Human Resources & Workforce Diversity
Life Event - Death of Dependent
You should contact your Benefits Office immediately for information concerning available benefits and required formalities upon the death of a spouse or child.
Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)
What you should know…
The WRS does not offer a benefit in the event of
a spouse or child's death.
What to do. . .
Review your beneficiary
designation and update it appropriately.
State Group Health Insurance
You
should know. . .
You must complete a health insurance application to remove the deceased person from your health insurance coverage. If you carry family coverage and the deceased is your last covered family member, you should change to single coverage.
What
to do. . .
Submit a health insurance application to your institution's Benefits Office
to remove the deceased person from coverage and to change coverage level if applicable.
EPIC Benefits+
You should know. . .
- An accidental death benefit is included in the plan.
- You, the employee, are the beneficiary for dependent coverage in case of accidental death.
- It is necessary to change your level of coverage.
What to do. . .
- Submit a death benefit claim form to EPIC, if the death was accidental.
-
Provide
supporting documentation such as:
- verification of child's dependency status, including a copy of your federal tax return,
- a certified death certificate,
- a copy of the motor vehicle accident report or police report, o a copy of toxicology reports,
- a copy of the autopsy or a coroner's inquest, if performed,
- a copy of the obituary, o newspaper clipping(s) pertaining to the accident.
- Contact your Benefits Office who will assist you in completing the appropriate form to reflect the change in coverage.
- Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.
Dental Insurance (Dental Wisconsin or Anthem DentalBlue)
You should know. . .
It may be necessary to change your level of coverage.
What to do. . .
Contact your Benefits Office who will assist you in completing the appropriate form to reflect the change in coverage.
Dental Insurance (Represented classified employees)
Contact your union representative.
State Group Life Insurance (Minnesota Life Insurance Company)
You should know. . .
- You, the employee, are the sole beneficiary for Spouse and Dependent coverage.
- Spouse and Dependent coverage must be in force at the time of death.
- A covered child is one who is more than 14 days of age but under the age of 19 or up to age 25, if a full-time student, unmarried and financially dependent.
What to do. . .
- Provide a certified copy of the death certificate.
- Contact your Benefits Office who will assist you in completion of the claim for payment of death proceeds and cancellation of future coverage if appropriate.
University Insurance Association (UIA) Life Insurance for Unclassified Faculty and Academic Staff (Minnesota Life Insurance Company)
What you should know…
UIA does not offer a benefit in the event of a spouse or child's death.
What to do. . .
Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.
Individual and Family Group Life Insurance (Minnesota Life Insurance Company)
You should know. . .
- Spouse/Domestic Partner or Child coverage must be in force at the time of death.
- A covered child is one who is more than 14 days of age or up to age 25, unmarried and relies on you for financial support.
- You, the employee, are the beneficiary for dependent coverage unless you specifically named a different beneficiary.
What to do. . .
- Contact your Benefits Office who will assist you in completing the appropriate form to reflect the change in coverage.
- Complete the claim for payment of death proceeds, which will be sent to the beneficiary.
- Send the claim for death benefit and a certified death certificate to Minnesota Life Insurance, PO Box 259708, Madison, WI 53725-9708.
- Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.
UW Employee's Inc. Group Life Insurance (Minneosta Life Insurance Company)
What you should know. . .
- UW Employee's Inc. does not offer a benefit in the event of a spouse or child's death
- Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.
Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance (Zurich-American Life Insurance Company)
You should know. . .
- Family coverage must be in force at the time of death.
- Family coverage includes certified domestic partners.
-
A covered
child is one who relies on you for 50% of his/her
support, is your dependent for federal income tax
purposes and is either:
- less than 20 years of age; or
- less than 25 years of age and enrolled full-time in a college, university or trade school.
- The death must occur within 365 days of the accident.
- It is necessary to terminate family coverage if you have no other family members to insure.
What to do. . .
- Contact your Benefits Office or Zurich American Insurance Company to report the death. Zurich must receive written notice of the covered loss within 90 days of the loss. The notice must name the covered person who sustained the injury, your name and the policy number (GTU 8364005). The notice should be sent to: Claims Department, Zurich American Insurance Company, P.O. Box 307010, Jamaica, NY 11430-7010 or to any Zurich agent. You will receive a death claim form that you must submit to Zurich in order to receive the death benefit payout.
-
Provide
supporting documentation such as:
- verification of child's dependency status, including a copy of your federal tax return.
- a certified death certificate,
- a copy of the motor vehicle accident report or police report,
- a copy of toxicology reports,
- a copy of the autopsy or a coroner's inquest, if performed,
- a copy of the obituary,
- newspaper clipping(s) pertaining to the accident.
- If you no longer have any eligible dependents, you should complete an application to change from family to single coverage. Submit your completed application to your payroll and benefits office.
- Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.
Employee Reimbursement Account (ERA)
You should know. . .
- You may decrease your Medical Expense Reimbursement Account election to take into account the reduced expenses resulting from the loss of your dependent.
- You may decrease or terminate your Dependent Care Reimbursement Account election to take into account the loss of your dependent.
- Eligible expenses incurred prior to the dependent's death are reimbursable.
What to do. . .
Contact your Benefits Office who will assist you in completing the Change in Status (CIS) form. Submission of the CIS form is required by the Fringe Benefit Management Company (608) 592-2020 within thirty days from the date of death.
Tax Sheltered Annuities (TSA)/Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program (WDC)
What you should know…
It's important to review your beneficiary designation when your circumstances change.
What to do. . .
Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.
Contact the TSA vendor(s) or the Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program
This document was last revised on December 19, 2011
