FEGLI open season

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Q. I am a civil service, not FERS, retiree. I will be 66 years old on April 19, 2016. I read there is an open season starting for those who would like to increase their life insurance. Is this for active employees only? Is there any way I can increase my basic life insurance now?

A. The FEGLI open season, to be held between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30, 2016, will only be open to current federal employees. While employees will be able to enroll or change their enrollment coverage, they won’t be able to alter the amount of their Basic insurance. That’s because the FEGLI Basic insurance amount is equal to an employee’s annual basic rate of pay rounded up to the next $1,000 plus $2,000. There is no way that it can be increased. As for retirees, the amount of their Basic insurance coverage is fixed on the day they retire. At age 65, it begins reducing in value by 2 percent per month until it reaches 25 percent. By continuing to pay the premiums beyond age 65, it can be held at that face amount or allowed to reduce to 50 percent of its face value.

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About Author

Reg Jones was head of retirement and insurance policy at the Office of Personnel Management. Email your retirement-related questions to fedexperts@federaltimes.com.

2 Comments

  1. Can anyone PLEASE help me. I cannot a number for OPM at all, I nearly died a month ago, and my husband did not even have a number to call OPM and tell them. I am ready to die now and I don’t want to do it until I have a phone number to OPM. I have trying for four months to cancel the dental insurance with BC/BS dental ins. They even say I called on December 02, 2015 and told them to cancel and was told they cancelled. They did not because my retirement check was $292.00. I can’t afford it. The only thing I did wrong was to sign him up, he told to cancel the NEXT day. I tried but it never was cancel immediately. Then in Jan 2016 they took the money
    Out again and I have personally called so many times about it, still taking to money out. I had all wrong numbers to everyone. Please help me. Still don’t have a good number for OPM. Help!!!!!!!!!

    • The only number I have is 1-888-767-6738. If you can’t get through, try calling the OPM Director’s office at 1-202-606-1800.

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