805 CMR 9.21
Additional Life Insurance
(1) All eligible Employees enrolled in Basic Life Insurance may apply for Additional Life
Insurance consisting of group term life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment
insurance. New Employees who enroll when first eligible are eligible for Additional Life
Insurance in an amount up to eight times their salary without providing medical evidence of
insurability.
(2) Evidence of insurability shall be required when an Employee:
(a) applies for initial coverage after the deadline for applying has passed, unless certain life
events occur that qualify under the policy for coverage without providing such evidence; or
(b) seeks to increase the amount of his or her Additional Life Insurance; or
(c) seeks to be reinstated after losing coverage for failing to pay the required premium.
9.21: continued
(3) If a physical examination is required to determine eligibility for Additional Life Insurance,
the life insurance carrier shall review the medical evidence and determine eligibility for the
additional coverage based upon its underwriting standards. Such standards shall be consistent
with the life insurance underwriting standards in general use by the insurance industry. In
addition, the life insurance carrier's underwriting criteria shall not consider the applicant's age,
gender, occupation or amount of life insurance requested. Consideration shall be given only to
the applicant's medical evidence of insurability, recognizing the size of the group and volume
of insurance administered by the Commission in determining standards of acceptability and
insurance risk.
(4) Upon retirement, Retirees may continue, reduce, or cancel the amount of their Additional
Life Insurance in effect at that time, upon full and timely premium payment. Retirees who cancel
or reduce their Additional Life Insurance are eligible to continue their coverage directly with the
carrier. Persons who have not previously had Additional Life Insurance are not eligible for the
coverage upon or after retirement.
(5) Pensioned justices who are recalled to judicial duties on full-time assignment are eligible
for Additional Life Insurance without providing medical evidence of insurability if they waive
their pension for the duration of the full time recall period.
(6) The effective date of an Employee's life insurance beneficiary designation is the date that
the Commission receives the properly completed beneficiary designation form. If there are
defects regarding the submitted beneficiary designation form, the Commission will not accept
it and no beneficiary designation changes will be made.
(7) Employees who are enrolled in Basic Life Insurance, but do not enroll in Additional
(Optional) Life Insurance when first hired, may later elect the coverage due to a change in family
status without having to provide proof of good health. Applicants must apply for the Additional
Life Insurance and provide evidence of the family status change within 60 days of the event
causing the status change.