Apply for optional life insurance coverage: government employees
Apply for optional life insurance coverage for you, your eligible spouse and eligible dependent children if you’re an employee of the Government of Nova Scotia. Optional life insurance is not mandatory. It’s in addition to the coverage in your basic employee life insurance plan.
Use the Optional Group Life Insurance Application Form to apply for employee, spouse or child optional life insurance coverage.
Your payments
The optional group life insurance is paid 100% by you through payroll deductions while you’re actively at work. Contact the Benefits Unit for your payment options if you're on an unpaid leave of absence.
Applying within 60 days
Employee optional life - For new Government of Nova Scotia employees or employees applying within 60 days of their eligibility date, coverage is automatically approved as of the date of eligibility.
Spouse optional life - For new employees or employees adding additional coverage for an eligible spouse or dependent at a later date, $50,000 is evidence-free (medical questionnaire about their health status isn’t required) if they apply within 60 days of the eligibility date. For amounts over $50,000, the Benefits Unit sends you a Health Statement Form to complete. You need to send it directly to Sun Life Financial for approval. The coverage comes into effect on the date Sun Life Financial confirms approval.
Applying after 60 days
Employee and dependent optional life - For those applying after 60 days of a life event (see My Life Events in the My Employee Benefits Booklet), all amounts require approval. The Benefits Unit will send a Health Statement Form for you to complete. You need to send it directly to Sun Life Financial for approval. The coverage comes into effect on the date approval is confirmed by Sun Life Financial.
Actively at work
You need to be actively at work for coverage to become effective.
Eligibility
You can apply if you’re an eligible employee of the Government of Nova Scotia or participating member employer.
Eligible employees include:
- civil service employees
- Order in Council and ministerial appointees
- members of the Executive Council
- employees of participating member employers
- Members of the Legislative Assembly
- members of NSGEU Civil Service Bargaining Unit
- members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 1867 – Nova Scotia Highway Worker’s Union
How to apply
- Complete the application form.
- Send your completed application by mail, fax or email.
- Provide a copy of the completed application to your employer.
How long it takes
Employee and child optional life insurance coverage is approved and effective from the date of eligibility for new employees and employees applying within 60 days of their eligibility date. Coverage is effective from the date it’s approved by the insurer for applicants applying after 60 days. It can take longer if more information is needed or if your form hasn’t been filled in correctly.
Up to $50,000 of spouse optional life insurance coverage is approved and effective from the date of eligibility for new employees and employees applying within 60 days of their eligibility date. Requests for amounts over $50,000 are effective from the date it’s approved by the insurer. For applicants applying after 60 days, the full amount of coverage is effective from the date it’s approved by the insurer. It can take longer if more information is needed or if your form hasn’t been filled in correctly.
Cost
There is no cost to apply, but there are premiums associated with additional coverage.
Payment options
For employees actively at work, payment of premiums is made by payroll deduction. For employees on an approved leave and eligible to continue benefits, payment is required in full and in advance of the leave by postdated cheques or money order.
Before you start
Make sure you have:
- employee identification number
- reviewed and understood the information on eligible dependents or additional approvals required for dependents (for example, disabled dependents or grandchildren)
Application form
You can use the Group Optional Life Insurance Application Form to apply for coverage through Employee Self Service (ESS). If you’d like to receive a paper application by mail, contact the Benefits Unit.