Life Changes
If you or your dependents experience a qualifying life event, you may be allowed to make certain benefit changes. However, the benefit change must be consistent with the event that prompts the change.
In general, your life event effective date will be the first day that coverage is needed, or the first day coverage is no longer needed.
If you have any questions, please contact benefits@andrews.edu.
Life Events
- You marry
- You divorce
- You have a child
- You adopt a child
- Your spouse has an employment/coverage change
- Your child is no longer eligible
- You take unpaid leave of absence
- You leave Andrews University
- You retire
- Death of a spouse/child
- Change to full time student
What happens when you marry?
Health Plan (Medical/Dental/Vision)
If you are currently covered under Andrews University, you may elect to end coverage with the university and gain coverage through your spouse’s employer. For your spouse, in general, if they are employed elsewhere and are eligible for coverage under their own employer’s group medical plan as a full-time employee, they will not be eligible to participate under the university medical plan. You may contact HR to review if an exception to this provision applies.
Life Insurance Plan
Re-evaluate your Life Insurance coverage to be sure you have an appropriate level under the Plan to accommodate the change in your family responsibilities. Even if you have elected not to buy Supplemental Life Insurance, the University provides you with a Group Term Life Insurance at no cost to you. If you elect to buy or increase supplemental coverage at this time, you will not be required to provide any evidence of good health. Review your beneficiary election under the Plan.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Consider whether to participate in Health or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, or if already participating, decide whether you need to change your contribution amount. You may want to increase your Health Account contributions to pay your spouse's uncovered health and dental expenses with tax-free dollars. If you are gaining a dependent, because your spouse has a dependent child, you may want to begin a Dependent Care Account to pay for day care or other allowed expenses.
Retirement Plan
Review your investment elected under the Plan to make sure this reflects your new financial goals. Beneficiaries may be changed at any time.
Be sure to make changes with the Human Resources within 30 days of your marriage (date of marriage counted as first day).
What happens when you divorce?
Health Plan (Medical/Dental/Vision)
As a result of your divorce (legal separation, annulment) you may decide to enroll in a University medical and dental/vision plan. If already enrolled, you may change from a family/double coverage to individual/single coverage. Your ex-spouse is not eligible for health coverage unless as required by the court and with appropriate documentation.
Life Insurance Plan
You will need to re-evaluate your Life Insurance coverage and may change your election at this time. Be sure you have an appropriate level of coverage to accommodate the change in your family structure. Even if you have elected not to buy Supplemental Life Insurance, the University provides you with a Group Term Life Insurance at no cost to you. If you elect to buy or increase additional coverage at this time, you will be required to provided evidence of good health. Review your beneficiary election under the Plan.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Consider whether to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts, or if participating, decide whether you need to change or stop you contributions.
Retirement Plan
Update the beneficiaries under the Plan. If you are planning to divide your pension assets as a part of the divorce agreement, you should contact your attorney and obtain Qualified Domestic Relation Order, prior to going to court.
Be sure to make changes with the Human Resources within 30 days of your divorce (date of divorce counted as first day).
What happens when you have a child?
Health Plan (Medical/Dental/Vision)
You may change your health plan coverage to ensure family coverage. If you are already enrolled in a family medical plan, add your newborn by contacting benefits@andrews.edu. You may also cancel your medical coverage in order to elect coverage under your spouse's plan and/or opt-out your child.
Life Insurance Plan
To be sure you have the appropriate coverage to accommodate the change in your family, you should re-evaluate your Life Insurance coverage level; you may want to change your amount. You may decide to change your Life Insurance beneficiaries. Even if you have elected not to buy Supplemental Life Insurance, the University provides a Group Term Life Insurance at no cost to you. If you elect to buy more life coverage at this time, you will be required to provide evidence of good health.
Flexible Spending Accounts
You may wish to reconsider your earliest decisions about participation in Flexible Spending Accounts. You may sign up now or, if already participating, you may want to change your election amount. You may need to increase your Medical/Dental/Vision Account contributions to pay for uninsured health care expenses for your child with tax-free dollars. If you will have day care expenses, you may want to begin or increase your contributions on a Dependent Care Account once your spouse or you return from maternity or paternity leave.
