Certain circumstances, known as qualifying life events, allow you to change some of your benefits during the year.
Qualifying life events
Life events that allow you to make changes to your benefits outside of your new-hire eligibility period or the annual Open Enrollment period include:
- Birth, adoption, or legal guardianship of a child
- Marriage, divorce, or legal separation
- Beginning or ending a domestic partnership
- A dependent child reaches age 26
- An eligible family member gains or loses coverage from another source (such as another employer’s plan)
- The death of a dependent, spouse, or domestic partner
- Termination of employment or a reduction of hours
- Exhaustion of COBRA coverage
If you’re eligible to make changes to your benefits, you must make them within 31 calendar days from the date of the qualifying life event or wait until the next Open Enrollment period. You have 60 days after the birth of your child to make changes to your benefits.
For details, review the list of qualifying life events [pdf].
Changing your benefit elections
To make a qualifying life event change to your benefits, log in to benefitsolver.com (or through Benefitsolver on MyApps). Select Change My Benefits > Life Event, then select the appropriate life event. Print a confirmation after you’ve changed your benefits. The effective date is the same as the life event date.
Dependent Social Security numbers
You don’t need to have the Social Security number of your newborn child to add them to your benefits in the 60-day window.
If your dependent does not have a Social Security number at the time of their enrollment, select the Cannot Provide Social Security Number button. You will need to add it to the system as soon as you receive it.
Payroll deductions
Benefit changes that affect your payroll deductions will begin one to two pay periods after you make the change.
COBRA
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) is a federal law that entitles you and your eligible family members to extend your health care coverage for a period of time after it would otherwise end.
Your active benefits terminate at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the month that your employment with Gen ends. When COBRA coverage is elected, your coverage begins the first of the month following the loss of coverage.
Eligibility
You and your dependents who are currently covered under Gen’s health care plans are eligible for COBRA.
In most cases, you and your dependents are required to pay 102% of the cost of the premium, which includes an administrative fee.
How to elect COBRA
Elections can be made online at benefitsolver.com, via fax, or mailed to the address on your COBRA election form. You have 60 days from the date that your enrollment packet is mailed to you to decide whether you want to elect COBRA continuation coverage.
Businessolver will mail payment coupons to you. You must send in your initial payment no later than 45 days from the date you send your election form.
Once Businessolver receives your initial payment, you are reinstated in your elected health care plans retroactive to the date your active coverage ended.
While on COBRA, you have an opportunity to make changes during the annual Open Enrollment period. You’ll receive a notification and enrollment information from Businessolver.
View the 2024 COBRA plan comparison chart [pdf] for plan and rate details.
Life and AD&D insurance
Life and AD&D coverage ends on your date of termination. You have the option to convert your life and AD&D insurance into an individual life insurance policy. No medical examination is required.