LIFE INSURANCE
Harvard’s Life Insurance provides you with Basic Coverage to protect your beneficiary in case of your death. You may
also purchase supplemental coverage for additional protection as well as family coverage for your spouse/domestic
partner and/or dependent children. MetLife is the underwriter for Harvard life insurance coverage.
BASIC LIFE INSURANCE
Harvard provides eligible employees with group term Basic Life Insurance coverage equal to one-half their annual base
salary, rounded to the nearest $1,000 at no cost. If eligible, you are automatically enrolled in this coverage. *
*The imputed cost of coverage exceeding $50,000 is considered taxable income. Imputed cost, if any, will be shown on your paycheck.
Basic Life Insurance Reduction While Employed
If you are actively employed at Harvard, your Basic Life Insurance coverage amount is reduced by 35% on the January
1st following your 67th birthday. This coverage is reduced by another 35% on the January 1st following your 70th
birthday. It is reduced an additional 35% every five years, on the January 1st following the year in which your turn an age
that triggers the reductions (e.g., 75, 80, etc.). You will have the opportunity to port or convert the reduction amount and
will receive information on this from MetLife via mail.
SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE INSURANCE
You may purchase additional optional group term Supplemental Life Insurance for greater coverage and can elect from
one to six times your salary (rounded to the nearest $1,000), up to a maximum of $2.5 million. You may apply at any
time by completing the Statement of Health.
If you enroll within 30 days of becoming eligible or certain life events (marriage, birth, adoption or placement for
adoption, divorce, legal separation, or death of dependent), you do not need to provide a Statement of Health for
amounts up to $1.5 million. If you are eligible and elect coverage above $1.5 million (up to the maximum) you will
automatically be approved for the highest multiple of your salary that is less than $1.5 million, and you will need to
provide a Statement of Health and be approved for higher amounts by MetLife.
• For example, if you are a new employee with a salary of $275,000 and you elect coverage of 6x your salary within
30 days, you would be automatically approved for 5x salary, or $1,375,000, which is the highest multiple of your
salary under $1.5 million. You would need to complete a Statement of Health and be approved by MetLife for the
one additional level of coverage, since that would bring total coverage above the $1.5 million automatic
approval amount. If approved, your coverage would be $1,650,000 - 6x salary.
Free Will Preparation/Estate Resolution/Probate Services
If you enroll in Supplemental Life Insurance, you and your spouse/domestic partner can access free will preparation and
estate resolution/probate services. Call 800-821-6400; use group number 109929. (Provided through MetLife Legal
Plans, learn more.)
October 2023
DEPENDENT LIFE INSURANCE
If you enroll in Supplemental Life Insurance, you may also elect Dependent Life Insurance for your spouse/domestic
partner and/or children. Spouse/domestic partner life insurance is available in the amounts of $25,000, $50,000,
$75,000 and $100,000. No Statement of Health is required when enrolling for $25,000 or $50,000 during your first 30
days of eligibility or within 30 days of one of the life events listed above. You can apply for higher amounts (or for lower
amounts outside the 30-day window) with the Statement of Health to be completed by your spouse/domestic partner;
coverage is effective upon approval by MetLife.
Life Insurance coverage of $5,000 or $10,000 for dependent children up to age 26 is available with no medical review.
One monthly payment covers all your eligible children.
If both you and your spouse/domestic partner are employed by Harvard University, and one spouse/domestic partner
covers the other under the Dependent Life Insurance plan, the spouse/domestic partner cannot also enroll in
Supplemental Life. Additionally, only one of you can cover your eligible child(ren).
You must be actively at work on the date your coverage becomes effective, and your spouse/domestic partner and
eligible child(ren) must not be confined to a hospital on the enrollment date, or at home for any medical reason or be
receiving or entitled to receive disability income for any medical reason on the date the coverage is scheduled to
become effective.
BUSINESS TRAVEL INSURANCE
Harvard provides free Business Travel coverage if you die or are seriously injured or disabled as the result of an
accident that occurs while you are traveling on University business.
DESIGNATING BENEFICIARIES
You must designate a beneficiary for your life insurance coverage. In addition, you should regularly review your
beneficiaries and update to reflect any family or personal changes. Note that you are automatically the beneficiary for
the Dependent Life Insurance coverage(s).
You can designate beneficiaries online by going to mybenefits.metlife.com. Once there:
1. Type Harvard University in the Employer or Association box.
2. If this is your first time visiting MyBenefits, click Register and follow the prompts. If you have already registered,
click Login and login with your username and password.
3. After logging in, choose Group Life Insurance.
4. Enter details about each of your beneficiaries and print a copy for your records. Your designations will become
effective immediately.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information on life insurance, please review the Health & Welfare Summary Plan Description (SPD) and the Life
Insurance Summary and Certificate.
