Life Insurance

What is Life Insurance?

You can easily protect your family’s future, today

We've all experienced how important it is to protect the health and safety of loved ones. It's why you work hard, continue to save what you can and try your best to plan for what's next. Looking after those you care for should not be a financial burden. Now you can help ensure that future by providing your loved ones with the financial protection only life insurance offers. This way, you’ll know that the life you’re working hard to build for your family will still move forward, no matter what happens.

  • Provides your family with necessary financial protection
  • Pays a monetary benefit to your beneficiary in the event of your death
  • Money can be used for a wide variety of purposes: final expenses, income replacement, paying off mortgage and other debts, childcare/education costs, and other short- and long-term expenses

80% of people think life insurance is more expensive than it actually is.1

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Optional Life Insurance

The Optional Life coverage is a voluntary benefit in which you pay the entire premium. More details are available in the Plan Summary.

Optional Life coverage is available in amounts of $10,000 up to $300,000 in $10,000 increments.

If you are a public safety employee who scuba dives, or you fly in or pilot a helicopter as part of your job, you may elect coverage of in amounts of $10,000 up to $500,000 in $10,000 increments.

Rates shown below determine the monthly cost per $1,000 of coverage for employees. Premiums for Optional Life coverage are based on the amount of coverage you elect and your age as of January 1. These rates are guaranteed until December 31, 2022.

Dependent Spouse Life Insurance

The Dependent Spouse Life coverage is a voluntary benefit in which you pay the entire premium. More details are available in the Plan Summary.

Dependent Spouse Life coverage is available in amounts of $5,000 up to $150,000 in $5,000 increments, not to exceed 50% of your Optional Life benefits.

You cannot have duplicate life insurance coverage under the State plan. If you and your spouse are both State employees and/or retirees, you cannot be covered as a dependent of your spouse if you cover yourself for life insurance.

Rates shown below determine the monthly cost per $1,000 of coverage for spouses. Premiums for Dependent Spouse Life coverage are based on the amount of coverage you elect and your spouse’s age as of January 1. These rates are guaranteed until December 31, 2022.

Dependent Child Life Insurance

The Dependent Child Life coverage is a voluntary benefit in which you pay the entire premium. More details are available in the Plan Summary.

Dependent Child Life coverage is available in amounts of $5,000 up to $150,000 in $5,000 increments, not to exceed 50% of your Optional Life benefits.

If child’s parents are both State employees, only one parent can elect coverage.

The rate shown below determines the monthly cost of coverage for children. Premiums for Dependent Child Life covers all eligible children. The rate is guaranteed until December 31, 2022.

MetLife Advantages

Services to help navigate what life may bring, at no additional cost to you!

MetLife Advantages is a comprehensive suite of services to help guide you through life's opportunities, transitions and challenges. Certain services offered with this value-added workplace benefit may be based on the State’s benefit plan offering.

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Designating a Beneficiary

Is your life insurance beneficiary information up to date?

You should name a beneficiary for your MetLife insurance coverage(s). This ensures that MetLife will distribute the policy proceeds the way you want after your death.

If you don’t name a beneficiary, or if your beneficiary passes away before you, your life insurance proceeds will be paid in accordance with the Facility of Payment as outlined in your Summary Plan Description (SPD) for Life benefits, listed below in the following order:

  • Your spouse;
  • Your child(ren);
  • Your parent(s);
  • Your siblings; or
  • Your Estate

We encourage you to take a few minutes to review your beneficiary designations, especially after a life event, such as marriage, divorce, birth of a child, etc.

What you need to do:
Please complete the steps below to name or update your beneficiaries through MetLife’s MyBenefits website as soon as possible: 

  1. Gather the following information about each of your beneficiaries
    • For individuals, you need the beneficiary's full name, full address, phone number and date of birth.
    • For trusts, you need the trust name, address, phone number and trust date.
  2. Visit MyBenefits website and enter ‘State of Maryland’ as the Company Name
  3. Log in to your account by entering your username and password. First time users will need to click “Register Now” to choose a username and password and to establish security questions.
  4. After you log in, click “Add/Update Beneficiaries” and follow instructions to review and update.
  5. Enter details about each of your beneficiaries
  6. Print a copy of your completed beneficiary information for your records.


Changes to your beneficiary are effective immediately. You will also receive an electronic confirmation notice, which allows you to easily print a paper copy of your designations for your records.

If you don’t have access to the internet, contact MetLife at 1-866-574-2863 and request a Beneficiary Designation Form.

Life Insurance Video

Find out how Life Insurance can help protect you and your loved ones.

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Life Insurance FAQs

Everyone is different, but you probably need more than you have now. The insurance you need changes as your life changes — for example, getting married, starting a family or buying a home might change the coverage you need. Many people are surprised to learn that they don’t have enough life insurance to cover the many expenses their loved ones may face.

It’s simple to determine the amount of coverage you need now:

Go to www.lifeonlinecalculator.com to calculate how much life insurance may be right for you.

It may be less expensive than you think. MetLife’s group life insurance plans are an economical way for you to provide for your family with competitive group rates and a wide range of coverage options to choose from. Exact rates can be found in the Plan Summary.

Premiums are conveniently paid through payroll deduction, so you don’t have to worry about writing a check or missing a payment.

  • You get competitive group rates and a wide range of coverage options to choose from.
  • Proceeds are generally income tax free and can be paid to your beneficiary in a lump-sum payment. 
  • You will have the convenience of having premiums automatically deducted from your paycheck

With portability, you can take your life insurance benefits with you without a gap in coverage. You can continue your Group Life insurance coverage with MetLife should you leave your employer for any reason. Competitive rates apply but will likely be higher than your current rates. MetLife will bill you directly.2

1 LIMRA - http://www.limra.com/uploadedFiles/limra.com/LIMRA_Root/Posts/PR/LIAM/PDF/Infographic_TrueCost.pdf

2 To the maturity age specified in the certificate.

This summary provides an overview of your plan’s benefits. These benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the contract between MetLife and the State of Maryland and are subject to each state’s laws and availability. Specific details regarding these provisions can be found in the booklet certificate.

Life coverage is provided under a group insurance policy (Policy Form GPNP99/G2130-S) issued to your employer by MetLife. Life coverage under your employer’s plan terminates when your employment ceases, when your Life contributions cease, or upon termination of the group contract. Should your life insurance coverage terminate for reasons other than non-payment of premium or voluntary cancellation, you may convert it to a MetLife individual permanent policy without providing medical evidence of insurability.