The State of Alaska Voluntary Supplemental Benefits (VSB) plan includes life insurance (including accidental death and dismemberment), critical illness, and long- and short-term disability plans. The VSB plan is administered by MetLife and enrollment is managed by Benefitfocus.

Ready To Enroll? Click Here

For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Contact Information

MetLife Customer Service Contacts

• General:
• Life Claims:
• Disability Claims:
• Website: Metlife External link to Metlife

MetLife is here to support all your VSB needs. Learn about each benefit by visiting metlife.com/stateofalaska External link to metlife.com/stateofalaska . There you will find in depth plan information and a helpful video about these benefits. If you have questions about your VSB options or claims, please contact MetLife.

Benefitfocus Contact Information

• Phone:
• Email:
• Website:Benefitfocus External link to Benefitfocus
• Benefitfocus Enrollment Guide Benefitfocus Enrollment Guide PDF

Benefitfocus offers benefits administration on a single platform, simplifying benefit enrollment for everyone. They also provide a mobile app for accessing your benefit information on the go. For enrollment assistance, please contact Benefitfocus.

You can view the full list of Key Contacts and Resources for MetLife and Benefitfocus here Key Contacts and Resources for MetLife PDF .

Plan Documents and Premiums

MetLife Insurance Certificates

• Basic Life Insurance with Accidental Death and Dismemberment Basic Life Insurance with Accidental Death and Dismemberment PDF
• Select Life Insurance with Accidental Death and Dismemberment Select Life Insurance with Accidental Death and Dismemberment PDF
• Supplemental Life Insurance Supplemental Life Insurance PDF
• Short Term Disability Short Term Disability PDF
• Long Term Disability Long Term Disability PDF
• Critical Illness Critical Illness PDF

Premium Sheet

• Voluntary Supplemental Benefit Premiums Voluntary Supplemental Benefit Premiums PDF

Informational Videos

Eligibility

The following employees are eligible to participate in Voluntary Benefits:

• State employees except members of:
  • Labor, Trades and Crafts (LTC) Unit
  • Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS)
  • On-Call Employees
  • Temporary Legislative Employees
  • Employees of the National Guard (including Emergency Guard)
  • Short-Term Non-Permanent Employees
  • Student Interns
  • Leased Employees
  • Emergency Employees Hired for Natural Disasters, including Emergency Firefighters
• Employees of a participating political subdivision covered under the terms of the political subdivision’s participation agreement.

Some benefits (Supplemental Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Critical Illness Insurance) allow you to enroll dependents in the plans. Eligible dependents include:

• Your spouse
• Your child, including:
  • Your natural child, adopted child (including a child from the date of placement with the adopting parents until the legal adoption) or stepchild; unmarried foster child who resides with you and who is supported by you; a child for whom you are the legally appointed guardian who resides with you and who is supported by you; and who, in each case, is under age 26.

Enrollment in any plan is optional—choose only the plans and coverage levels that meet your needs. Premiums are paid through payroll deductions and are subtracted from gross wages before taxes are deducted—an added advantage to the plan.

Please note, some tax restrictions apply for life insurance premiums.

State of Alaska employees and eligible employees of participating Political Subdivisions are automatically enrolled in Basic Life, Basic Dependent Life, and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D).

Eligibility

Basic Life, Basic Dependent Life, and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage is provided free of charge to permanent and long-term nonpermanent full-time and part-time employees and full-time seasonal employees of the State of Alaska and to eligible employees of participating political subdivisions.

Basic Life Insurance

The amount of your benefit is determined by your bargaining unit. Current benefits are as follows:

• $2,000 Basic Life

  • Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA)
  • International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots (MMP)
  • Inlandboatman’s Union Representing the Unlicensed Marine Unit (IBU)
  • Public Safety Employees Association & Airport Security Officers (PSEA)

• $10,000 Basic Life

  • Alaska Correctional Officers Association (ACOA)
  • Alaska Public Employees Association/Supervisory Unit (APEA)
  • Alaska Vocational Technical Center Teachers’ Association (AVTECTA)
  • Confidential Employees Association (CEA)
  • General Government Bargaining Unit (ASEA)
  • Teachers’ Education Association of Mt. Edgecumbe (TEAME)
  • Labor, Trades and Crafts Unit (LTC)
  • Partially Exempt and Exempt

Basic Dependent Life Insurance

The Basic Life Insurance plan provides a lump sum payment in the event of the death of an eligible dependent. Coverage is as follows:

