Supplemental Life Insurance

The Supplemental Life Insurance Plan is a voluntary, employee-paid group term life insurance plan in which you can choose to participate to supplement your employer provided life insurance. You may select coverage for yourself, your legal spouse, and your dependent children.

For more information, please see the Summary Plan Description.

Eligibility

All employees who are actively at work and are regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week are eligible to apply for coverage. You can enroll your legal spouse as well as your children. There are a few routine restrictions. Visit the Mercer Voluntary Benefits website for complete details.

Please note: If your work schedule drops below 20 hours per week, you are no longer eligible for Active employee rates and you will be switched to a direct billing mode at Terminated employee rates. Once you resume a regular, full-time, benefits-eligible employment status, please contact Mercer customer service so Active employee rates can be applied to your monthly premium.

Enrollment is Easy!

To sign up for coverage, direct your completed enrollment form to Mercer Voluntary Benefits:

Mercer Voluntary Benefits
P.O. Box 9122
Des Moines, IA 50306-9122

Mercer Voluntary Benefits will record your enrollment and forward your application to the underwriter, who makes the determination as to whether you or your dependents have met the plan's underwriting requirements. The requirements are less restrictive if you enroll within your first 30 days of eligibility (e.g. within first 30 days after your hire date.) Visit the Mercer Voluntary Benefits website for additional information; online enrollment is also available on this site.

Beneficiaries

Maintaining an up-to-date and recorded beneficiary is essential as it allows the insurance carrier to establish the proper payee in the event of a claim. To designate your beneficiaries for this plan, use the Supplemental Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation Form or go to the Mercer Voluntary Benefits website to complete or change your beneficiary designation. Per the plan guidelines, the beneficiary for your dependent coverage(s) is the employee. It is important to note that no other beneficiary designations can be made for dependent coverage under this program. Furthermore, all previous designations for child or spouse coverages have been adjusted to align with the beneficiary provision.

It is recommended that you review your beneficiary information annually and update, as needed. The beneficiary designation with the most recent date, in good form and properly signed, constitutes the only effective designation. If you have any inquiries or concerns regarding your beneficiaries, please do not hesitate to contact Mercer’s dedicated customer service representatives. They are available to assist you between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time at 1-800-552-9670. Alternatively, you can visit the Mercer website noted above for more information.

Changing & Using Your Plan

You're encouraged to periodically evaluate your coverage to reflect changes in your life and in your dependents' lives. Call 1-800-552-9670 or visit the Mercer Voluntary Benefits website. Representatives are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. central time.

Flexible Coverage Options

This program provides the flexibility to purchase the amount of coverage you want from 1 to 8 times your annual pay up to $2,500,000 (rounded to the next higher increment of $10,000). Plus, you can apply for coverage for your legal spouse and dependent children.

Dependent coverage is available for children ages 14 days to 26 years if the child is unmarried. Payments are conveniently handled through payroll deduction on a post-tax basis. That means you won't need to worry about writing checks or mailing monthly payments.

Competitive Group Rates

Because you are buying coverage through a group plan, your cost is generally much lower than coverage you could buy on your own. For example:

See the Supplemental Life Insurance Rate Table for complete premium information.

Insurance Benefits to Help During Terminal Illness

Additional medical bills, hospice care, or unexpected travel are just a few of the expenses that can come up when you least need extra worry. With the accelerated benefit option,² you can use up to 80 percent of your coverage amount (to a maximum of $500,000) if you are diagnosed as terminally ill with a life expectancy of 12 months or less. Accelerated Benefits are payable only once.

Coverage that Keeps Pace with You

With the automatic increase feature, your coverage amount will increase each year as your annual pay increases.

The Duke Supplemental Life Insurance plan is classified as an employee welfare benefit plan providing life insurance. Duke reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, suspend or terminate this program at any time, for any reason. The Duke Supplemental Life Insurance plan is underwritten by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company.

Note: Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, all faculty and staff, regardless of sexual orientation, must be legally married to cover a partner or partner’s child for benefits or applicable policies.

1. Important note for Texas residents: Spouse and child coverage cannot exceed the employee's eligible coverage amount.
2. The accelerated life insurance benefits offered under your certificate are intended to qualify for favorable tax treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. If the accelerated benefits qualify for such favorable treatment, they will be excludable from your income and not subject to federal taxation. Tax laws relating to accelerated benefits are complex. You are advised to consult with a qualified tax advisor about circumstances under which you could receive accelerated benefits excludable from income under federal tax law.
   
   Receipt of accelerated benefits may affect your eligibility, or that of your spouse or family, for public assistance programs such as medical assistance (Medicaid), Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), supplementary Social Security income (SSI), and drug assistance programs. You are advised to consult with social services agencies concerning the effect receipt of accelerated benefits will have on public assistance eligibility for you, your spouse, or your family.