09/07/2022
One question I get A LOT from clients is in regards to group life insurance provided through by their employer as part of their benefits.
Myth: "I have good life insurance through my job, theyโll take care of me."
Truth: Group Life insurance is almost never a good option for your family. Your job barely cares about you when you're there, why would you think they care what happens to you or your family when you're gone?
Did you know that is not assignable to a funeral home? The employer is the policy owner, meaning they have the right to change it, modify it, drop or cancel it at anytime, at their discretion. Remember, when businesses want to cut costs, people & benefits get cut 1st.
Also you only have a certificate of insurance. So when your family goes to the funeral home, they will not have record of group life policy, especially if you have no policy number. Your family will have the pay for all the expenses upfront and wait to be reimbursed whenever the group life pays out which could be a few months, if they pay at all (you can probably find a thousand articles about group life insurance not paying out.)
As far as coverage goes, itโs usually only 1-2x your annual salary, which is not enough to protect your family long term. You'll also want to check for clauses on pay out, like if it only pays in work related accidents or death, or what clauses in it for what the won't pay out on. Or what happens if you drop down to part-time status or if you're out on short-term or long-term disability (when youโre not an active, full-time, payroll participating employee). Or if you leave the job or get terminated.
Iโm not saying drop it, I'm saying keep it if they pay for it but always make sure you have something on your own that you control. Nobody will care more about your family than you do.