Beneficiary Information

What is a beneficiary?

A beneficiary is the person or entity you name in a life insurance policy or retirement plan to receive the benefit upon your death. The beneficiary designation on file at the time of your death is binding in the payment of your benefits.

Whenever there is a life event, such as when you get married, divorced, have a child or a grandchild joins the family, you may want to review and/or update your beneficiary designations. You can change your beneficiary at any time, in accordance with the plan requirements.

Beneficiary designation forms can be found below. Completed forms should be sent directly to the benefit plan vendor, not to your human resources office. The appropriate address can be found on each beneficiary designation form.

Please retain a copy of your beneficiary designation forms for your records. The UW System does not process or retain the beneficiary designation forms. Please contact the plan administrator directly with questions about your beneficiary designations.

If you don’t designate a beneficiary, your benefit will be paid according to Wisconsin law. This is called Standard Sequence and will pay to beneficiaries as follows*:

  • Your surviving spouse, otherwise;
  • Your surviving children equally, otherwise;
  • Your surviving grandchildren equally, otherwise;
  • Your surviving parents equally, otherwise;
  • Your surviving siblings equally, otherwise;
  • Your estate.

Note: All claims associated with the death of a covered family member will be paid to the employee.

*Note: If you wish to name a domestic partner as a beneficiary, complete the applicable beneficiary designation form(s).

Benefit plans with benefits that are payable to beneficiaries

Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) and State Group Life Insurance

The WRS is administered by the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF). State Group Life Insurance is administered by the ETF and is underwritten by Securian Financial Group.

WRS and State Group Life Insurance share the same beneficiary designations.

If you prefer to name different beneficiaries for these two benefit plans, you must complete a separate beneficiary designation form for each benefit plan. At the bottom of the beneficiary designation form, there is a line where you can specify the benefit plan.

State Group Life Insurance Policy Number: 2832-G

Individual & Family Life Insurance

 Administered by The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin and underwritten by Securian Financial Group.

Group Policy Number: 32871-G

UW Employees, Inc. Life Insurance

Administered by University of Wisconsin Employees Inc., an employee-directed nonprofit corporation, and is underwritten by Securian Financial Group.

  • Once you enroll in coverage, Securian will send you login information so you can name your beneficiary(ies) online through their secure LifeBenefits portal OR
  • Beneficiary Designation Form pdf
  • Mail paper form to: Minnesota Life Insurance Company (a Securian Company), Group Administration Department, 400 Robert Street North, St. Paul, MN 55101-2098 or fax to (651) 665-4827

Group Policy Number: 33977-G

University Insurance Association (UIA) Life Insurance

Administered by University Insurance Association Board and is underwritten by Securian Financial Group.

  • Beneficiary Designation Form pdf
  • Mail completed form to: Minnesota Life Insurance Company (a Securian Company), P.O. Box 259708, Madison, WI 53725-9708 or fax to (608) 277-8665

Group Policy Number: 32872-G

Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)

Administered by The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin and underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company.

Group Policy Number: GTU 8364005

*If you are an annuitant who continued your AD&D coverage after retirement, mail your completed beneficiary form to: Hausmann-Johnson Insurance, P.O. Box 259408, Madison, WI 53725-9408

UW Tax-Sheltered AnnuitY 403(b) Program

The Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) Program is administered by UW System Human Resources.

Contact the TSA provider to obtain a beneficiary designation form.

Fidelity, T. Rowe Price and TIAA participants can update beneficiary designations through their online investment account.

Current Provider Contact Information:

Frozen Provider Contact Information:

Wisconsin Deferred Compensation

The Wisconsin Deferred Compensation (WDC) program is administered by the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) through a third-party administrator, Empower Retirement.

  • Once enrolled, a password is mailed to the address on file. You can use your social security number (username) and this password to access your account information online at www.wdc457.org. In addition, you may update your beneficiary(ies) online.
  • Beneficiary Designation Form pdf – You can also mail a paper designation form directly to Empower Retirement, P.O. Box 173764, Denver, CO 80217-3764 or fax to (866) 745-5766.

Contact Information:

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Administered by TASC.

 Resources

 

last updated: 1/2/2019

Every effort has been made to ensure this information is current and correct. This page does not guarantee enrollment or the ability to make changes to your benefits.