Death of...	Coverage
Spouse	$1,000
Child - 14 days old, but less than 6 months old	$100
Child - 6 months old, but less than 2 years	$200
Child - 2 years old, but less than 3 years old	$400
Child - 3 years old, or older	$500

Basic Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance

In addition to Basic Life coverage, all employees automatically receive Basic AD&D benefits which are payable for losses that occur within 100 days of an accident and as a result of accidental bodily injury, independent of all other causes, for loss of life, or loss of both hands, both feet, sight of both eyes or any such combination. One-half of the full amount is payable if you lose one hand, one foot, or the sight of one eye.

Loss of...	Coverage
Life	$5,000
Loss of a hand permanently severed at or above the wrist	$2,500
Loss of a foot permanently severed at or above the ankle	$2,500
Loss of sight in one eye	$2,500
Loss of any combination of hand, foot, and sight in one eye	$5,000

Premiums

Premiums are employer paid. No cost to you.

Coverage Begins

Coverage begins on the 31st consecutive calendar day of employment. Leave without pay taken within the first 30 days of employment may postpone the coverage until you are in pay status for 30 consecutive days.

Coverage Ends

The last day of the month in which:

• Pay status ends, or
• Employment terminates

Continuation/Conversion

Basic Life is convertible/portable through MetLife.

All employees are automatically enrolled in Travel Accident Insurance at no cost to the employee, and are provided coverage while in authorized travel status on official state business.

Benefit Amount

Travel Accident is a State paid group term accidental death insurance that provides coverage for employees who are in travel status on authorized State business. It pays $75,000, $100,000 or $200,000 (depending on bargaining unit) to your beneficiary if you die accidentally. Travel Accident has a traditional Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) component based on covered losses. Current benefit levels are as follows:

• $75,000

  • Marine Engineers' Beneficial Association (MEBA)
  • International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots (MMP)
  • Inlandboatman’s Union Representing the Unlicensed Marine Unit (IBU)

• $100,000

  • Labor, Trades and Crafts Unit (LTC)

• $200,000

  • Alaska Correctional Officers Association (ACOA)
  • Alaska Public Employees Association/Supervisory Unit (APEA)
  • Alaska Vocational Technical Center Teachers’ Association (AVTECTA)
  • Public Safety Employees Association & Airport Security Officers (PSEA)
  • Confidential Employees Association (CEA)
  • General Government Bargaining Unit (ASEA)
  • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers (TEAME)
  • Partially Exempt and Exempt
  • Boards and Commissions

Premiums

State-funded. No cost to you.

Coverage Begins and Ends

Starts at date of hire and ends on the last day of employment.

Continuation/Conversion

None available.

In addition to your automatic enrollment in the Basic Life, Basic Dependent Life, and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance funded by the State, you have the option of choosing voluntary life insurance to increase your coverage. There are two optional employee-paid life insurance options, Select Life and Supplemental Life. Eligible State employees are eligible to enroll in either or both of these plans, while most political subdivisions have elected to offer only one of these plans to employees. To determine which plan you are eligible for, contact your employer or log in to the Benefitfocus enrollment platform to review the available elections.

The table below provides a brief comparison of the two life insurance plans. For more detailed information about each plan, see the sections below for Select Life and Accidental D&D Insurance, Supplemental Life, and Supplemental Accidental AD&D.

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As an eligible employee, you may choose to enroll in Select Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance. Enrollment may occur at time of hire (within 30 days), or during open enrollment. Select Life and AD&D will cover only you as the employee.

Eligibility

Eligibility for enrollment in the Voluntary Supplemental benefits can be reviewed above under Important Information. Please note that only some political subdivisions have elected to participate in the Select Life Insurance plan. To determine whether your employer offers this benefit, please contact your employer directly or log in to the Benefitfocus enrollment platform to review the available elections.

Benefit Amount

• An amount equal to your basic annual earnings, rounded to the nearest $1,000, up to a maximum of $100,000 for Correctional Officers, Supervisory and Confidential Unit employees and up to $60,000 for all others.
• Pays double the benefit amount if death is accidental.

Note: If you are enrolled in Select Life and you experience a change in bargaining units that impacts your benefit maximum (for example, if you change bargaining units from a General Government Unit position with a maximum of $60,000 to a Supervisory Unit position with a maximum of $100,000), you will need to log in to Benefitfocus to re-elect your Select Life benefit with the new benefit maximum. You will receive an email from Benefitfocus reminding you to re-enroll.

