When your child reaches age 22 (or marries before age 22) he or she is no longer eligible to be covered under your life insurance family enrollment, except as indicated below. This is true even if your child is still in school. If your child is no longer eligible for coverage and was your only covered family member, you must submit an Life Insurance Election Form, SF 2817, to your Benefits Contact to cancel the Option C-Family coverage. The change is not automatic.
Your unmarried dependent child age 22 or over is eligible to be covered under Option C if he/she is incapable of self-support because of a physical or mental disability that existed before the child reached age 22. Your child age 22 or over may be considered incapable of self-support only if his/her physical or mental disability is expected to continue for at least one year and, because of the disability, he/she isn't capable of working at a self-supporting job. To apply to continue your child’s coverage beyond age 22 due to a disability, you must provide a medical certificate from your child’s doctor. Questions should be directed to your Benefits Contact.
To determine if you have Option C-Family, review your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) or your Leave and Earnings Statement in myPay. If your two-digit life insurance code ends in number 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, then you are carrying Option C. Loss of coverage due to marriage or reaching age 22 does not afford one the opportunity to convert Option C to an individual policy.
If you have specific questions, please notify your Benefits Contact or AskBenefits@nih.gov.