Designate a beneficiary

Note: This article is for HR Admins. If you're not an HR Admin and want to learn more about the beneficiary form process, see Download your beneficiary or Evidence of Insurability (EOI) forms.

When an employee enrolls in Life Insurance they have the right to designate their beneficiaries. These are the people who will receive the Life or Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit pay-outs. It is very important for employees to keep their beneficiary designations up-to-date.

As a plan administrator, you can encourage employees to complete and submit their beneficiary designation forms whenever they enroll with a new insurance carrier, or if they experience a significant life change and want to change their beneficiaries.

What is the beneficiary designation process for employees after enrollment?

After open enrollment, League will reach out to all employees in your group with instructions on how to complete and submit their beneficiary form. The beneficiary form can often be found in the “Documents & Forms” section of the League platform once an employee’s plan becomes active.

Employees must:

1. Download the beneficiary form.

2. Complete the form in ink.

Note: Some carriers are starting to approve digital signatures. You can check your carrier's beneficiary form to confirm whether it must be signed in ink.

3. Submit the form to League.

Employees can either scan or photograph the completed beneficiary form and upload it to the “Documents & Forms” section of the League platform.

What happens if an employee doesn’t designate a beneficiary?

If a signed and dated beneficiary form isn't available or up-to-date, the carrier may need to pay the benefit to the estate. This causes delays in paying out the benefit and means estate taxes will be deducted. Ultimately, the beneficiaries will receive less money than what they're entitled to.

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