Life Insurance
Enrollment
The City of Madison offers optional life insurance to permanent employees. Employees may enroll in any level of coverage upon starting employment with the City by submitting a Life Insurance Enrollment/Change Form to Human Resources within 30 calendar days of initial hire in an eligible position. After this initial enrollment period, enrollment requires either an eligible qualifying life event, such as marriage, divorce, or birth/adoption (limitations and deadlines apply), or approval via the medical underwriting process. This applies to both employee coverage and dependent coverage.
Beneficiary Designations
Benefits for loss of your life are payable to the beneficiary designated on your enrollment form. If you wish to change a beneficiary, fill out a new Life Insurance Enrollment/Change Form and submit to Human Resources. Please note that life events (like marriage, divorce, birth/adoption, etc.) do not negate beneficiary designations on file - a new form is required to change beneficiary/ies for life insurance.
Changing Coverage
Increasing Coverage
Increasing life insurance coverage requires either an eligible qualifying life event, such as marriage, divorce, or birth/adoption, or approval via the medical underwriting process. Employees enrolled in life insurance may increase coverage by one (1) level and/or add unit(s) of dependent coverage within 30 calendar days after an eligible qualifying life event. Increasing life insurance coverage by more than one level, or increasing life insurance coverage outside of this 30-day period, requires approval via medical underwriting.
Reducing Coverage
Life insurance coverage can be reduced at any time. If coverage is reduced, increasing requires an eligible qualifying event (limitations and deadlines apply) or approval via underwriting, as outlined above.
Cancelling Coverage
Life insurance coverage can be cancelled at any time. If coverage is cancelled, re-enrollment requires an eligible qualifying event (limitations and deadlines apply) or approval via underwriting, as outlined above.
Medical Underwriting
If approval via medical underwriting is required, please contact Human Resources for more information. If you decide to pursue underwriting, Human Resources will provide you with an Evidence of Insurability (EOI) Application to begin the process. Please note that the Hartford (our insurer) reserves the right to approve or deny all underwriting requests.
Coverage Options
Employee Coverage
Employee coverage is recalculated each summer, and is based on an employee's highest annual salary of record at the time of the annual recalculation. It is available in four levels: Basic Only, Basic + 50% Supplemental, Basic + 100% Supplemental, and Basic + 200% Supplemental.
Note: While Basic coverage is calculated separately from Supplemental coverage, it is possible to estimate your total coverage for Basic + Supplemental by multiplying your Basic coverage amount by 1.5, 2, or 3, respectively.
- Basic Coverage: The employee's highest annual salary of record rounded to the next highest thousand. This coverage is subject to a minimum of $10,000 and a maximum of $200,000.
- Supplemental Coverage: The employee's highest annual salary of record (HAS) multiplied by a factor of 0.5, 1, or 2, and then rounded to the next highest thousand.
- 50% Supplemental: HAS x 0.5, rounded up to the next highest thousand; subject to a maximum of $100,000
- 100% Supplemental: HAS x 1, rounded up to the next highest thousand; subject to a maximum of $200,000
- 200% Supplemental: HAS x 2, rounded up to the next highest thousand; subject to a maximum of $400,000
Cost
| Age Group | Cost Per $1000 Coverage (Basic) | Cost Per $1000 Coverage (Supplemental) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 25 | $0.05 | $0.035 |
| 25-29 | $0.06 | $0.042 |
| 30-34 | $0.08 | $0.056 |
| 35-39 | $0.09 | $0.063 |
| 40-44 | $0.10 | $0.07 |
| 45-49 | $0.15 | $0.105 |
| 50-54 | $0.23 | $0.161 |
| 55-59 | $0.43 | $0.301 |
| 60-64 | $0.57 | $0.399 |
| 65-69* | $0.57 | $0.399 |
| over 69* | Free (basic coverage only) | $0.399 |
*Age 65 and over rates and coverage apply only if actively employed by the City of Madison. Retired employees of the City have a different coverage and rate structure.
Dependent Coverage
Employees may also purchase up to two (2) units of Dependent Coverage, designed to help with final expenses for the death of a dependent. For life insurance purposes, "dependent" includes both spouse (to age 65) and dependent child(ren) (to age 26).* Unit(s) of dependent coverage cover any/all eligible dependent(s) at once, and cost $1.75 per month each.
| Number of Units | Child(ren) | Spouse |
|---|---|---|
| One (1) | $10,000 coverage | $10,000 coverage |
| Two (2) | $15,000 coverage | $20,000 coverage |
*If an employee enrolled in dependent coverage no longer has any eligible dependent(s), it is the employee's responsibility to submit a Life Insurance Enrollment/Change Form to remove dependent coverage.
Dual Coverage Prohibition
Please note that the Hartford prohibits dual/double coverage on the City's plan. This means unit(s) of dependent coverage would only apply to a spouse/child(ren) who do not have their own City life insurance coverage. This also means that eligible child(ren) can only be covered by one employee’s dependent coverage unit(s) at a time – so if you have child(ren) and your child(ren)’s other parent is also a City employee, you should decide between the two of you who will elect dependent coverage.
If you and your spouse/child are both City employees with your own life insurance coverages and your spouse/child resigns from City employment, their loss of life insurance coverage would be a qualifying event to add dependent coverage to your plan if you do not already have it, assuming they are still of an eligible age for dependent coverage (deadlines apply).
More Information
For more information, please see the Employee Benefits Handbook.
- Life Insurance Informational Handout (updated July 2025)
- Life Insurance Enrollment/Change Form
Policy Documentation
- Your Benefit Plan: Basic Dependent Life, Basic Term Life, Supplemental Term Life, Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment, Supplemental Accidental Death and Dismemberment (updated March 2025)
Occupational Death (Police/Fire)
Only protective services employees with Police and Fire are eligible for this coverage; coverage under the Occupational Death and Permanent or Total Disability Benefit is automatically provided to eligible protective services employees. Enrollment in the optional Group Life Insurance program is not required to be eligible for the Occupational Death and Permanent or Total Disability Benefit.