Modified Open Insurance Enrollment

Enroll between Sept. 1 and Midnight, Oct. 31, 2023

Protect yourself, your loved ones, and your paycheck during this limited-time opportunity.

The world and the way you live can change at any time and that is why the PEF Membership Benefits Program (PEF MBP) is affording you this special opportunity to protect your most valuable asset—your paycheck and what you love most—your family. PEF MBP insurances allow you to protect your loves ones and your income, should the unexpected happen to you and you are no longer able to support your family.

Between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31, 2023, you have the chance to enroll and/or increase your existing coverage in any one or all of our insurances:

  • Short-Term Disability
  • Long-Term Disability
  • Group Term Life

. . .  with no medical questions asked, up to the amounts approved for this modified open enrollment period.1

Don’t miss the opportunity to take advantage of the Modified Open Enrollment. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.

What is Modified Open Enrollment?

Modified open enrollment is a limited period of time when you have the opportunity to enroll and/or increase your level of coverage in any one (1) or all three (3) of the payroll deducted insurance programs (Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Group Term Life Insurance) provided by PEF MBP in partnership with Sun Life. Whether you are enrolling for the first time, or you are increasing your existing coverage, you can do so with no medical questions asked, up to the amounts approved under the modified open enrollment¹. No medical questions asked, means you do not need to provide a completed medical questionnaire with your enrollment form.

Enrollment and increased coverage details:

Short-Term Disability:

  • New enrollees may elect coverage up to the amount approved for this modified open enrollment—$400 weekly
  • Members already enrolled, can elect to increase coverage by up to two levels, up to a maximum coverage of $700 (ex: $300 to $500, $400 to $600, and $500 to $700)

Long-Term Disability:

  • New enrollees may elect coverage at 50% of their current monthly income, up to $7,500 per month
  • Members already enrolled, can elect to increase their coverage from 50% to 60% of their current monthly income, up to $7,500 per month

Group Term Life:

  • New enrollees may enroll in the program at $20,000, or 1 times their basic earnings
  • Members already enrolled, may increase their coverage by one level, up to 5 times their basic annual earnings, up to a maximum of $600,000
  • Members, once enrolled, may enroll their spouse/domestic partner for $20,000 of coverage
  • Members who have a spouse/domestic partner already enrolled, may increase their current coverage by one level, up to a maximum of $100,000 (ex: $20,000 to $50,000, $50,000 to $75,000, or $75,000 to $100,000)
  • Members, once enrolled, may enroll their dependent child(ren) at $15,000 per child
View the MOE allowances

Who is eligible?

All active, dues-paying PEF members can take advantage of the insurances made available through the PEF MBP and Sun Life.

Not yet a PEF member?

Join PEF Now

Why Enroll in These Valuable Insurance Offerings?

  • New York State Civil Service employees are not eligible for New York State Disability Benefits Law Coverage. Therefore, as a state employee, you must seek out other sources for your disability coverage. PEF MBP provides Short-Term and Long-Term disability insurances for PEF members at affordable rates.
  • To protect your paycheck so if you are out of work, you have insurance to help cover your bills and expenses.
  • To prepare for illness, injuries, pregnancy.
  • To plan ahead, so if the unexpected happens, and you can’t be there for your family, you have protected your family and their quality of life.
  • PEF MBP administers and takes special care to oversee the policies and does what is needed to assist PEF members and their families who are filing claims.

The world and the way you live your life can change at anytime. Don’t wait until something happens as it will be too late. Now is the time to enroll/or increase existing coverage in the insurances you need. The younger you are when you enroll, the less expensive your coverage will be. You must be enrolled in a disability insurance prior to becoming ill, injured, or becoming pregnant.

About PEF MBP Insurances

What is disability insurance?

Disability insurance pays a portion of your income if you can’t work for an extended period due to a surgery, pregnancy, unexpected illness, or injury. The chance of missing months or years of work because of an injury or illness may seem remote, especially if you’re young and healthy. However, according to the Social Security Administration, more than one in four 20-year olds will experience a disability for 90 days or more before they reach the age of 67.  Many people shrug off the risk because they think about worst-case scenarios like spinal cord injuries, or terrible accidents. But back injuries, fractures, pregnancies, illnesses, and more lead to most disability claims. Nearly 90% of disabilities aren’t work-related.2 If you receive a paycheck, it’s time to protect your hard-earned income with Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability insurance.

Short-Term Disability insurance: a policy that offers you income protection to help cover monthly expenses, or shared debt (such as mortgages, rent, utilities, or car loan) if you’re unable to work for up to 26 weeks because of a total disability due to illness, injury, or pregnancy. Don’t rely solely on vacation days, sick pay, or your hard-earned savings to cover all your expenses while disabled. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that you need to plan for the unexpected and the chance you may become disabled and need disability insurance to protect your income.

