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 big life event, such as when you get married, divorced, have a child or a grandchild joins the family, you may want to review your beneficiary designations and update them if you wish. 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, not to your human resources office. The address can be found below and on each beneficiary designation form.

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

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

  • Your surviving spouse or domestic partner, 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.

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 and Family Life Insurance

Administered by University of Wisconsin System Administration and underwritten by Securian Financial Group.

  • Beneficiary Designation Form
  • Mail completed form to: University of Wisconsin System, Human Resources & Workforce Diversity, 780 Regent Street, Suite 224, Madison, WI 53715

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.
  • Beneficiary Designation Form – You can also mail a paper designation form directly 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
  • 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 and Dismemberment

Administered by University of Wisconsin System Administration and Hausmann-Johnson Insurance and underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company.

  • Beneficiary Designation Form
  • Mail completed form to: University of Wisconsin System, Human Resources and Workforce Diversity, 780 Regent Street, Suite 224, Madison, WI 53715

Group Policy Number: GTU 8364005

EPIC Benefits+

Administered by EPIC Specialty Benefits.

  • Beneficiary Designation Form
  • Mail completed form to: The EPIC Life Insurance Company, Attention: Life & Disability Department, P.O. Box 8430, Madison, WI 53708-8430 or fax to (800) 236-7610

Group Policy Number: 318000

Tax-Sheltered Annuities 403(b) Program

The Tax-Sheltered Annuity (TSA) program is administered by the UW System Office of Human Resources and Workforce Diversity.  The TSA Review Committee provides oversight of the program.

Contact the investment companies to obtain a beneficiary designation form and/or to determine if the company is subject to the following Standard Sequence in absence of a beneficiary form.

Fidelity, T Rowe Price and TIAA allow participants to 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 – 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: 3/8/2017

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.