Beneficiary Information

What is a beneficiary?

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

Whenever an employee has a life event, such as a marriage, divorce, birth of a child, beneficiary designations should be reviewed and updated. Beneficiary designations can be changed at any time.

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

Retain a copy of the beneficiary designation forms for your records (the UW System does not process or retain the forms). Questions about beneficiary designations should be directed to the plan administrator for each plan.

If a beneficiary is not designated, benefits will be paid according to Wisconsin law. This is called Standard Sequence and will pay to beneficiaries as follows:

  • Employee’s surviving spouse, otherwise;
  • Employee’s surviving children equally, otherwise;
  • Employee’s surviving grandchildren equally, otherwise;
  • Employee’s surviving parents equally, otherwise;
  • Employee’s surviving siblings equally, otherwise;
  • Employee’s estate.

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

Benefit plans with benefits payable to beneficiaries

Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), State Group Life Insurance, and accident insurance

The WRS is administered by the Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF). State Group Life Insurance and Accident Insurance (new plan effective January 1, 2020) are administered by the ETF and underwritten by Securian Financial Group.

WRS,  State Group Life Insurance and Accident Insurance share the same beneficiary designations; however, employees have the option to complete one of two forms.

If you prefer to name different beneficiaries for these benefit plans, you must complete a separate beneficiary designation form for each benefit plan and specify which plan it applies to at the bottom of the form.

State Group Life Insurance Policy Number: 2832-G
Accident Insurance Policy Number: 76038

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 underwritten by Securian Financial Group.

  • Once you enroll in coverage, Securian will send you login information so you can name your beneficiary online through the 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 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

*For annuitants who continued their AD&D coverage after retirement, mail the completed beneficiary form to: Hausmann-Johnson Insurance, P.O. Box 259408, Madison, WI 53725-9408

Accident Insurance

The Accident Insurance (new plan effective January 1, 2020) is administered by the ETF and underwritten by Securian Financial Group. Accident Insurance, WRS, and State Group Life Insurance share the same beneficiary designations; however, employees have the option to complete one of two forms.

If you prefer to name different beneficiaries for these benefit plans, you must complete a separate beneficiary designation form for each benefit plan and specify which plan it applies to at the bottom of the form.

Accident Insurance Policy Number: 76038

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Administered by TASC.

UW Tax-Sheltered AnnuitY (TSA) 403(b) Program

The UW Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) 403(b) 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 account.

Current Provider Contact Information:

Frozen Provider Contact Information:

Wisconsin Deferred Compensation (WDC) 457 PROGRAM

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. Use your social security number (username) and this password to access your account online at www.wdc457.org. Beneficiaries may be updated 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:

 Resources

 

last updated: 1/2/2019

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