When your job ends, the life insurance you had through work usually ends too, often on your last day or at the end of that month. Many people only find out when they need it. Florida law gives you a short window to keep coverage without answering health questions: 31 days. This page shows your deadline and helps you decide whether to convert or buy new coverage.
What the 31-day window gives you
- No health questions. You can convert your group coverage to an individual policy without proving you are insurable, if you apply and pay the first premium within 31 days after your coverage ends.
- Up to the amount you lose. The individual policy can be for up to the amount of group coverage that ended.
- Priced at your age today. The premium is the insurer’s regular rate for your current age and the policy form you choose. Many plans do not allow converting to term, so conversion policies are usually permanent and cost more.
- Protection during the window. If you die during those 31 days, the amount you could have converted is paid as a claim under the group policy, even if you had not applied yet.
Source: Fla. Stat. 627.566 and 627.568, for group policies governed by Florida law. Plans issued in other states follow their own rules, and some plans also offer “portability” (keeping term coverage at group rates). Check your certificate of coverage or ask HR.
Your deadline
Enter the date your group life insurance ends and the amount you had.
Your deadline
| Last day to apply for conversion (31 days) | |
|---|---|
| Most you can convert without health questions |
What to consider
Under Florida law (Fla. Stat. 627.566-627.568), a group life policy lets you convert to an individual policy without evidence of insurability if you apply and pay the first premium within 31 days after your coverage ends; if you die during those 31 days, the amount you could have converted is paid under the group policy. Policies issued in other states follow their own rules, and some plans also offer "portability". Check your certificate or ask HR. This tool does not give prices.
Convert, or buy a new policy?
If you are healthy
A new level-term policy often costs much less than a conversion policy. Apply right away: underwriting can take several weeks. If the new policy will not be approved before day 31, convert as a backup, then cancel the conversion once the new policy is in force.
If you have health conditions
Conversion may be the only way to keep coverage at a standard price. Apply before your deadline. You can still compare private coverage later and replace the conversion policy if you are approved for something better.
If your employer’s whole plan ends
If the company ends the group policy itself (for example, in a closure), Florida’s conversion right is narrower: it applies to people insured under the plan for at least five years, and the plan may cap the converted amount at $10,000 (Fla. Stat. 627.567). New coverage is usually the better route.
Frequently asked questions
Does COBRA cover my life insurance?
No. COBRA continues group health coverage, not group life insurance. Life coverage has its own conversion or portability rules.
Does severance keep my life insurance going?
It depends on your plan. Some employers keep you covered while you are still on payroll; others end coverage on your last day of work. Ask HR for the exact date your life coverage ends, because your 31 days start then.
What about my spouse’s or children’s coverage?
Dependent life coverage through work usually ends at the same time. Ask HR whether it can be converted, and include your family when you compare new coverage.
For HR teams and outplacement firms
Departing employees rarely hear about the 31-day window in time. We provide a free one-page handout that explains the deadline for exit packets: download the English handout (PDF) or the Spanish handout (PDF). Print as many copies as you need. We are an independent agency and compare coverage across multiple carriers. Contact us.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Your certificate of coverage controls your rights.
Contact Lifeworth Insurance
Lifeworth Insurance Agency
2881 E Oakland Park Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
(954) 834-5433 · contact@lifeworthinsurance.com