Select Life coverage includes AD&D benefits which are payable for losses that occur within 100 days of an accident and because of accidental bodily injury, independent of all other causes, or for loss of life. Coverage is as follows:

Loss of...	% of Maximum Coverage Payable
Life	100%
Loss of a hand permanently severed at or above the wrist	50%
Loss of a foot permanently severed at or above the ankle	50%
Loss of sight in one eye	50%
Loss of any combination of hand, foot, and sight in one eye	100%

Premiums

• Post-tax
• Based on age and wage when hired.
• Updated with age and wage annually each January 1.

2025 SELECT LIFE AND AD&D RATES
Age	Monthly Cost per $1,000
Under 30	$0.03
30-39	$0.04
40-44	$0.06
45-49	$0.09
50-54	$0.13
55-59	$0.19
60-64	$0.28
65-69	$0.41
70-74	$0.91
75 & Over	$1.14
To determine your monthly premium, find your age as of January 1, 2025, the amount of insurance elected, and the corresponding premium on the chart.
Effective date: January 1, 2025

Coverage Begins

Your coverage begins on the 31st day of work, assuming you have not taken leave without pay (LWOP). If there are breaks in coverage due to LWOP or if coverage is not elected within first 30 days, other effective dates may apply.

Continuation/Conversion

If you participated in the State’s Select Life Insurance Plan as an active employee, you may elect to continue this coverage at the time you are appointed to receive a retirement benefit from the Public Employees’, Teachers’, Judicial, or Elected Public Officers’ Retirement Systems. If you are eligible and elect this coverage at retirement it will be called Optional life. There are differences in the Optional life coverage.

Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) Plan members are not able to continue Select Life as Optional Life, however it is possible to elect to continue Select Life through conversion or portability. Once a member has separated from employment (regardless of retirement plan), information will be sent by mail from MetLife regarding portability and conversion options.

For more information, check out the Applying For Retirement page.

As an eligible employee, you may choose to enroll in Supplemental Life Insurance that can provide even more benefits you may want to enroll in. Enrollment is optional, pays in a lump sum, and only covers the employee.

If you elect Supplemental Life Insurance, and your combined coverage amount under all life insurance plans exceeds $50,000, the portion of the premiums for the coverage over $50,000 is taxable.

Eligibility

Eligibility for enrollment in the Voluntary Supplemental benefits can be reviewed above under Important Information. Please note that only some political subdivisions have elected to participate in the Supplemental Life Insurance plan. To determine whether your employer offers this benefit, please contact your employer directly or log in to the Benefitfocus enrollment platform to review the available elections.

Benefit Amount

Supplemental life insurance is available in the following volumes:

• $10,000
• $50,000
• $100,000
• $200,000
• $300,000

Evidence of Insurability (Statement of Health)

When electing Supplemental Life coverage, you may be required to provide evidence of your insurability, also known as a Statement of Health. A Statement of Health is required if:

• You are newly eligible and electing a benefit amount over $100,000.
• You are increasing your coverage during Open Enrollment or following a Qualifying Life Event (marriage, birth, adoption) and you elect to increase your coverage by more than one level (i.e. from $10,000 to $100,000) or to any amount over $100,000.
• You are electing coverage for the first time during Open Enrollment or following a Qualifying Life Event after not electing coverage when you were first eligible.

You can find the Statement of Health form in the Benefitfocus enrollment portal when you elect coverage requiring this form to be submitted. If you have questions after submitting the form, you can call the MetLife Statement of Health Unit at (prompt 1).

Premiums

2025 SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE INSURANCE RATES
Age	Monthly Cost per $1,000
Under 30	$0.03
30-39	$0.03
40-44	$0.05
45-49	$0.07
50-54	$0.12
55-59	$0.18
60-64	$0.25
65-69	$0.40
70-74	$0.80
75 & Over	$1.28
To determine your monthly premium, find your age as of January 1, 2025, the amount of insurance elected, and the corresponding premium on the chart. Evidence of Insurability is required for $200,000 and $300,000.
Effective date: January 1, 2025

Conversion/Portability

If you terminate employment or coverage, you have the option to continue Supplemental Life through conversion or portability. Once a member has separated from employment, information will be sent by mail from MetLife regarding portability and conversion options.

