If I leave my company, can I take my life insurance policy with me?

If you leave your company, you can often continue your life insurance coverage with the same insurance company. The group life insurance contract under which you are insured may have a conversion privilege available to all employees who are insured under the employer’s group plan. A conversion privilege will be subject to certain conditions described in the master contract. Typically, these conversion rates are more expensive than an individual policy you could buy on your own if you are healthy.

You generally have 31 days from the day you leave your employer to submit an application. In most cases, you can apply for any kind of individual life insurance that the company offers. The insurance company generally will not include any supplemental coverages, such as disability insurance, that may have been included with your group life coverage.

If you decide to convert to a permanent life insurance policy, the premium will be based on your current age and the same amount of insurance that your group policy provides. The premiums must be based on standard or regular rates. No medical exam is generally required. This is especially important if you are not in good health when you leave employment.

Even if you don’t take advantage of a conversion privilege when you leave your company, your group life coverage generally continues for 31 days after your last day of work.

For details on your specific plan check in with your human resources manager.

At Austin Asset, we are Fee-Only Financial Advisors. We seek to bring clarity and purpose to wealth through authentic and enduring relationships. For Life.