Life & Disability

The Office of Group Insurance administers only the disability policy for employees of the State of Idaho and those agencies who participate in our health plan. If you are not an employee of a participating agency, more disability resources can be found at https://www.idaho.gov/family-records/disability/.

The goal of life insurance is to provide a measure of financial security for your family in the event something happens to you. As a benefit eligible employee of a state agency, political subdivision, university or college, your employer provides your Basic Life coverage. You then have the option to purchase additional Voluntary Term Life (VTL) coverage. Idaho State Police have an additional optional life insurance as well. Each coverage is detailed below.

Principal Basic Life Policy FY24

Principal Voluntary Term Life FY24

All life and disability claims are administered by the Office of Group Insurance. All requests for benefit payments must be submitted to the Office of Group Insurance to initiate the claim review process.

Basic Life

The State pays the premium for this coverage; there is no cost to you.

The benefit includes not only employee benefits but also $10,000 in spousal life coverage and $5,000 in dependent life coverage.

For enrollment, beneficiary designation, and change forms, speak with your agency’s human resource office.

Optional Life (State Police only)

The plan is available only to police officer members of the Idaho State Police, as defined in I.C. 59-1303(3) and provides benefits in the amount of $50,000. If you are eligible and elect this coverage, you pay fifty percent (50%) of the monthly premium and the state pays fifty percent (50%). The current cost is $7.40 per month.

For enrollment forms, see your agency’s human resource office.

Life Insurance FAQs

Contact the Office of Group Insurance for questions relating to life insurance benefits for a deceased employee or dependent. The Office of Group Insurance will then obtain the necessary information from the agency’s human resource office to assist you.

You may change your beneficiary designation at any time.

Speak to your agency’s human resource office to obtain a new Beneficiary Designation form and/or to update your Voluntary Term Life (VTL) elections and premiums.

You may change your beneficiary designation at any time.

Speak to your agency’s human resource office to obtain a new Beneficiary Designation form and/or to update your Voluntary Term Life (VTL) elections and premiums.

You may change your beneficiary designation at any time.

You may want to consider listing your child(ren) as the primary beneficiary and designate their other parent as the UTMA Beneficiary Designation (Uniform Transfers to Minor Act).

Speak to your agency’s human resource office to obtain a new Beneficiary Designation form and/or to update your Voluntary Term Life (VTL) elections and premiums.

Disability Coverage

Disability coverage is included in the Basic Life policy, no special enrollment is required.

When you are unable to work because of a non-work related illness (including pregnancy) or injury, you may be eligible for disability benefits. Disability benefits can provide a source of continuing income and/or continued access to group insurance coverages for a period of time. Disability benefit amounts may be directly reduced by your other sources of income.

For information about disability benefits, speak with your agency’s human resource office or contact the Office of Group Insurance.

Disability Waiting Periods

You DO NOT have to wait for your sick leave to exhaust before filing a disability claim. You can initiate the claim once you stop working your regular schedule due to the disability. Any financial benefits will be subject to the waiting periods detailed below.

Benefit	Waiting Period
Short-term Disability Provides benefits up to 60% of monthly salary. Maximum benefit: $6,000.	The longer of: 30 continuous days of Total Disability, or; 30 continuous days of Residual Disability, or; the expiration of all accrued sick leave earned at the date of Disability
Long-term Disability Provides benefits up to 60% of monthly salary. Maximum benefit: $6,000 per month.	The longer of: 26 continuous weeks of Total Disability or Residual Disability, or the exhaustion of all sick leave earned as of the date of Total Disability or Residual Disability

Voluntary Term Life (VTL)

For plan details, including eligibility, exclusions and limitations, please refer to the contract posted on the top of this webpage.

Employees may purchase 1x, 2x or 3x their annual salaries’ worth of coverage (maximum of $500,000) as well as purchase spouse and child coverages. If you elect this coverage, you pay the entire monthly premium; how much you pay depends on your benefit amount and your age group.

If you enroll in Voluntary Term Life (VTL) coverage more than 31 days after your date of hire, you will be required to provide Proof of Good Health for yourself and any dependents you add to this coverage.

Spouse Coverage: Premiums for Spouse Coverage are based on the employee’s age. Benefits for spouses over age 70 are limited to $10,000 unless Evidence of Insurability is completed and approved by the carrier for coverage up to $50,000.

Child Coverage: If this coverage is elected, the total monthly premium is $1.80 regardless of the number of children in the employee’s family.

FY2024 Voluntary Term Life (VTL) Monthly Premiums
*Premiums effective July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024

Employee Age	Employee Coverage - Monthly Rates per $1,000 of coverage	Spouse Coverage - Monthly Rates per $10,000 of coverage
35 and under	$0.05	$0.50
36 - 40	$0.09	$0.90
41 - 45	$0.13	$1.30
46 - 50	$0.21	$2.10
51 - 55	$0.33	$3.30
56 - 60	$0.60	$6.00
61 - 65	$0.81	$8.10
66 - 70	$1.24	$12.40
71 - 75	$1.78	$17.80
76 - 80	$2.68	$26.80
81 +	$4.00	$40.00

If you are interested in continuing your Basic Life or VTL coverage after your employment ends, either by porting or converting the coverage, contact OGI for the appropriate forms and rate information.