open Season runs from the Monday of the second full workweek in November through the Monday of the second full workweek in December.  This year, Open Season runs from November 11th 2013 through December 9th 2013

You must contact BENEFEDS in order to change your name and/or address: www.benefeds.com or 1-877-888-3337, TTY 1-977-889-5680.