Edit by LM 11/6/26

Voluntary Benefits
Open Enrollment

Learn what's new and how to make changes during the annual enrollment for Voluntary Benefits for all employees.
Effective as of January 1, .

Overview

Voluntary benefits offer you the opportunity to enroll in optional benefits like life, disability, and critical illness insurance. Enrollment in any voluntary benefits plan is optional—choose only the plans and coverage levels that meet your and your family’s needs.

All eligible employees of the State of Alaska and participating political subdivisions are eligible to participate in open enrollment. Eligibility may vary based on bargaining unit (within the State of Alaska) and employer (for political subdivisions), and is divided into two benefit offerings:

  • Group Life is available to most employees of the State of Alaska and participating political subdivisions. Group Life includes:
    • Employer-paid benefits like Basic Life and Travel Accident Insurance that are available automatically at no cost to you
    • Employee-paid Select Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance that you can choose to elect during Open Enrollment
  • Voluntary Supplemental Benefits (VSB) is available to most employees of the State of Alaska and participating political subdivisions under the Supplemental Benefit System. VSB includes:
    • Supplemental Life for you as the employee, with the option to add Supplemental Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance for yourself and your family
    • Spouse Supplemental Life
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    • Child Supplemental Life, with a flat premium regardless of the number of children enrolled
    • Critical Illness Insurance for yourself and your family
    • Short-Term Disability Insurance
    • Long-Term Disability Insurance

Visit the Group Life and VSB webpage webpage for eligibility rules and detailed information about each benefit.

Enroll Now

2027 Highlights

Dependent Life Insurance Plans

In 2026, the State of Alaska introduced two new dependent life insurance plans, Spouse Supplemental Life and Child Supplemental Life, to eligible employees of the State of Alaska and participating political subdivisions. These plans are intended to protect your family after an unexpected loss, and are available regardless of whether you enroll in Supplemental Life Insurance for yourself.

  • Spouse Supplemental Life Insurance
    Employees have the option to elect life insurance for an eligible spouse in $10,000 coverage increments ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Proof of health may be required.
  • Child Supplemental Life Insurance
    Employees have the option to elect life insurance for eligible children in coverage increments of $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, and $20,000. You can cover all of your eligible children under the same Child Life plan, with no extra premiums for additional children. No proof of health is required.

Short-Term Disability

Short-Term Disability Insurance protects you in the event of a brief absence from work due to disability. It can also fill in the 180-day waiting (elimination) period before Long-Term Disability benefits begin. You may elect the Short-Term Disability plan alone or with one of the Long-Term Disability plans.

Your Short-Term Disability benefit payments will begin on the later of:

  • Seven days of disability (benefits begin on the eighth day)
  • The date you stop receiving paid leave More information below

Asterisk information Please note that payments from other income sources, like personal leave or workers’ compensation, can reduce any Short-Term Disability benefit you are entitled to. This means that if you have accrued a high balance of unused hours in your leave bank, the Short-Term Disability plan may not be the best option for you. Please review your situation carefully so you can make the decision that is best for you and your family.

You can find more information about the disability insurance plans in the Supplemental Disability Insurance Overview section webpage of the Group Life and VSB webpage or in the Disability Insurance (ben044) brochure PDF .

For more information about these and other voluntary benefits, visit the Group Life and VSB webpage webpage.

Group Life and VSB Premiums

There have been no changes to the premiums for any of the life, disability, or critical illness plans in 2027. Although the rates have not changed, your individual premiums for 2027 may be different from the premiums you paid in 2026 if your salary has changed or if you have moved into a different age bracket.

2027 Group Life and Voluntary Supplemental Benefits Premiums

Open Enrollment Information

You can change or enroll in your voluntary benefit options during an open enrollment period or within 31 days of a qualified status change (for example, employment changes or family changes like marriage or the birth of a child). Simply click the “Enroll Now” button at the top of this page.

You can select from the following voluntary options:

  • Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
    • Select Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
    • Supplemental Life Insurance
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    • Supplemental Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (if Supplemental Life is also elected)
  • Dependent Life Insurance
    • Spouse Supplemental Life Insurance
    • Child Supplemental Life Insurance
  • Disability Insurance
    • Short-Term Disability
    • Long-Term Disability
  • Critical Illness Insurance

Please note that upon hire, you are automatically enrolled in employer-paid benefits, which may include Basic Life, Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), and Basic Travel Accident, depending on your employer. If provided, these benefits are offered to you premium-free by your employer. You will not need to enroll in these benefits separately, but you will need to enter your beneficiaries for Basic Life in the enrollment system when you elect your other benefits.

To learn more about each of these employer sponsored benefits, please visit our Group Life and VSB webpage.

Getting Prepared Before You Enroll

Taking time now to review your options ensures you’re making informed choices that support your health, finances, and future.

  • Review your options, including any changes in premiums or benefits. Think about what options will work best for you and your family in the upcoming year.
  • Log in to the Voluntary Benefits enrollment system to review your dependents/beneficiaries and ensure the information is still accurate.
  • Log in to the Voluntary Benefits enrollment system to review and make any necessary changes to your benefits.
  • If you do not participate in this year’s Open Enrollment period, your current elections will roll over to the 2027 plan year.

    Please note: If you have not registered with Benefitfocus website previously, or if you have not logged in since May 27, 2026, you will need to register to review your current elections and make your elections for next year. To register, you will need to enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and full name, then authenticate your account via phone, email, or by requesting a PIN be mailed to you if no phone or email are available. Your authentication code will be sent to you by Voya on behalf of Benefitfocus. If you have questions about registration or about the enrollment process, Benefitfocus can be reached by telephone at between the hours of 4 a.m. and 4 p.m. Alaska Time or by e-mail at .

Changing your coverage before Open Enrollment ends

You may change your mind about any benefit choices as long as you re-enroll in your final choices before the enrollment deadline. Remember, each time you re-enroll, a new enrollment is processed. The previous enrollment will no longer exist. Make sure to re-select each of your elections and print your confirmation page for your records.

Changing your coverage after Open Enrollment ends

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After Open Enrollment ends at 5 p.m. on the last day of the enrollment period, you will not be able to make changes to your benefits unless you have a qualified life event. Make certain you have elected coverage that is the right fit for you and your eligible dependents.

After open enrollment, you can only make changes in conjunction with a qualified status change or other applicable event. Examples can include a change in your employment, legal marital status, or the birth of a child.

For a complete list, see the eligibility provisions in the specific MetLife Insurance Certificate. You must make changes and report most qualifying status changes or other applicable events within 31 calendar days from the event.

Page Last Modified: 11/06/26 13:53:26