Open Enrollment: Life Insurance

On this page:

About Life Insurance

Wright State University provides life insurance to benefit-eligible employees (75% FTE or higher). The university's new life insurance vendor is Lincoln Financial beginning January 1, 2027, and there are three offerings:

  • Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) – Benefits will continue at the same coverage level.
  • Supplemental Term Life Insurance – Benefits will continue at the same coverage level, and rates will remain the same.
  • Dependent Life Insurance – Spouse and child coverage.

Effective January 1, 2027, Wright State University is transitioning its life and disability insurance coverage from Unum to Lincoln Financial, following the award of the life and disability insurance contracts to Lincoln Financial through the Inter-University Council (IUC) of Ohio Purchasing Group. Your current life and disability insurance elections, along with your beneficiary information, will automatically transfer to Lincoln Financial, except for Child Life Insurance Option 1 ($2,000).

  • Short-Term Disability (Employee Paid): Coverage, plan designs, and rates will remain unchanged. Employees not currently enrolled in short-term disability insurance have a special opportunity to enroll without answering medical questions during Benefits Open Enrollment. See the webpage link below to learn how to sign up!

  • Long-Term Disability: The university-paid plan design and coverage will remain unchanged.

  • Group Life Insurance: The university-paid plan design and coverage will remain unchanged. Current designated beneficiaries will automatically transfer from Unum to Lincoln Financial. Please keep your beneficiary listing up to date as life events and relationships change. If you need to make a change to your beneficiaries, submit the Lincoln Life Insurance Form (PDF).

  • Supplemental Employee Life Insurance: Coverage options, plan design, and rates will remain unchanged. Current beneficiary designations will automatically transfer to Lincoln Financial. If you need to make a change to your beneficiaries, submit the Lincoln Life Insurance Form (PDF).

  • Spouse Life Insurance: Coverage options and plan design will remain unchanged, with slightly lower rates.

  • Child Life Insurance: Coverage options have been enhanced for 2027. The Option 1 benefit amount will increase from $2,000 to $5,000, while the Option 2 benefit will remain at $10,000. Employees currently enrolled in Option 1 ($2,000) will need to take action to enroll in the new Option 1 ($5,000), Option 2 ($10,000), or waive coverage.

Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance

Wright State University provides Basic Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance at no cost to benefit-eligible employees. The value of basic life insurance (maximum benefit of $400,000) is listed below:

  • 2 times the base annual salary for staff and fiscal faculty
  • 2.44 times the base annual salary for academic faculty

Enrollment is automatic. Beneficiaries designated for this benefit must be listed on the Lincoln Life Insurance Form (PDF). If no beneficiaries are designated, the death benefit will be paid to the employee's estate. If any issues arise, Unum reserves the right to make payment to the first surviving family members in the following order: spouse, child(ren), mother and/or father, and sisters and/or brothers.

Supplemental Term Life Insurance

Wright State University provides benefit-eligible employees the opportunity to supplement their basic life insurance coverage with term life insurance. During open enrollment, benefit-eligible employees can elect coverage of 1, 2, or 3 times the employee's base salary up to a maximum of $300,000. If enrolling or increasing existing coverage by more than $200,000, an Evidence of Insurability (PDF) is required.

Take the following action(s) to continue, enroll, increase, decrease, or terminate supplemental life insurance coverage.

Step Action Required
Continue No action is required. The benefit will automatically continue.
Enroll

Submit a Lincoln Life Insurance Form (PDF) to HR by November 20, 2026.

Submit an Evidence of Insurability (PDF) to Lincoln Financial by November 20, 2026, if coverage exceeds $200,000.
Increase policy value that does not exceed $200,000 Submit a Lincoln Life Insurance Form (PDF) to HR by November 20, 2026.
Increase policy value that exceeds $200,000

Submit a Lincoln Life Insurance Form (PDF) to HR by November 20, 2026.

Submit an Evidence of Insurability (PDF) to Lincoln Financial by November 20, 2026.
Decrease policy value or terminate coverage Submit a Lincoln Life Insurance Form (PDF) to HR by November 20, 2026.

To change your designated beneficiaries for supplemental life insurance, please complete a Lincoln Life Insurance Form (PDF). If no beneficiaries are designated, the death benefit will be paid to the employee's estate. If any issues arise, Lincoln Financial reserves the right to make payment to the first surviving family members in the following order: spouse, child(ren), mother and/or father, and sisters and/or brothers.

Cost

Supplemental life insurance premiums are based on the coverage amount and applicable age-based rate. The table below shows the monthly rate per $1,000 of coverage.

Age Bands Monthly Rate Per $1,000
Under 25 $0.080
25–29 $0.080
30–34 $0.080
35–39 $0.090
40–44 $0.140
45–49 $0.230
50–54 $0.380
55–59 $0.600
60–64 $0.940
65–69 $1.520
70–74 $2.060
75–79 $2.060
80+ $2.060

How to Calculate Your Monthly Premium:

Coverage Amount ÷ 1,000 × Monthly Rate = Monthly Premium

For example, an employee age 42 electing $50,000 in coverage would pay:

$50,000 ÷ 1,000 × $0.140 = $7 per month

Dependent Life Insurance

Wright State University offers dependent life insurance for spouses and/or eligible children up to age 26. The policy value for a spouse is either $10,000 or $25,000 and either $5,000 or $10,000 for child(ren).

Dependent life insurance can be purchased without purchasing supplemental life insurance. A Statement of Health is not required for this benefit.

During Open Enrollment, benefit-eligible employees can add, change, or terminate dependent life insurance coverage by submitting a Lincoln Life Insurance Form (PDF).

Cost

Spouse Life Insurance

Spouse life insurance premiums are based on the employee's age and selected coverage amount of $10,000 or $25,000. The table below displays the monthly rates listed for both coverage options.

Age Bands Option 1 – $10,000 Coverage
Monthly Rate		 Option 2 – $25,000 Coverage
Monthly Rate
Under 25 $0.080 $0.080
25–29 $0.080 $0.080
30–34 $0.080 $0.080
35–39 $0.090 $0.090
40–44 $0.140 $0.140
45–49 $0.230 $0.230
50–54 $0.380 $0.380
55–59 $0.600 $0.600
60–64 $0.940 $0.940
65–69 $1.520 $1.520
70–74 $2.060 $2.060
75–79 $2.060 $2.060
80+ $2.060 $2.060

Child Life Insurance

Child life insurance is available in two coverage amounts: $5,000 and $10,000. The table below displays the monthly rate per $1,000 of coverage for each option.

Coverage Option Coverage Amount Monthly Rate Per $1,000
Option 1 $5,000 $0.150
Option 2 $10,000 $0.150