Basic Life and AD&D Insurance
Western Governors University provides company-paid employee life insurance coverage of a specific amount that lasts throughout your employment.
Life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) benefits provide you and your loved ones financial protection in the event of an illness, accident, or death. WGU provides all eligible employees with basic group life insurance and AD&D coverage, as well as life insurance for your dependents, at no cost to you.
2024 Life and AD&D Insurance Plans
Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance
If you want additional coverage, you can buy supplemental life and AD&D insurance for yourself and your family.
Be Sure to Name a Beneficiary
It’s important to designate a beneficiary to receive the benefit paid by a life insurance policy. As personal circumstances change, take the time to keep that information up to date. Visit Workday to add or change a beneficiary.
Western Governors University provides basic life and AD&D insurance to assist you and your family in the event of a death or dismemberment. These benefits are fully paid by WGU and coverage is automatic — you do not need to enroll.
For You
- Employer-Paid Basic Life: up to 3 times your salary (maximum of $500,000).
- Employer-Paid AD&D: up to 3 times your salary (maximum of $500,000).
For Your Spouse/Domestic Partner
- Employer-Paid Basic Life: $2,000
- Employer-Paid AD&D: N/A
For Your Child(ren)
- Employer-Paid Basic Life: $2,000
- Employer-Paid AD&D: N/A
Note: Basic and Supplemental coverage (employee and spouse) are subject to age reductions. Coverage automatically decreases to 65% at age 65, and to 50% at age 70. Other “guaranteed issue” and salary-based coverage maximums may apply. Please visit the WGU People Center to submit a request for additional information.
What is AD&D Insurance?
Should you lose your life, sight, hearing, speech, or use of your limb(s) in an accident, AD&D insurance provides additional benefits to help keep your family financially secure. AD&D benefits are paid as a percentage of your coverage amount — from 50% to 100% — depending on the type of loss.
You also have the option to purchase additional life insurance coverage for yourself, your spouse/Domestic Partner, and your unmarried dependent children to age 26. However, you may only elect coverage for your dependents if you elect additional coverage for yourself. You pay for the cost of additional coverage through payroll deductions on an after-tax basis.
You can enroll in Workday as a new hire, during Open Enrollment, or if you have a qualifying life event.
Supplemental Life Coverage
New hires and employees who become newly eligible for benefits may elect employee supplemental life coverage of up to $400,000 and spouse coverage of up to $50,000 without providing proof of good health.
During Open Enrollment, all employees may request increases to supplemental life coverage amounts, but such increases will be limited to $50,000 (up to the $400,000 Guaranteed Issue Maximum) for employees and $25,000 (up to the $50,000 Guaranteed Issue Maximum) for spouses without requiring proof of good health. Larger increases in coverage will be subject to an Evidence of Insurability (EOI). If coverage was previously denied by Reliance, all elections/increases will be subject to EOI. For more information on what an EOI is and why it is needed, see section below titled Evidence of Insurability.
Please note, other salary-based and age-based coverage maximums may apply to both employee and dependent supplemental life coverages. See below for more details.
Beneficiary Designation: Remember to designate a beneficiary for your life insurance policy (or policies). A beneficiary is the person, people, estate, trust, etc. to whom benefits will be paid in the event of your death. You may change your beneficiary at any time during the plan year.
For You
You may elect supplemental life and/or AD&D coverage for yourself in the following amounts:
- Supplemental Employee Life – in $10,000 increments, up to 5 times your salary (maximum of $500,000).
- Supplemental Employee AD&D – in $10,000 increments, up to 5 times your salary (maximum of $500,000).
For Your Spouse/Domestic Partner
You may elect life and/or AD&D insurance for your spouse or domestic partner in the following amounts:
- Spouse/Domestic Partner Life – in $5,000 increments, up to a maximum of $250,000 (not to exceed 100% of employee voluntary life election).
- Spouse/Domestic Partner AD&D – in $5,000 increments, up to a maximum of $250,000 (not to exceed 100% of employee voluntary life election).
For Your Child(ren)
You may elect life and/or AD&D insurance for your dependent child(ren) in the following amounts:
- Child(ren) Life – in $1,000 increments, up to a maximum of $10,000
- Child(ren) AD&D – in $1,000 increments, up to a maximum of $10,000
Evidence of Insurability (EOI)
After electing supplemental life insurance for you and your spouse/domestic partner, you may be required to submit an EOI form if your coverage is over a certain benefit (child life insurance does not require EOI). You may need to submit an EOI form if you:
- Are a newly hired employee or recently changed from Part-Time to Full-Time employment who elects over $400,000 for Employee-Only coverage and $50,000 for Spouse coverage.
- Increase your coverage during Open Enrollment that exceed increments of $50,000 for Employee-Only coverage and $25,000 for Spouse coverage.
- Enroll outside of the Open Enrollment period, even if you experience a qualifying life event.
- Previously had coverage and chose to terminate that coverage at some point or were declined coverage. If you choose to re-elect coverage, you will be required to submit an EOI regardless of the coverage amount or Open Enrollment period.
Coverage will default to the last approved election amount until EOI is approved on our end in Workday.
Business travel accident insurance offers coverage in the event of sickness or accidental death or dismemberment when you're traveling on WGU business. This is a WGU-paid benefit covering all employees who travel on WGU business. This coverage provides many benefits, including:
- 24-hour worldwide business travel protection
- Medical coverage for injury or sickness while traveling outside the US
- Travel assistance services
- Emergency medical evacuation