Additional supplemental Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance can be added to your Supplemental Life Insurance. If you enroll in a minimum of $10,000 of Supplemental Life Insurance, you can elect Supplemental AD&D to cover you (employee only) or you and your dependents (employee and family). This plan pays benefits if your death or dismemberment is caused by an accident. It pays in a lump sum, with the benefit dependent on loss and family structure.

Eligibility

Eligibility for enrollment in the Voluntary Supplemental benefits can be reviewed above under Important Information. Please note that only some political subdivisions have elected to participate in the Supplemental Life Insurance plan, including the option to elect Supplemental Accidental Death and Dismemberment. To determine whether your employer offers this benefit, please contact your employer directly or log in to the Benefitfocus enrollment platform to review the available elections.

Benefit Amount

Supplemental Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance is available in the following volumes:

• Employee has a full benefit amount of $100,000
• If family includes spouse and children:
  • Spouse has a full benefit amount of $40,000
  • Children have a full benefit amount of $5,000
• If family includes spouse but no children:
  • Spouse has a full benefit amount of $50,000
• If family includes children but no spouse:
  • Children have a full benefit amount of $10,000

Premiums

2025 Accidental Death & Dismemberment
Option	Monthly Cost
Employee Only	$1.20
Employee and Family	$1.90
Your monthly premium is based on whom you elect to cover: JUST you, or you AND your family.
Effective date: January 1, 2025

Benefit Payouts

2025 Supplemental AD&D Payouts
For the loss of...	The plan will pay...
Life	Full Benefit Amount
Both eyes, feet, or hands, or any combination thereof	Full Benefit Amount
One eye, one foot, or one hand	1/2 of full benefit amount
Thumb and index finger of same hand	1/4 of full benefit amount
Effective date: January 1, 2025

Your Basic Life Insurance as well as your optional Select Life and Supplemental Life Insurance plans include additional benefits available through MetLife, collectively called MetLife Advantages. These benefits include:

• Grief Counseling: Provided through your Basic Life coverage, this service provides you, your dependents, and your beneficiaries with up to 5 confidential in-person or telephone counseling sessions and related concierge services per event to help cope with grief or mourning — no matter the circumstances — whether it’s a death, an illness or a divorce. Grief Counseling sessions and related services provide valuable, confidential and professional support during a difficult time to help address personal and funeral planning needs at no extra cost. Call or visit External link to metlifegc.lifeworks.com (Username: metlifeassist; Password: support). You can also review the MetLife Funeral Planning Guide here External link to MetLife's Planning a Funeral Guide .
• Face-to-Face Will Preparation Services: Provided if you enroll in Supplemental Life or Select Life, this service provides access to an attorney to help you or your spouse create a will or living will, modify an existing will and create a power of attorney document. In addition, you may access an attorney as many times as you need to make updates to these documents. Reimbursement is also available for out-of-network attorneys with set fees. Call .
• Face-to-Face Estate Resolution Services: Provided if you enroll in Supplemental Life or Select Life, this service provides your beneficiaries and executors/administrators access to face-to-face legal representation for probating your and your spouse’s estates. Probate services include preparation of documents and representation at court proceedings needed to transfer the probate assets from the estate to the heirs, and completion of correspondence necessary to transfer non-probate assets. Call .
• WillsCenter.com: This service offers an online document preparation service that can help you or your spouse prepare a will, living will, power of attorney and HIPAA authorization form. The site is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and requires a simple one-time registration. Visit External link to www.willscenter.com .

To learn more about these services and other benefits available through MetLife Advantages, click External link to MetLife Advantages here .

The State of Alaska is pleased to offer you an opportunity to enroll in the Critical Illness Supplemental Insurance plan that can pay a lump sum upon certain diagnoses. Diagnoses include cancer, heart attack, major organ transplant, kidney failure, Alzheimer’s disease, and other illnesses.

MetLife Critical Illness Insurance can complement existing medical coverage and help fill financial gaps caused by out-of-pocket expenses such as mortgage payments, college tuition, hiring household help, or treatment not covered by your medical plan.

Critical Illness Insurance provides several features that could be valuable to you, including:

• No coordination with other insurance benefits
• A lump-sum benefit that you can use as you feel necessary
• Benefits are paid regardless of what is covered by medical insurance

You can elect one of 2 levels of coverage: $15,000 or $30,000.

