Death of an Employee or Family Member

In the case of a death, you, your family, or your beneficiary should contact Human Resources as soon as possible. If you or a family member needs personal help, you may contact the Faculty & Staff Assistance Office for confidential counseling and referral services.

The following summarizes how benefits are affected in cases of death.

Benefit

How Coverage is Affected
Health and Dental Plans
 If you die, your enrolled dependents will be entitled to continue coverage through COBRA for up to 36 months.

If your spouse or child dies, you may adjust your participation in these plans within 30 days of the date of death.
Basic Life Insurance and Group Supplemental Life Insurance Plans
 If you die, the proceeds will be paid to your named beneficiary (or beneficiaries).

Should your spouse or child die, you are the beneficiary of their coverage.
Personal & Family Accident Insurance
 If you die as a result of an accident, the plan will pay the full coverage amount to your beneficiary.

If a covered family member dies, you will receive the coverage amount applicable to that dependent.
Travel Accident Insurance Plan
 In the event of your accidental death while traveling on authorized University business, the plan will pay your benefit amount to your named beneficiary.
Supplemental Death Benefit
 Once you have completed five years of continuous, full-time service, the plan will pay your beneficiary a lump-sum payment equal to one-twelfth of your annual base salary in effect at the time of your death.
Flexible Spending Accounts
 You or your survivors may continue to submit claims for eligible expenses incurred during the calendar year in which the death occurs.  All claims must be submitted by March 31 following the end of that calendar year. If your spouse or child dies, you may adjust your participation in the plan within 30 days of the date of death.
Tuition Remission Program
 View details on how your dependent children’s benefit is affected by your death on the Tuition Remission page.
Retirement Plan and
Supplemental Retirement & Savings Plan
 The full value of your account balances in all investment funds will be payable to your beneficiary under any of the payment options elected by the beneficiary and allowed by the investment fund sponsor, subject to Internal Revenue Service minimum payment rules.