Impact on Benefit Coverage

Basic group life insurance coverage

If you are covered under the VRS Group Life Insurance Program and leave employment before you are eligible to retire, or if you take a refund of your member contributions and interest, your basic group life insurance coverage will end within 31 days of the end of the month in which the last premium is paid. If you die before the end of this period, your beneficiary will receive your natural death benefit. You can convert your coverage to an individual policy if you leave employment before you reach retirement eligibility.

If you have reached retirement eligibility but defer retirement and do not take a refund of your member contributions and interest, you will be eligible for retiree life insurance coverage, provided you were covered under the group life insurance program before leaving employment.

Optional group life insurance coverage

If you have optional group life insurance coverage and leave covered employment, you may convert your coverage to an individual policy. If you do not convert your coverage and you die within 31 days of the end of the month in which the last premium is paid, your beneficiary will receive your optional life insurance natural death benefit.

Converting your group life insurance coverage

If you wish to convert your coverage, you must do so within 31 days of your last day of employment; you will pay the premiums. Proof of good health will not be required. This option is not available after 31 days. Submit a Conversion of Group Life Insurance Enrollment (VRS-35E) 582kb.

More information

VRS has contracted with Minnesota Life as the insurer for the program. For more information, call toll free 1-800-441-2258 or contact Joseph Chang, Manager, Richmond Office. The address is Minnesota Life, P.O. Box 1193, Richmond, VA 23218-1193.

If you are a state employee, your health insurance coverage will end on the last day of the month in which you leave covered employment. You may elect to extend your health insurance for up to 18 months from this date or convert your coverage to an individual policy; you will pay the premiums. For more information, visit the Department of Human Resource Management website or call Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield toll free at 1-800-552-2682.

If you are an employee of a school division or a political subdivision, check with your human resource office about health insurance coverage if you leave employment.

If you are enrolled in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) and leave your position, your eligibility for VSDP benefits will end with your last day of employment.

VSDP Long-Term Care Plan. If you leave or retire as a VSDP-covered employee, your VSDP long-term care coverage will end. You can elect to continue your coverage, which will be retroactive to your last day of employment; you will pay the premiums. Submit the VSDP Long-Term Care Plan Authorization of Coverage Retention (VRS-170) 27kb and the VSDP Long-Term Care Plan Protection Against Unintentional Lapse (VRS-171) 26kb within 60 days of your last day of employment to the Long Term Care Group, Inc. at P.O. Box 64011, St. Paul, MN 55164-0011. This option is not available after 60 days.

Commonwealth of Virginia (COV) Voluntary Group Long Term Care Insurance Program. If you leave employment and are enrolled in the COV Voluntary Group Long Term Care Insurance Program, you can continue your coverage by paying the premiums directly to Genworth Life, the insurer for the program. If you are not enrolled, you can apply for coverage if you are a vested deferred member or a retiree, provided you are under age 80. Your employer is not required to have elected the program. Medical underwriting will be required. For more information, call toll free 1-866-859-6060 or visit the Genworth website.

Read more about long-term care programs.

If you leave covered employment, you may be eligible for a payment of unused annual leave. If you are not enrolled in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP), you also may be eligible for a payment of unused sick leave. Contact your human resource office for more information.

If you participate in the Commonwealth of Virginia 457 Deferred Compensation Plan and leave your position, your contributions will stop. However, you can continue to manage your account or request a distribution. If you are eligible for a payment of unused sick leave or annual leave, you can contribute this payment to your account. As provided under the Internal Revenue Code, you cannot contribute cash severance payments to the 457 Plan.