Retirement Plan
Review your investment elected under the Plan to make sure this reflect your new financial goals. Beneficiaries may be changed at any time.
Be sure to make changes with the Human Resources within 30 days of the birth of your child.
What happens when you adopt a child?
Health Plan (Medical / Dental)
As a result of your adoption activity, you may change your health plan coverage to ensure family coverage. If you are already enrolled in a family medical plan, you should add your child to the plan at the time of placement. You may cancel your medical coverage in order to elect coverage under your spouse's plan and/or opt-out your child. You will be required to provide documentation indicating the date of your child's placement.
Life Insurance Plan
To be sure you have coverage to accommodate the change in your family, you should re-evaluate your Life Insurance coverage level. You may change your Life Insurance beneficiaries as well. Even if you have elected not to buy Supplemental Life Insurance, the University provides a Group Term Life Insurance at no cost to you. If you elect to buy more coverage at this time, you will be required to provide evidence of good health.
Flexible Spending Accounts
You may wish to reconsider your earliest decisions about participation in Flexible Spending Accounts. You may sign up now or, if already participating, you may want to change your election amount. You may need to increase your Medical/Dental Account contributions to pay for uninsured health care expenses for your child with tax-free dollars. If you will have day care expenses, you may want to begin or increase your contributions on a Dependent Care Account. However, you may only begin the Dependent Care Account once your spouse or you return from adoption leave.
Retirement Plan
Review your investment elected under the Plan to make sure this reflect your new financial goals. Beneficiaries may be changed at any time.
Be sure to make changes with the Human Resources within 30 days of adoption event.
What happens when your spouse has an employment change?
Health Plan (Medical / Dental)
If you lose or gain coverage through your spouse's employer, you may elect or end your Andrews University coverage. For your spouse, in general, if they are eligible for coverage under their own employer’s group medical plan as a full-time employee, they will not be eligible to participate under the university medical plan. You may contact HR to review if an exception to this provision applies.
Life Insurance Plan
You may change your Life Insurance at this time. Re-evaluate your Life Insurance coverage. You need to be sure that you have appropriate coverage under this plan to accommodate this change in your family's situation. Even if you have elected not to buy Supplemental Life Insurance, the University provides you with a Group Term Life Insurance at no cost to you. If you elect to buy additional Life Insurance, you will be required to provided evidence of good health.
Flexible Spending Accounts
When your spouse experiences an employment change, you will want to evaluate your contributions to a Medical/Dental Account to make sure they will cover any uninsured medical and dental expenses. At this time, you may want to enroll in or cancel a Medical/Dental Account or you may want to change your elected amount. If your spouse is beginning employment is ending, you may cancel your Dependent Care Account.
Retirement Plan
Review your investment elected under the Plan to accommodate your new situation. Often a new job results in a change in one's financial obligations, and it may be a good time to reexamine one's financial goals and make changes to investments.
Be sure to make changes with the Human Resources within 30 days of the change in your spouse's employment.
What happens when your dependent loses eligibility?
Health Plan (Medical / Dental)
When your dependent child graduates, reaches the age limit, or leaves school, s/he will not be eligible for health coverage. Please change from family or double coverage to double or individual coverage accordingly.
Life Insurance Plan
You may change your Life Insurance at this time.
Flexible Spending Accounts
If your child remains your tax dependent you may decide to increase your contributions to a Medical/Dental Account, or begin participation in an account, to pay for their uncovered health and dental expenses. You may also elect to reduce or cancel contributions if your child is no longer a tax dependent or if he or she obtains more comprehensive health and dental coverage elsewhere. You may not make changes to a Dependent Care Account at this time.
Retirement Plan
Review your investment elected under the Plan to accomodate your new situation.
Be sure to make changes with the Human Resources within 30 days of your dependent's status change.
