Eligibility for Guardian Group Insurance Plans Life, Long-Term Disability, Accident Indemnity, Hospital Indemnity, and Dental Insurance

Who is Eligible for Guardian Group Insurance Plans?

  • Ministers and staff of Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations and certain affiliated organizations
  • UU Community Ministers affiliated with a congregation
  • Employees must work at least 750 hours per year (15 hours per week) and receive a W-2 are eligible to participate

Dependent Eligibility

  • Dependent coverage is available for dental, life, accident indemnity, and hospital indemnity coverage only
  • Dependents include:
    • Spouse/partners
    • children and children of spouse/partners up to age 26 for dental insurance
    • unmarried children up to age 22, or age 25 if full time students for life insurance

Domestic Partner Eligibility/Definition

  • Domestic partner must have 3 of the following:
    • Domestic partner agreement or proof of registry with a domestic partner registry
    • Joint mortgage or lease
    • Designation of one of partners as beneficiary in other partner's will
    • Durable property and health care powers of attorney
    • Joint title to an automobile or joint back account or credit account
    • Such other proof as is sufficient to establish economic interdependency under the circumstances of the particular case
    • These must also be true:
      • Unmarried, at least 18 years of age, resides with the other partner and intends to continue to reside with the other partner for an indefinite period of time
      • Is not related to the other partner by adoption or blood
      • Is the sole domestic partner of the other partner and has been a member of this domestic partnership for at least 6 months
      • Agrees to be jointly responsible for the basic living expenses and welfare of the other partner
      • Meets the requirements of any applicable federal, state or local laws or ordinances for domestic partnerships which are currently enacted, or which may be enacted in the future
  • To be eligible for dependent coverage, proof that dependents meet the above criteria may be required.

When Can an Eligible Employee Enroll in Life, LTD, Accident, and Hospital Coverage?

Eligible employees must enroll within the first 60 (sixty) calendar days from date of hire for Life and LTD coverage. If this deadline is missed, medical evidence of insurability is required and must be approved by Guardian's underwriters. Enrollment is not guaranteed after the first 60 days of employment.

Employees who did not apply for Life/LTD coverage during their first 60 (sixty) calendar days from date of hire may contact insuranceplans@uua.org to inquire about submitting evidence of insurability for underwriting approval.

There is no Open Enrollment period for either Life and LTD, so it is important that you continue to enroll staff in these very important benefits within their first 60 days of hire. Late enrollment can be complicated, and will require medical evidence of insurability, which can be difficult to meet.

Accident Indemnity Enrollment is open year-round, and employees can enroll at any time by completing the Benefit Enrollment Form.

Hospital Indemnity Enrollment does have an Open Enrollment period, and employees can enroll in Hospital Indemnity coverage during Open Enrollment, November 1-30.

General Information

  • There is no waiting period before eligible employees may enroll. New employees must enroll within 60 days of their hire date. Coverage is effective on the day after the form is received by the Insurance Plans Coordinator.
  • The contract with our insurer, Guardian Life Insurance Company, requires employers who offer coverage to offer both Life and LTD insurance to all eligible employees.
  • There is no requirement for employers to pay for the coverage for their employees. Employees may choose to elect only life or LTD, but both plans must be offered. If coverage is waived at time of enrollment, medical evidence of eligibility must be submitted for underwriting approval before coverage can be added at a later time.

Additional Dental Plan Enrollment Information

Employee with a Qualifying Event for Dental Insurance?

The Dental plan (only) has annual Open Enrollment.

Interested in new retiree dental enrollment?