If you elect dependent coverage, your spouse and/or child(ren) will be eligible for a benefit amount equal to 50% of your initial benefit amount, provided your dependent is not subject to a medical restriction as outlined in the certificate of coverage.

Covered Conditions:

2025 Critical Illness Plan Design
Benefit for Covered Conditions	Initial Benefit	Recurrence Benefit
Alzheimer's Disease	100% of Benefit Amount	NONE
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft	100% of Benefit Amount	50% of Benefit Amount
Full Benefit Cancer	100% of Benefit Amount	50% of Benefit Amount
Partial Benefit Cancer	25% of Benefit Amount	12.5% of Benefit Amount
Heart Attack	100% of Benefit Amount	50% of Benefit Amount
Kidney Failure	100% of Benefit Amount	NONE
Major Organ Transplant	100% of Benefit Amount	NONE
Stroke	100% of Benefit Amount	50% of Benefit Amount
Effective date: January 1, 2025

Listed Conditions

A Covered Person may only receive one benefit payment for a Listed Condition in his/her lifetime. Refer to your Certificate or Outline of Coverage for additional details. The Listed Conditions are:

• Childhood Diseases: cerebral palsy, cleft lip of cleft palate, cystic fibrosis, diabetes (type 1), down syndrome, sickle cell anemia, spina bifida
• Infectious Diseases (must be confined in a hospital for 5 consecutive days for treatment of the condition): bacterial cerebrospinal meningitis, COVID-19, diphtheria, encephalitis, Legionnaire’s disease, malaria, necrotizing fasciitis, osteomyelitis, rabies, tetanus, tuberculosis
• Progressive Diseases: adrenal hypofunction (Addison’s Disease), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s Disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, Parkinson’s (advanced), poliomyelitis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)

Benefit Suspension Period

After a covered condition occurs there is a 90-day Benefit Suspension Period during which most plans do not pay Recurrence benefits. The 90-day Benefit Suspension Period does not apply to first occurrences of distinct covered conditions; in that case, a 30-day suspension period applies.

Health Screening Benefit

A Health Screening Benefit is a feature of your MetLife Critical Illness Insurance that rewards individuals for participating in covered health screenings and tests, encouraging members to proactively manage their health by promoting overall wellness and early detection of health issues. If you or your covered dependents take one of the screening/prevention measures listed below while insured under the certificate, MetLife will pay a health screening benefit of $50 per covered person per year once your claim is approved.

The Covered Tests are: routine health check-up exam, biopsies for cancer, blood chemistry panel, blood test to determine total cholesterol, blood test to determine triglycerides, bone marrow testing, breast MRI, breast ultrasound, breast sonogram, cancer antigen 15-3 blood test for breast cancer (CA 15-3), cancer antigen 125 blood test for ovarian cancer (CA 125), carcinoembryonic antigen blood test for colon cancer (CEA), carotid doppler, chest x-rays, clinical testicular exam, colonoscopy, complete blood count (CBC), coronavirus testing, dental exam, digital rectal exam (DRE), Doppler screening for cancer, Doppler screening for peripheral vascular disease, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram (EKG), electroencephalogram (EEG), endoscopy, eye exams, fasting blood glucose test, fasting plasma glucose test, flexible sigmoidoscopy, hearing test, hemoccult stool specimen, hemoglobin A1C, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, immunization, lipid panel, mammogram, oral cancer screening, pap smears or thin prep pap test, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, serum cholesterol test to determine LDL and HDL levels, serum protein electrophoresis, skin cancer biopsy, skin cancer screening, skin exam, stress test on bicycle or treadmill, successful completion of smoking cessation program, tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), thermography, two hour post-load plasma glucose test, ultrasounds for cancer detection, ultrasound screening of the abdominal aorta for abdominal aortic aneurysms, virtual colonoscopy.

MetLife will only pay one health screening benefit per covered person per calendar year. Your health screening needs to be completed before the end of the year.

Filing a Claim

File your claim for a Critical Illness or Health Screening Benefit by visiting MyBenefits.MetLife.com . If you haven’t already, you can register for MyBenefits and easily file a claim once registered. An overview of MyBenefits can be found External link to the overview video here . Once your claim is approved, MetLife will issue your benefit payment within a few days.

