Life events – What they mean to you and your benefits coverage
In the insurance world, a life event simply means a change in your personal situation that can make you eligible for a special enrolment period in your group health, dental and life benefits plan.
Events, like marriage, the birth of a baby, adoption or legal custody of a child, divorce, the death of a spouse/partner or dependant or a spouse/partner losing benefits coverage, might allow you to enrol, or change your current benefits coverage, providing you do so within a certain time frame (i.e. within 31 days).
For example, a member currently has single coverage and gets married or has a baby. Given this life event, the member can now change their coverage from single to family and add their new dependant to their benefits coverage, providing they do so within 31 days of the wedding, or the birth/adoption of the child.
In another example, a member may have turned down health and/or dental coverage during their enrolment because their spouse/partner had benefits. A few months later, their spouse loses that coverage due to a change in employment, or maybe passes away. This would entitle the member to a special enrolment period where they could add coverage for health and/or dental coverage, so long as the enrolment was completed within the required timeframe of 31 days.
How do you make life event changes to your benefits coverage?
Follow these steps: My family status has changed. How do I change my coverage?
What happens if you don’t make the changes within 31 days?
The 31-day window is your special enrolment period for life events. If you miss it, in other words you do not apply for benefits for yourself or an eligible dependant during that time, you are considered to be ‘a late entrant'. This means that you will be required to complete an Application for Insurance and Evidence of Insurability, which determines proof of good health. Therefore, it is critical that you make these important changes within the 31-day timeframe, otherwise coverage may be denied for you and/or your dependant.
OTIP is here to help! If you have questions about qualifying life events, or how to make changes to your benefits coverage, please contact OTIP Benefits Services at 1‑866‑783‑6847.