What happens when you take an unpaid leave of absence?
While you are on an approved unpaid leave of absence you may remain in the University benefits plans. Andrews University assumes you wish to continue in all of your current benefit plans unless you inform us in writing otherwise. The premium cost to continue your coverage will remain the same as for active participants.
You are responsible to pay all premiums on a timely basis while on leave. Notify the Benefits Specialist if you will have a change of address.
Suspect Benefits
You will receive a notice asking if you wish to continue or cancel coverage during the leave. If you request to cancel coverage, we will stop your participation in the plans you indicate. Once you return to work, your coverage will not automatically be reinstated; you will have to re-enroll in benefits. Coverage will not be reinstated automatically. Contact the Benefits Specialist for the necessary reenrollment forms within 30 days of your return to active employment.
Health Plan (Medical / Dental)
If you are enrolled in medical coverage, you may continue or cancel your participation. Do not forget that you are responsible to pay your monthly premium while on leave. If payment is not timely, your health insurance may be cancelled, provided we notify you in writing at least 15 days before the date that your health coverage will lapse.
Life Insurance Plan
You may change your Life Insurance at this time. If you cancel and re-enter upon return, you will be required to provide evidence of good health.
Flexible Spending Accounts
If you are enrolled in the Medical/Dental Account, your contributions will cease and claims incurred during the leave will not be eligible for reimbursement from the account. If you are enrolled in the Dependent Care account, your contributions will cease but eligible expenses incurred through the end of the year are eligible for reimbursement.
You will automatically be reenrolled in either or both accounts once your leave ends and you return within the same calendar year as your election. At that time, you may request that your contributions be adjusted to achieve the total amoun you originally elected for the year. If you return in another calendar year, you may enroll in the accounts within 30 days of your return from leave date.
Retirement Plan
Since the Plan is based on salary paid to you, University contributions to your pension will cease when your leave begins. When you return from leave, your participation in the Plan may be reinstated. Contact the Benefits Specialist for enrollment information.
Be sure to make changes with the Human Resources within 30 days of a leave of absence. Keep Human Resources informed of any address changes while you are on leave.
What happens when you leave Andrews University?
Medical / Vision / Dental Plan
Your coverage under Andrews University's medical and dental plans continues through the end of the month of your termination date.
Life Insurance Plan
Your Life Insurance coverage continnues through the end of the month of your termination date. You have 31 days from that date to convert your Life Insurance to an individual plan with Hartford Life. Contact the Benefits Specialist for information on how to begin the conversion process.
Flexible Spending Accounts
If enrolled in the Medical/Dental Account, your contributions will cease and you may submit claims for reimbursement of expenses incurred through your termination date. If enrolled in a Dependent Care Account, your contributions will cease, but you may submit claims for reimbursement of expenses incurred through the end of the calendar year.
Retirement Plan
University contributions to your Plan will stop as of your termination date. Review your beneficiary election.
To obtain further information about your Retirement Plan options, contact the VALIC Financial Advisor. To ensure you receive future important communications, like any vested retirement benefits you are entitled to, keep VALIC informed about any future address changes.
What happens when you retire?
Health Plan (Medical / Dental)
Upon your retirement you may be eligible for retiree medical coverage through the General Conferene Adventist Risk Management for you and your spouse.
Life Insurance Plan
Your Life Insurance coverage will end on the last day of work and you will have 31 days to convert your insurance to an individual plan with Hartford Life. Contact the Benefits Specialist for information on how to begin the conversion process.
Flexible Spending Accounts
If enrolled in the Medical/Dental Account, your contributions will cease and you may submit claims for reimbursement of expenses incurred through your retirement date. If enrolled in a Dependent Care Account, your contributions will cease, but you may submit claims for reimbursement of expenses incurred through the end of the calendar year in which you retired.
Be sure to notify the Services Records Assistant (phone 269.471.3327) at least six months prior to your planned retirement date so all necessary paperwork can be completed and mailed to the General Conference.
- Phone: 269-471-3302
- Email: hr@andrews.edu