2025 Supplemental Critical Illness
Age	Tiers				Rate Basis (multiply by $15,000 or $30,000)
	Employee Only	Employee + Spouse	Employee + Children	Employee + Spouse & Children
Under 25	$0.19	$0.33	$0.36	$0.50	Per $1,000/mth
25-29	$0.21	$0.35	$0.37	$0.52	Per $1,000/mth
30-34	$0.29	$0.48	$0.45	$0.64	Per $1,000/mth
35-39	$0.41	$0.67	$0.58	$0.84	Per $1,000/mth
40-44	$0.63	$1.00	$0.79	$1.17	Per $1,000/mth
45-49	$0.95	$1.50	$1.12	$1.66	Per $1,000/mth
50-54	$1.39	$2.17	$1.55	$2.33	Per $1,000/mth
55-59	$1.95	$3.05	$2.12	$3.21	Per $1,000/mth
60-64	$2.82	$4.40	$2.99	$4.57	Per $1,000/mth
65-69	$4.27	$6.65	$4.44	$6.81	Per $1,000/mth
70 & Over	$6.49	$10.04	$6.66	$10.21	Per $1,000/mth
Example with $15,000 of coverage: A 24-year-old who elects Employee and Spouse ($0.33) at $15,000 has a premium of $4.95 monthly. Example with $30,000 of coverage: A 24-year-old who elects Employee and Spouse ($0.33) at $30,000 has a premium of $9.90 monthly.
Effective date: January 1, 2025

Important Note: Your Critical Illness certificate provides limited benefits – please read your certificate carefully. Critical Illness insurance is intended to supplement, and is not a substitute for, comprehensive medical coverage. At the time of enrollment, you will be provided with additional enrollment documentation and will be asked to acknowledge that you have received and read the applicable resources.

The Short-Term Disability plan and the Long-Term Disability plan are designed to replace a portion of your income if you become disabled and are unable to work due to illness or injury. You may choose to enroll in both the short-term plan and one of the long-term plans, or you may choose to enroll in only one plan, the short-term plan or one of the long-term plans.

Disability insurance protects your most valuable financial asset—your ability to work and earn an income. It ensures that if you are not able to work due to an injury or illness, you will still have an income source. It protects you, your family, and your future from suffering financial disaster if an unexpected illness or injury occurs.

• Today’s 20-year-old has a 3 in 10 chance of becoming disabled before retirement age.
• Nearly 1 in 7 working age people will be disabled for 5 years or more prior to age 65—that number increases to nearly 1 in 5 for ages 35 to 65.
• Over 36 million Americans are classified as disabled and 50% of them are in their working years.

Disability insurance pays benefits if you are totally disabled. During years one and two of Long-Term Disability you must be unable to perform the duties of your current job. After 2 years you must be unable to perform any job.

Important Note: Supplemental Disability Insurance is important for members of the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) and Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) Defined Contribution Plan (DCP) tiers, PERS Tier IV and TRS Tier III. While the Defined Benefit tiers have disability provisions for non-occupational disabilities, PERS Tier IV and TRS Tier III have no provisions.

By replacing a portion of your income while you’re disabled, you’re protected against the losses that can occur when your paycheck stops. It is comprehensive—covering you both on and off the job.

Limitations and Exclusions

The disability plans include exclusions for conditions resulting from certain circumstances, for example, a disability resulting from war, self-inflicted injury, participation in a riot, or commission of a felony. Similarly, there may be limitations to the benefit amount you can receive if your disability results from substance abuse or certain mental and nervous disorders or diseases. For a full list of limitations and exclusions, review the certificate for your disability plan(s).

Other Income Reductions

The disability plans pay benefits after deducting other income benefits, for example, Social Security benefits, a state or public retirement or disability plan like the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) or Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment Insurance, etc. Please refer to the certificate for your disability plan(s) for the full list of income which will reduce your disability benefit.

Note: The disability plans will also deduct paid leave you receive through your employer. This means that you will not be able to receive a benefit while you are still receiving paid leave. If you have an extensive leave balance available through your employer, these plans, particularly the Short-Term Disability Plan, may not be the right fit for you. Please review your circumstances carefully before making your enrollment decision.

If you receive “other income” in a single lump sum, your benefit amount will be adjusted, however the amount of the adjustment will not result in a benefit amount less than the minimum amount, except in the case of an overpayment. The disability carrier will have the right to make retroactive adjustments for any lump sum payments received from a retroactive award.

