Insurance

UT Dallas offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to provide a variety of choices to fit your personal needs and the needs of your dependents. You are eligible for the UT Dallas benefits programs if —

  • You are not currently covered by another Texas benefit plan
  • You are appointed between 50% and 100% for no less than 4 ½ months

Please contact your Benefits Representative if you have questions or need help.

Life Event Changes

You may occasionally go through events in your life that require you to change your insurance coverage. If you experience a qualifying life event, you can change some of your benefits within 31 days of that event, so long as any changes are consistent with the event. For example, if you get married, you can add your new spouse to your coverage.

Please see below for more information, or contact your Benefits Representative. We strive to respond to phone calls and email messages within one business day, but during peak periods (the start and end of each semester, plus the month of July) it may take up to two business days to respond.

Change in Your Employment

When you (or your spouse or your child) change from part-time to full-time employment, or from non-benefit-eligible to benefit-eligible employment, you have 31 days to contact your Benefits Representative and make certain insurance changes. Your changes must be consistent with this qualifying life event, and some changes require Evidence of Insurability —proof of good health. There are more procedures for you to follow if your change involves terminating your employment with the University.

Required Documents

Benefits to Consider

You may want to review all your insurance plans when you have a change in your employment. Your Benefits Representative can help you determine which plans to enroll in, cancel, or change.

Marriage

You should contact your Benefits Representative within 31 days of you marriage to enroll you spouse and any eligible dependents (e.g.: step-children) in your insurance programs. Coverage becomes effective on either the date of your marriage or the first day of the following month. Your common-law spouse can be eligible for benefits if we have declaration of informal marriage on file.

Required Documents

Benefits to Consider

You may be able to change some of your benefits as a result of your marriage.

Divorce

Insurance coverage for your former spouse and stepchildren terminates at the end of the month in which your divorce becomes final. Within 31 days of your divorce, your former spouse must decide whether to continue his/her insurance coverage under COBRA [Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985] and/or convert any life insurance policy into an individual policy. COBRA coverage can be continued for up to 36 months.

Required Documents

  • A signed copy of your divorce decree which verifies the parties involved, the date of your divorce, and includes all signatures
  • Enroll Online through My UT Benefits
  • A Personal Data Form (PDF [Portable Document Format File] ) for changing our record of your marital status, and if necessary, your new contact information
  • A copy of your new Social Security card if your name changes
  • Any Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO [Qualified Medical Child Support Order] ) that was part of the divorce proceedings
  • A COBRA [Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985] application for any former dependents you wish to enroll —please read our COBRA [Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act] Coverage Information and contact your Benefits Representative for a copy

Benefits to Consider

You may elect to change some of your benefits as a result of your divorce.

Adding a Dependent Child

You have 31 days from the date that a new child (under 26 years old for medical insurance; under 25 years old for all other insurance) joins your family to meet with your Benefits Representative and add him/her as a dependent on your policies. Coverage is not applied automatically. Once enrolled, your child’s coverage begins on the first day of the month following the date of the qualifying life event (e.g.: your child’s birth, your child’s adoption, the date you assume legal guardianship). Coverage for adopted children, legal wards, or grandchildren must be approved by Human Resources.

Required Documents

  • Your child’s birth certificate or legal guardianship papers
  • Your marriage certificate if you are adopting step-children
  • A Special Dependent Form for step-children, adopted children, and legal guardianships —please contact your Benefits Representative for a copy
  • Enroll Online through My UT Benefits

Benefits to Consider

You may want to change some of your benefits as a result of gaining a new dependent.

When a Dependent Child Loses Coverage

You must notify your Benefits Representative within 31 days of your formerly dependent child becoming ineligible for coverage under your insurance. Your child becomes ineligible when he/she —

  • Turns 26 (for medical insurance)
  • Turns 25 (for all other insurance)
  • Gets married (for all other insurance)

Insurance coverage for your formerly dependent child terminates at the end of the month in which the qualifying life event occurs. Your child must decide whether to continue his/her insurance coverage under COBRA [Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985] . COBRA coverage can be continued for up to 36 months.

Required Documents

Benefits to Consider

You may want to change some of your benefits as a result of your formerly dependent child becoming ineligible for coverage under your insurance.

Active Military Duty

When You Are Called to Active Military Duty

As you make decisions about your insurance, please be aware that your medical plan might exclude benefits for any injuries you sustain while on active duty.

While on military Leave Without Pay you can continue your insurance coverage for yourself and/or your covered dependents, but you must pay the portion that is usually paid by the state, as well as any out-of-pocket expenses. If your total monthly premium is not paid when it’s due, your coverage will be cancelled. If your final paycheck does not cover your insurance deductions, you must submit a payment or your coverage will be cancelled.

Required Documents

When Your Dependent is Called to Active Military Duty

If your dependent is called to active military duty, he/she no longer meets the definition of an eligible dependent, and you must drop your dependent from all your coverage.

When your dependent is discharged from active military duty, if he/she still meets the definition of an eligible dependent (e.g.: under 25 years old, unmarried), you may reinstate him/her on all coverage for which your dependent was previously enrolled. Please contact your Benefits Representative for more information.

