Changing jobs? Questions to ask about your life insurance

A job change comes with plenty of paperwork. Add one more item to your transition list: find out what happens to any life insurance connected to your employment. Do not assume your final paycheck, final workday and coverage end date are the same.

Workplace plans differ. Some offer ways to continue coverage after employment ends; others may not. Start with your benefits administrator and insurer, using your certificate or plan documents. Protective's employer-coverage explanation emphasizes that the available options depend on the plan.

1. What coverage do I have now?

Ask for a written list of your basic, supplemental and dependent life coverage, if any. Record the insurer, coverage amount and policy or certificate reference privately. If an accidental-death benefit appears alongside life insurance, ask the administrator to explain the distinction rather than treating the labels as interchangeable.

Keep a simple transition note with four columns: item, question, person responsible and confirmed answer. An unanswered question should stay visibly unanswered.

2. What is the exact end date?

Ask when each benefit ends and what happens during any gap before a new employer's benefits begin. Request the relevant document or written explanation. Include any dependent coverage in that question instead of assuming it follows the same timeline.

If the new employer provides life insurance, separately verify enrollment requirements and the effective date. A new job offer alone does not establish when a benefit starts.

3. Can I port or convert it?

Two terms may come up:

• Portability: an option in some plans to continue coverage after leaving employment, with payments handled under the continuation arrangement.
• Conversion: an option to change eligible group coverage to an individual policy under specified rules.

These options are not interchangeable, and neither is available on identical terms in every plan. Ask which policy type, benefit amount and payment schedule would apply. Progressive's overview describes portability and conversion as possible routes, not automatic promises.

For unfamiliar vocabulary, keep our plain-English insurance terms guide nearby.

4. What must happen by the deadline?

Request the exact application deadline, first-payment deadline and submission method. Ask whether any health information or other evidence is required for the specific option. Do not substitute a deadline from an online article for the one in your own plan.

For example, MetLife's conversion guidance explains that its described conversion option has a limited application window tied to the benefits schedule. That example is a reminder to check your own documents, not a deadline for every reader.

5. What will it cost, now and later?

Ask for a written premium schedule, including any age-related changes or other adjustments. Also ask who receives the payments and how you will know the arrangement is active. Compare confirmed terms with a licensed insurance professional before deciding; this checklist does not choose among continuation, new coverage or other options for you.

Close the paperwork loop

Save the documents, submission confirmation and insurer contact information securely. Put the confirmed deadlines in your calendar. If you have not received confirmation, ask the administrator what remains outstanding rather than assuming a form submission completed everything.

Once your arrangements are clear, use our beneficiary-review checklist to check the associated records. Visit Coverage Wisely for more general education.

Coverage Wisely does not underwrite or issue insurance. This guide provides general questions, not individualized insurance, legal or financial advice. Your insurer and plan documents determine the options, conditions and coverage dates.