Other income that is not deducted from the disability benefit includes:

• SBS Annuity payments
• Deferred Compensation
• Reasonable attorney fees for awards and/or settlements
• Mortgage disability insurance
• Non-voluntary early retirement
• Veteran’s benefits
• Accelerated death benefit payments
• Amounts rolled over to a tax-qualified plan and not taken while benefits are being paid

When you consider whether to purchase disability insurance, you must first consider the benefit you would receive. If you have other income, you should review and ask yourself, could you live on your retirement, savings, or other assets alone?

Payments are Taxable

Since these disability plans are part of the Voluntary Benefits program, you have the advantage of paying for coverage with earnings deducted from your salary before federal income taxes are withheld. That reduces the cost of your coverage. Due to these tax advantages, however, disability benefit payments you receive from the plans are subject to federal income tax.

Filing a Claim

It is recommended that you apply for disability benefits under these plans within 14 days for Short-Term Disability and 12 weeks for Long-Term Disability, but no later than one year after the date you become totally disabled.

The carrier, at its own expense, has the right to examine you if you have filed a claim. Examinations may be made as often as they are reasonably required during the period for which you claim benefits.

The carrier also has the right to recover any overpayment of disability benefits either directly from you or by deduction from your future monthly benefit payments.

Short-term disability (STD) protects you in the event of a brief absence from work. It can also fill in the waiting (elimination) period before long-term disability benefits begin.

Effective January 1, 2024, STD benefits can begin after you’ve been disabled and off work for seven days, and you are not in pay status from accrued or donated leave. Effective January 1, 2023, there are no pre-existing condition limitations in the Short-Term Disability plan.

Benefit Amount

Your weekly benefit will be 60% of the first $962 of your pre-disability earnings, subject to income which will reduce your disability. The maximum weekly benefit is $577, and minimum is $25.

Premiums

2025 Short-Term Disability Rates
Who is Covered	Monthly Cost
Employee	$3.06
Covers 60% of your monthly gross pay, up to a maximum of $577/week. Every employee who elects this benefit pays the same premium.
Effective date: January 1, 2025

Coverage Begins

If you become disabled while enrolled in the Short-Term Disability plan, benefits will begin the seventh day of a disability absence. A “disability absence” is any absence from work caused by an injury or a disease. To receive benefits, you must first submit medical certification of your disability from your physician. You cannot be receiving paid leave.

Duration of Payments

Benefits may be paid for a period of disability of up to 180 days beginning on the date you are first disabled, or until Long-Term Disability benefits commence, regardless of whether full benefits have been realized.

Recurring Periods

One “period of disability” may include more than one disability absence. Disability absences due to the same or related causes and separated by less than 60 days of full-time work will be considered to be the same period of disability.

Pregnancy Coverage

For more information, read our Voluntary Supplemental Benefits Disability Insurance brochure and MetLife's Frequently Asked Questions About Pregnancy .

Benefit Amount

Depending upon which LTD plan you are enrolled in at the time of your disability, your monthly benefit will equal either 50% or 70% of your monthly base pay, reduced by any “other income.” “Monthly base pay” is your pay of record on October 1 preceding the benefit year in which your disability occurs. Adjustments may be made for part-time, seasonal, or newly-hired employees.

• 50% Plan: Your monthly benefit will be 50% of the first $16,000 of your pre-disability earnings, subject to income which will reduce your disability benefit. The maximum monthly benefit payable is $8,000, and the minimum monthly benefit is $100 per month. Appropriate adjustments will be made for partial months.

• 70% Plan: Your monthly benefit will be 70% of the first $11,429 of your pre-disability earnings, subject to income which will reduce your disability benefit. The maximum monthly benefit is $8,000, and minimum monthly benefit is $100.

Pre-Existing Conditions

Pre-existing condition means a sickness or injury for which, in the 3 months before you became insured under the certificate, you:

• received medical treatment, consultation, care, or services; or
• took prescribed medication or had medications prescribed.

Illnesses that occur in the first 12 months of coverage due to the preexisting condition are excluded.

Premiums

Your premium is based on your age and monthly base wage. Your wage is updated as of October 1 for the benefit year that begins the following January 1. Your premiums will be calculated when you elect this benefit through the Benefitfocus enrollment portal. You will have the opportunity to review the benefit and premium before submitting your elections.

If you are disabled, benefits are calculated at 50% or 70% of your base wage, depending on the plan you select. The maximum monthly benefit is $8,000. Some other types of income (see above) are deducted from this amount before your benefits are paid. If other income reduces your benefit to less than $100, the plan will pay the minimum $100 monthly benefit.

