You have 31 days from the date of a life event (e.g. marriage, divorce, common-law qualification, birth/adoption of your child, spouse/partner loses coverage) to add your spouse or child to your plan. Adding your family member before the deadline will ensure they have the coverage they need and avoid being a late entrant/applicant. Missing the 31 days deadline can result in limited and/or denied coverage. 

You must do this within 31 days of your child(ren) being eligible (i.e. when you become eligible for coverage upon hiring or the birth/adoption of your child). This benefit cannot be added after the 31 days, even with proof of good health (evidence of insurability). 

If you have an over-age student covered under your plan, you must let us know every year that they need coverage and will be attending school in the fall. You will receive reminders starting in June to complete this confirmation.

IMPORTANT: In some instances, your over-age dependant may be eligible to maintain their coverage as a disabled dependant. You will have 31 days after they are no longer eligible for coverage to contact OTIP Benefits Services for next steps.  

We strongly encourage that you review your beneficiary designation for your life insurance at least once a year or whenever you experience a life event (see above) to ensure your beneficiaries are protected.

If your eligible LTO assignment is ending AND you have health and/or dental coverage under an Employee Life and Health Trust (ELHT): 

• You will receive a communication from OTIP to notify you of the date your coverage ended or will end on the last day of your assignment. Claims incurred after that date will not be eligible for reimbursement. 

• IMPORTANT: You will have 90 calendar days from the date your coverage ends to access OTIP’s plan member site and submit any eligible claims incurred up to and including your last day of coverage. All eligible claims received after this 90-day period will be declined. 

Congratulations on your retirement!

• You will receive a communication from OTIP to confirm the date your coverage ended or will end. Claims incurred after that date will not be eligible for reimbursement. 

• IMPORTANT: You will have 90 calendar days from the date your coverage ends to access OTIP’s plan member site and submit any eligible claims incurred up to and including your last day of coverage. All eligible claims received after this 90-day period will be declined. 

• Looking for retiree health insurance options? One of your options is to check out OTIP’s health, dental and travel insurance options for retirees at otip.com/for-retirees, or call OTIP at 1-800-267-6847. 

If you are retiring or your eligible LTO assignment is ending: You may be eligible to convert your group life insurance (if applicable) to an individual policy without having to provide evidence of good health or undergo a medical exam, provided you do so within 31 calendar days of your coverage ending.  
 
To learn more about converting any group life insurance to an individual policy, you can review the description for the Group Benefits Life Conversion Option form (found under Life Insurance forms). 
 

If your mailing address, phone number or name changes, it is important that you update this information with your employer as soon as possible. This ensures that your employer reports the most up-to-date information to OTIP. Please note that it may take a few weeks for the update to be reflected in our system.

Keep an eye out for an email from OTIP in the fall to review and update your benefits.

Make sure that you submit your health and dental claims on time to ensure you will be reimbursed. As an active plan member, you have up to 12 months to submit an eligible claim from the date it is incurred. If your coverage has ended, you have 90 days to submit claims incurred on or before the last day of your coverage.

Just like any other big-ticket item you purchase, you should ‘shop around’ for the best available option and get an estimate on any potential claims. This will help you to plan and will also minimize surprises and disappointment if your claim is not eligible for full or partial reimbursement.