Life Insurance
Effective June 1, 2026, Basic Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Supplemental Life, and Dependent Life will be insured by The Hartford.
The maximum amount of Life Insurance cannot exceed a combined Basic and Supplemental Life amount of $500,000.
If you have not completed a beneficiary form in the last 3 years, we encourage you to complete a new form to ensure your intended beneciaries are listed, Life Insurance Beneficiary Form.
What is it?
When you pass away, life benefits are disbursed to your beneficiaries in a lump sum to help them pay for things like:
- Burial and final expenses
- Debts such as student and car loans, and mortgages
- Future expenses, including college tuition, rent, childcare, retirement savings or even elderly parent care
Added benefits for life insurance participants may help you better plan for today and at life’s turning points with professional assistance, including:
- An online tool for drafting your will
- Emergency travel assistance in case an accident or illness occurs while you are away
- An “Express Pay” service where, under certain conditions, death claim proceeds can be received in as little as 48 hours
- Funeral planning and cost comparison services
- Face-to-face access to an attorney or counselor to assist beneficiaries after a death
Why do I need it?
You never know what the future may hold. That’s the whole reason behind life insurance. It can’t fill your shoes, but it can be a comforting source of income and support for your loved ones if you can’t be there. Your needs may change over time, but the need to protect the important things in life won’t. Take the time to help protect what’s taken a lifetime to build.
To Learn More
Check out the Welcome Flyer or review the Life Insurance Certificates - coming soon - on the Benefit Forms, Plan Documents and Important Information page.
Beneficiaries - Have they changed?
It is important that you keep your beneficiaries up to date. Your life insurance benefits are paid to the beneficiaries listed on the last form we receive. If you are unsure who is currently listed as your beneficiaries, or it has been more than 3 years since you have completed a beneficiary form, please submit an updated beneficiary form to the HR Benefits Unit. You can update your beneficiaries at any time.
If you are unmarried, if your spouse is designated as the 100% primary beneficiary, or if your spouse is not designated as the 100% primary beneficiary, please complete the Life Insurance Beneficiary Form.
Contact The Hartford
County Employment Ending?
Your Life Insurance coverage ends at 11:59 p.m. the last day of the month on which your employment ends, or the day your benefit is terminated due to injury or illness.
When your employment with the County ends, you may be eligible to port or convert coverage for the plans in which you are enrolled. If you port or convert your policy, you will pay the entire cost of the premium, that is, the County will not contribute to the cost of the premium as it does (for Basic Life) while you are employed. Please review the documents in their entirety for details and restrictions.
Porting Coverage
For more information contact The Hartford at (877) 320-0484 or email portabilityandconversions@selmanco.com.
If you experience an eligible Port or Conversion event, you will receive information directly from The Hartford with more information.
Porting Coverage (Group Life Insurance Policy):
You will be eligible for Life Portability if you experience a loss of coverage as the result of a change in your employment status, change in marital status, you or a dependent has experienced an age reduction or maximum age limit, you have retired or you have separated employment from the County of Sonoma.
Premiums for a Life Portability policy may be higher than the County of Sonoma group policy rates and rates increase every five years (years in which your age on your birthday ends in 5 or 0, for example 45 or 50.).
Under the Portability option you may obtain a group life insurance policy to continue 50%, 75% or 100% of the amount of life insurance coverage (Basic, Supplemental, or both), including an Accidental Death benefit, that is equal to the Principal Sum which you had under the Group policy up to a maximum amount, generally $1,000,000 depending upon the provisions of the employer’s group policy.
The Portability policy provides group term coverage and is available to you provided you have not yet reached age 85. The amount of coverage you elect to port is reduced by 35% at ages 65, 70, 75; 25% at ages 80, 85, 90, 95 and coverage terminates at age 99.
Converting Coverage
Contact The Hartford directly at (877) 320-0484 or email portabilityandconversions@selmanco.com.
Converting Coverage (Individual Life Insurance Policy):
You will be eligible for Life Conversion if you experience a loss of coverage as the result of a change in your employment status, change in marital status, you or a dependent has experienced an age reduction or maximum age limit, you have retired or you have separated employment from the County of Sonoma.
You can generally convert up to the full amount of your terminating coverage. Conversion is also available to your dependents if they had coverage under the group policy. You may have the option to obtain a one year term policy prior to the permanent individual life policy becoming effective. If coverage is ending because The Hartford Group Life policy is terminating or coverage for a class of employees is terminating, some restrictions may apply.
Premiums for a Life Conversion policy are substantially higher than the employer group policy rates.
The Life Conversion option provides the opportunity for you to obtain an individual life insurance policy that accumulates cash value and is offered at individual insurance rates.
There are no mandatory age reductions and coverage can continue with premium payment until the Scheduled Maturity Date (standardly age 121) at which time the cash surrender value is paid to the insured.
More information regarding portability and conversion can be found on The Hartford’s dedicated Portability and Conversion portal.
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