Human Resources & Workforce Diversity

Life Event - Death of Dependent

You should contact your Benefits Office immediately for information concerning available benefits and required formalities upon the death of a spouse or child.

Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)

What you should know…
The WRS does not offer a benefit in the event of a spouse or child's death.

What to do. . .
Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.

State Group Health Insurance

You should know. . .
You must complete a health insurance application to remove the deceased person from your health insurance coverage. If you carry family coverage and the deceased is your last covered family member, you should change to single coverage.

What to do. . .
Submit a health insurance application to your institution's Benefits Office to remove the deceased person from coverage and to change coverage level if applicable.

EPIC Benefits+

You should know. . .

  • An accidental death benefit is included in the plan.
  • You, the employee, are the beneficiary for dependent coverage in case of accidental death.
  • You may need to change your coverage level under the plan.

What to do. . .

  • Submit a death benefit claim form to EPIC, if the death was accidental.
  • Provide supporting documentation such as:
    • verification of child's dependency status, including a copy of your federal tax return,
    • a certified death certificate,
    • a copy of the motor vehicle accident report or police report, o a copy of toxicology reports,
    • a copy of the autopsy or a coroner's inquest, if performed,
    • a copy of the obituary, o newspaper clipping(s) pertaining to the accident.
  • Submit a completed EPIC Benefits+ application to your benefits office to remove the deceased person from your coverage.
  • Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.

Dental Wisconsin

You should know. . .

You may need to change your coverage level under the plan.

What to do. . .

Submit a completed Dental Wisconsin application to your benefits office to remove the deceased person from your coverage.

State Group Life Insurance (Minnesota Life Insurance Company)

You should know. . .

  • You, the employee, are the sole beneficiary for Spouse/Domestic Partner and Dependent coverage.
  • Spouse/Domestic Partner and Dependent coverage must be in force at the time of death.
  • A covered child is one who is more than 14 days of age but under the age of 19 or up to age 25, if a full-time student, unmarried and financially dependent.

What to do. . .

University Insurance Association (UIA) Life Insurance for Unclassified Faculty and Academic Staff (Minnesota Life Insurance Company)

What you should know…

UIA does not offer a benefit in the event of a spouse, domestic partner or child's death.

What to do. . .

Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.

Individual and Family Group Life Insurance (Minnesota Life Insurance Company)

You should know. . .

  • Spouse/Domestic Partner or Child coverage must be in force at the time of death.
  • A covered child is one who is more than 14 days of age or up to age 25, unmarried and relies on you for financial support.
  • You, the employee, are the beneficiary for dependent coverage.

What to do. . .

  • Report the death to your benefits office.
  • Minnesota Life will send a claim form to the beneficiary(ies).
  • Return the completed claim form and a certified death certificate to Minnesota Life Insurance, PO Box 259708, Madison, WI 53725-9708.
  • Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.
  • If the deceased person is your spouse or domestic partner, complete an Individual & Family Life Insurance application to cancel Spouse/Domestic Partner coverage and submit it to your benefits office.
  • If the deceased person is your last covered child, complete an Individual & Family LIfe Insurance application to cancel Child coverage and submit it to your benefits office.

UW Employee's Inc. Group Life Insurance (Minnesota Life Insurance Company)

What you should know. . .

  • UW Employee's Inc. does not offer a benefit in the event of a spouse, domestic partner or child's death
  • Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.

Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance (Zurich-American Life Insurance Company)

You should know. . .

  • Family coverage must be in force at the time of death.
  • Family coverage includes certified domestic partners.
  • A covered child is one who relies on you for 50% of his/her support, is your dependent for federal income tax purposes and is either:
    1. less than 20 years of age; or
    2. less than 25 years of age and enrolled full-time in a college, university or trade school.
  • The death must occur within 365 days of the accident.
  • It is necessary to terminate family coverage if you have no other family members to insure.

What to do. . .

  • Call the Zurich American Insurance Company at 1-866-841-4771 to report the death or dismemberment and request a claim form. Zurich must receive written notice of the covered loss within 90 days of the loss. The notice must name the covered person who sustained the injury, your name and the policy number (GTU 8364005).
  • The notice should be sent to: Zurich Document Distribution Center (DDC), PO Box 968041, Schaumburg, IL 60196-8041. The dedicated claim fax number is 1-631-845-2523.
  • Be prepared to provide:
    • A completed death claim form
    • A certified copy of the death certificate,
    • A copy of the motor vehicle accident report or police report,
    • A copy of the autopsy or a coroner's inquest, if performed, and
    • Any newspaper clipping(s) pertaining to the accident.
  • If you no longer have any eligible dependents, you should complete an application to change from family to single coverage. Submit your completed application to your payroll and benefits office.
  • Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.

Employee Reimbursement Account (ERA)

You should know. . .

  • You may decrease or end your Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) election to take into account the reduced expenses resulting from the loss of your dependent.
  • You may decrease or end your Dependent Care FSA election to take into account the loss of your dependent.
  • Eligible expenses incurred prior to the dependent's death are reimbursable.

What to do. . .

The change or end your current ERA election, you must complete a Change in Status form within 30 days of the death. Submit the form directly to WageWorks at:

WageWorks
10375 Baldev Court
Mequon, WI 53092
Phone: 262-292-2136
Fax: 866-672-1662
Email: ling.chong@wageworks.com

Tax Sheltered Annuities (TSA)/Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program (WDC)

What you should know…

It's important to review your beneficiary designation when your circumstances change.

What to do. . .

Review your beneficiary designation and update it appropriately.

Contact the TSA vendor(s) or the Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program

 

This document was last revised on January 3, 2013

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