2025 Long-Term Disability Rates
Age	Premium per $100 of Wage
	Plan B (50%)	Plan C (70%)
Under 25	$0.18	$0.41
25-29	$0.19	$0.41
30-34	$0.19	$0.42
35-39	$0.20	$0.43
40-44	$0.20	$0.46
45-49	$0.23	$0.49
50-54	$0.23	$0.54
55-59	$0.27	$0.59
60-64	$0.28	$0.59
65-69	$0.28	$0.61
70 & Over	$0.35	$0.74
Effective date: January 1, 2025

To determine your monthly premium, divide your monthly wage by 100 and multiply the result by the monthly premium for your age group.

Example: If your gross pay is $2,000 monthly and you are 54, the cost for Plan B is $4.60 per month (2,000 ÷ 100 = 20 x $0.23 = $4.60). Premiums are determined by your pay of record on October 1 for the benefit year beginning on the first day of the following January.

Coverage Begins

Benefits will begin after you have completed a six-month waiting period of total disability. This waiting period begins on the day you are both totally disabled and under the care of a physician. You will be considered disabled no earlier than 31 days before the date you are first seen and treated by a qualified physician for the cause of your disability.

Duration of Payments

Initially to receive benefits from this plan, you must be disabled from performing the duties of your current job. After 2 years you must demonstrate an inability to perform any job. You must be under the care of a licensed physician, and must be certified as disabled.

Provided you remain permanently disabled from performing any job, benefits will end the later of your normal retirement age, or the period shown below:

2025 Long-Term Disability Benefit Period
Age at Disability	Duration of Benefit Payments
Under 60	To age 65
61	48 months
62	42 months
63	36 months
64	30 months
65	24 months
66	24 months
67	18 months
68	18 months
69	18 months
70 & Over	12 months
Effective date: January 1, 2025

Recurring Periods

Once a period of total disability has ended, any new period of disability will be treated separately. Two or more separate periods of total disability that occur while you are covered under this plan and resulting from the same or related causes will be considered as one period if they are separated by less than three months.

Beginning August 1, 2023, employees have access to the State of Alaska’s discount (10%) with MetLife Pet Insurance. Each policy is individualized, and MetLife Pet Insurance is the place to go with any and all questions related to this benefit.

Please reach out directly to MetLife for all questions related to Pet Insurance. Their friendly pet advocates are here to help you get on the right track!

MetLife Pet Insurance

• Phone:
• Email:
• Website:
  • General: External link to metlifepetinsurance.com metlifepetinsurance.com
  • Get a quote and/or enroll: External link to metlife.com/getpetquotemetlife.com/getpetquote
  • Log in to your pet account: External link to mypets.metlife.com/Account/Loginmypets.metlife.com/Account/Login

You can also log in to your Benefitfocus Marketplace account and access the MetLife pet insurance enrollment page through your profile.

In case you didn’t already know, MetLife is one of the largest providers of pet insurance in the United States with approximately 7,200 group policies and 80,000 individual policies in-force. MetLife’s pet insurance product offers a slate of benefits that can be customized for each individual policy holder. A member can choose from several benefit reimbursement levels, deductible amounts, annual benefit limits, and more. Coverage provisions could include:

• Up to 100% reimbursement for veterinarian costs including medications,
• The choice to visit any licensed US veterinarian,
• 24/7 access to telehealth concierge service,
• Optional preventive care coverage,
• Coverage of pre-existing conditions,
• Veteran’s discount,
• Family plans that cover multiple pets on one policy,
• 100% policy portability if an employee leaves state/poli-sub service

The program is 100% financially supported by member-paid premiums. All policies purchased through the State’s partnership with MetLife will receive a 10% discount on your monthly premiums and are eligible to receive a preexisting condition waiver. Premiums are unique for each animal based on breed, age, location, and selected coverage amounts and will be paid directly to MetLife.

Check out these resources to learn more about MetLife Pet Insurance:

• How Pet Insurance Works
• Coverage and Exclusions
• Is Pet Insurance Worth It?
• Pet Insurance FAQ's
• How to Enroll Video
• How to Enroll Guide

The MetLife Pet app is available to all MetLife Pet Insurance policyholders and can be downloaded for free directly from the Apple App Store and Google Play.