Learn more about STD

Long-Term Disability insurance: provides a monthly benefit if you are out of work longer than 6 months due to a covered disability. You can receive coverage of up to 50% or 60% of your salary, to a maximum of $7,500 per month, giving you the financial support you need so you can focus on getting better and back to work. Coverage begins after a 6 month elimination period which is the amount of time you must be disabled before the benefit becomes payable. In addition to cancer and mental health issues, injuries and musculoskeletal diseases are among the top reasons for long-term disability claims.

Learn more about LTD

Do you have the resources today to cover your expenses for weeks, months, or even longer? Your most valuable asset isn’t your house, car, retirement account, or any other large asset you own. It’s the ability to make a living. However, most individuals don’t insure their most valuable asset—their ability to earn a paycheck.

According to a recent Consumer Disability Awareness Study, just 10% of Americans have purchased insurance coverage in case of a disability, while 78% of Americans said they would feel devastated if disabled and unable to work.3

What is Group Term Life insurance?

Do you have a plan in place to protect your loved ones should the unexpected happen and a death occurs? No one likes to think about the unexpected, but that is life. No matter what stage of life you’re in, life insurance helps protect what you love about life—your family.

If you have a family or spouse who depends on you for financial support, or if a spouse works at home providing your family with such services as childcare, cooking, and cleaning (services that cost money to replace), then you should look into life insurance. Life insurance is a smart addition to any financial plan as it will provide protection and financial support for your family when you can’t be there—and they need it most. Life insurance helps to maintain your family’s quality of life, the life you would want them to have. Life insurance can can be used to replace your income, cover burial expenses, pay off a  mortgage, credit cards, student loan debt, and more.

Are you single? With no life insurance, who will pay for your funeral? Do you have debt in excess of your assets? Is it possible your health will deteriorate due to a history of heart disease or cancer? Without life insurance, your parents or siblings might be burdened by financial obligations should the unexpected happen.

With Group Term Life insurance your family receives a payment based on the coverage option you choose ($20,000 minimum, up to 5 times your basic annual earnings). Coverage is also available for your spouse/domestic partner and dependent child(ren) when you elect coverage for yourself.

Learn more about GTL

For More Information

For information regarding your current coverage, or this special modified open enrollment:

  • Call (800) 767-1840 or (518) 785-1900, ext. 243, opt. 2
  • Email the PEF MBP insurance department

To Enroll or Increase Your Existing Coverage

Take the time to download the insurance form instructions whether you are enrolling for the first time, or if you are increasing coverage in an existing plan. These instructions will help you to complete the application form properly and ensure a successful submittal.

  • To access the online insurance enrollment form, make sure you are signed into the website with your MIN. If you are not signed in, you will not see the insurance enrollment button below, that provides access to the online form.
  • Ready to enroll? Please click the button below for access to the application, or revisit the insurance information on Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Group Term Life Insurance to learn more.
  • You will not be able to successfully submit your insurance application until all required fields (indicated by a red asterisk *) are completed.
Online Form Instructions View MOE allowances

Enrolling Outside This Special Modified Open Enrollment Period

  • New PS&T Unit hires have 240 days from their new hire date to join PEF and enroll up to the maximum issue amount with no medical questions asked.¹
  • After the 240 days has passed, PEF members may apply for coverage in any of the three (3) payroll deducted insurances at any time, but must complete a medical questionnaire (Evidence of Insurability Form—EOI) with their enrollment form.
Evidence of Insurability

Additional Information, Footnotes & Disclaimers

¹If the amount you apply for exceeds the amount approved for this modified open enrollment, or if you want to elect coverage or increase coverage at a later date, you are required to complete and submit an Evidence of Insurability form (medical questionnaire), which must be approved by Sun Life prior to coverage taking effect.

2Consumer Disability Awareness Study
3Consumer Disability Awareness Study

This information is intended to provide an overview of the benefits available from your employer and is not a complete description of plan provisions. The rates shown include administrative fees. Receipt of this flyer does not certify eligibility for benefits under this plan. For complete plan details, please refer to your certificate.

The group policy provides disability income insurance only. It does not provide basic hospital, basic medical, or major medical insurance as defined by the New York State Department of Financial Services. The expected benefit ratio for this policy is 65 percent. The ratio is the portion of future premiums that the company expects to return as benefits, when averaged over all people with this policy.

The group disability policy contains limitations and exclusions that may affect benefits. Please see the certificate or ask your benefits administrator for information on Elimination Periods, Waiting Periods, and Pre-Existing Conditions limitations. Group life and disability insurance policies are underwritten by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, MI) under Policy Form Series 13-GP-LH-01, 13-LF-C-01, 13-GPPORT-P-01, 13-LFPort-C-01, 13-ADD-C-01, 13-LTD-C-01, 13-LTD-P-01, 13-STD-C-01, and 06P-NY-DBL.

1150400114 06/23 (exp. 06/24)