Required Documents

Work-Related Injury

The Department of Environmental Health and Safety manages the UT System Workers Compensation program in compliance with with the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act and provides guidelines for filing claims and receiving treatment.

Please contact the EH&S [Environmental Health and Safety] Office of Risk Management if you are injured on the job and need to file a claim.

Disability

If you enrolled in our Short Term Disability (STD [Short Term Disability] ) or Long Term Disability (LTD [Long Term Disability] ) insurance, and you become temporarily or permanently unable to work due to a physical or mental disability, you can file an insurance claim. Approved claims can pay up to 60% of your regular earnings.

Important Terms

  • Date of Loss

    The date of you debilitating accident, or of your first absence day due to your disability

  • Short Term Disability Elimination Period

    14 days, or the exhaustion of your sick days, whichever is longer

  • Long Term Disability Elimination Period

    90 days, or the exhaustion of your sick days, whichever is longer

Short Term Disability

If you enrolled in STD [Short Term Disability] insurance and will miss 30 or more days of work due to a disability, you should file a Short Term Disability claim.

What You Need to Do
  1. Contact your supervisor to report your first day of absence. If you know about your absence in advance, such as in the case of a pregnancy, notify your supervisor at least 30 days before.
  2. Contact Dearborn National to obtain a claim number and the appropriate claim forms. If you know about your absence in advance, notify Dearborn National up to two weeks in advance.
  3. Contact your Benefits Representative with any questions you might have.
  4. Keep your supervisor apprised of your recovery.
What You Can Expect

If your claim is approved:

  • You will be informed of the amount of your benefit.
  • The date when you will be expected to return to work will be clarified.
  • Dearborn National will assign you a claim professional, who will periodically check on your progress and will discuss how your return to work can meet your functional limitations.
  • Your STD [Short Term Disability] benefits will be limited to a maximum of 22 weeks.
  • If you are enrolled in STD [Short Term Disability] insurance and miss 90 or more days of work due to a disability, your existing claim will automatically transition to a Long Term Disability, but additional documents may be required.
When You’re Ready to Return…

Notify your supervisor and Dearborn National.

Benefits to Consider

Long Term Disability

If you enrolled in LTD [Long Term Disability] insurance and will miss 90 or more days of work due to a disability, you should file a Long Term Disability claim.

What You Need to Do
  1. If you are enrolled in Short Term Disability insurance and miss 90 or more days of work due to a disability, your existing claim will automatically transition to a LTD [Long Term Disability] , but additional documents may be required. If you are not enrolled in STD [Short Term Disability] , contact your Benefits Representative do you can file a claim on paper.
  2. Contact your supervisor and your Benefits Representative as soon as you are aware that you will be out of work for 90 or more days.
  3. Your Benefits Representative will provide Dearborn National with claim forms that must be completed and returned to Human Resources.
  4. Keep your supervisor apprised of your recovery.
    5. What You Can Expect

    If your claim is approved:

    • You will be informed of the amount of your benefit.
    • The date when you will be expected to return to work will be clarified.
    • Dearborn National will assign you a claim professional, who will periodically check on your progress and will discuss how your return to work can meet your functional limitations.
    When You’re Ready to Return…

    Notify your supervisor and Dearborn National.

    Benefits to Consider

Leave Without Pay / Leave Of Absence

Please contact your Benefits Representative about the continuation of your insurance coverage under situations that require you to take a leave without pay / leave of absence.

Retirement

The UT Benefits Handbook for Retired Employees can help answer many questions about the UT Retirement Program, including questions about retiree insurance, insurance for your spouse, the State’s share of your premiums, and your monthly payments. Please contact your Benefits Representative with any other questions you might have.

Required Documents

Enroll Online through My UT Benefits

Death

Please contact a Benefits Representative to report the death of an employee, a retiree, or one of his/her dependents. When you do, please provide —

  • The social security number of the deceased
  • The date when the deceased passed away
  • The name and contact information for the deceased’s next of kin

Death of an Employee or Retiree

A Benefits Representative can help the deceased’s surviving dependents review their insurance benefits, advise them of their options, and help them with filing an insurance claim and filling out the necessary forms.

Any life insurance proceeds are payable to the deceased’s named beneficiaries.

Surviving dependents may be eligible for continuing insurance coverage if they pay for it at full cost —the State premium contribution will have ended. If a surviving dependent cancels his/her insurance during the annual enrollment period, or just stops paying for it, he/she may not re-enroll in that plan.

What Employees and Retirees Can to Do Today

Keep your beneficiary designations up-to-date:

Required Documents

Filing an insurance claim:

  • A certified copy of the death certificate

Continuing coverage for surviving dependents:

Benefits to Consider

Notify the deceased’s retirement providers:

Death of a Dependent

The death of one of your dependents may change your insurance benefits, and if he/she was covered under a group life insurance plan, you may be eligible for death benefits.

Required Documents
Benefits to Consider