Voluntary Life & Disability

The University offers the following optional benefits to all regular, full-time and regular, part-time employees to supplement employer-sponsored coverage. Benefits are voluntary and 100% employee paid. Enrollment will be effective date of election, assuming any required medical evidence of insurability has been submitted to and approved by The Standard.

How To Enroll: Login to Benefitfocus in MyBama to initiate enrollment in the plan.

Carrier Information: The Standard
Customer Service: 855-757-4714

InfoBeneficiary Required

All employees enrolled in voluntary life insurance coverage through The University of Alabama must provide beneficiary information in Benefitfocus in order for The Standard to administer the benefit appropriately upon death.


Voluntary Life Insurance

Additional life insurance coverage can help defray the loss of income and help your family maintain the household and cover unexpected expenses in the event of your death.

Eligible employees have the option of purchasing additional term life insurance of 1 to 5 times your basis annual earnings (BAE) rounded to the nearest $1,000, OR in $50,000 increments, to the lesser of 5x BAE and a maximum of $1,400,000. For your spouse, you may elect the lesser of the employee’s voluntary life amount and $150,000 (in $10,000 increments). For your dependent child(ren), you may elect $10,000 for children up to age 26.

Life insurance premiums are subject to the following rates per $1,000 in coverage:

Employee’s AgeMonthly cost per $1,000 of Employee Life CoverageMonthly cost per $1,000 of Spouse Life Coverage
Under 25$0.036$0.036
25 – 29$0.045$0.045
30 – 34$0.054$0.054
35 – 39$0.071$0.071
40 – 44$0.091$0.091
45 – 49$0.136$0.136
50 – 54$0.208$0.208
55 – 59$0.359$0.359
60 – 64$0.553$0.553
65 – 69$0.993$0.993
70+$1.722$1.722
Cost for all eligible children$0.90 per month for $10,000

check markGuaranteed Issue

The policy is guaranteed to be issued for new employees, without any evidence of insurability, who elect the lesser of 3 times their salary or $500,000 if the application is approved during the first 60 days of employment. Guaranteed issue for spouse life is $30,000; any excess will be subject to medical underwriting.

Accelerated Benefits Option: You can receive up to 80% of your Voluntary Life insurance coverage amount to a maximum of $500,000 in the event that you become terminally ill and are diagnosed with less than 12 months to live.

Waiver of Premiums for Long-Term Disability: Your life insurance coverage can be continued at no cost to you should you become unable to work due to total disability.

Voluntary Life Forms and Resources:


Voluntary Accidental Death & Dismemberment

This benefit provides eligible employees additional Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage with a minimum coverage of $25,000. The maximum amount you can receive is the lesser of 10 times base annual earnings and $500,000. Additional coverage can help defray the loss of income and help your family maintain the household in the event of your death. You may choose coverage for yourself, your spouse and/or your dependent child(ren) under the Family Plan.

  • If you cover your Spouse and Dependent Child(ren): Spouse = Covered at 40% of your coverage amount; Child(ren) = 10% of your coverage amount
  • If you cover Spouse only = 50% of your coverage amount
  • If you cover Child(ren) only = 15% of your coverage amount
Benefit AmountMonthly Cost
Individual/Employee Plan
($0.014 per $1,000)
Monthly Cost
Family Plan
($0.019 per $1,000)
$25,000$0.35$0.48
$50,000$0.70$0.95
$75,000$1.05$1.43
$100,000$1.40$1.90
$125,000$1.75$2.38
$150,000$2.10$2.85
$175,000$2.45$3.33
$200,000$2.80$3.80
$225,000$3.15$4.28
$250,000$3.50$4.75
$275,000$3.85$5.23
$300,000$4.20$5.70
$325,000$4.55$6.18
$350,000$4.90$6.65
$375,000$5.25$7.13
$400,000$5.60$7.60
$425,000$5.95$8.08
$450,000$6.30$8.55
$475,000$6.65$9.03
Max $500,000$7.00$9.50

Voluntary AD&D Forms and Resources:


Voluntary Short-Term Disability Insurance

The University of Alabama offers a voluntary, short-term disability plan to all full-time employees sponsored by The Standard Insurance Company. Short-term disability compliments the employer-sponsored long term disability benefit. Only regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in this post-tax, 100% employee-paid benefit.

Eligible employees may choose between the following two plan options:

Plan OptionsOption 1Option 2
Elimination/Benefit Waiting Period14 days29 days
Maximum Benefit Period76 days61 days
Maximum Benefit per week (based on age and salary)$1,000$1,000

Benefit Amount: The plan pays 60% of your current salary (up to a maximum of $1,000 per week) if you become temporarily disabled and unable to work for a short period of time due to illness/pregnancy or accident. If your claim is approved by The Standard, benefits are payable beginning on the 15th or 30th day from the date of disability depending on your applicable benefit waiting period listed in the table below. After 90 days of payments, if you are unable to return to work, you will be automatically transitioned to UA’s long term disability (LTD) benefit.

STD Premium RatesOption 1
(14-day waiting period)
Option 2
(29-day waiting period)
< 54$0.18$0.13
55 – 59$0.24$0.17
60 – 64$0.29$0.21
65 – 69$0.31$0.23
70 – 74$0.35$0.26
75+$0.39$0.28

Premiums: Monthly premiums are calculated based on salary and age using this formula:

Weekly Earnings x 0.60 x Rate per $10 of weekly benefit / 10 = Estimated Monthly Premium

Premium Calculation Example: John is a 35-year-old employee with an annual salary of $60,000 who elects STD Option 1. What is his premium? $60,000 / 52 weeks = $1,153.85 weekly earnings x 60% = $692.31 x $0.18 (rate for Option 1, Age < 54) / 10 = $12.46 per month

exclamationLate Enrollment Penalty

New employees have 60 days from date of hire to enroll in the short-term disability plan without penalty. Employees who enroll after this initial new hire enrollment period will be subject to a late enrollment penalty with a 60-day extended elimination/benefit waiting period for the first 12 months of coverage. Thereafter, the applicable benefit waiting period of 14- or 29-days will apply.

Deductible Income Limitations: In order to receive benefits once disabled, the employee requesting short-term disability benefits must be in an unpaid status with The University. For example, an employee cannot receive a wage benefit under The University’s OJI program and short-term disability at the same time. An employee also cannot use accrued sick leave once STD payments begin, however, sick leave may be used during the 14- or 29-day waiting period. Your benefits will be reduced if you have other deductible income, which is income you receive or are eligible to receive while receiving Short Term Disability benefits.

Initiate Claim: Call The Standard’s Claim Intake Service Center at 800-378-2395Review the Frequently Asked Questions document for additional information. You will be asked to provide the following information:

  • Employer name: The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
  • Group Policy: 643197
  • Name and Social Security number
  • Last day you were at work
  • Nature of claim/medical information
  • Physician’s contact information (name, address, phone and fax number)

Short-Term Disability Forms and Resources: