Evidence of Insurability

Proof of good health, also known as Evidence of Insurability (EOI), is an application process in which you provide information on the condition of your health and/or your dependent’s health to get certain types of insurance coverage.

New Hire (Or Newly Eligible)

As a new hire (or newly eligible employee)*, you can elect up to the guaranteed issue (GI) for optional life insurance without EOI.

For optional employee life insurance, the GI is $500,000.
For optional spouse or domestic partner life insurance, the GI is the lesser of $50,000 or 50% of your optional employee life insurance.

At time of hire, you can also elect Voluntary Short-Term Disability coverage without having to submit EOI.

Amounts elected above the GI will require EOI. If you elect optional life coverage over the GI, you will be enrolled in a maximum of $500,000 or $50,000 until EOI is approved.

*If you have been rehired by the university into benefits-eligible position within 12 months of your employment separation date, you can re-enroll in optional life and disability coverage enrolled in previously, without having to submit EOI.

Qualified Life Events

If you experience certain qualified life events (e.g., marriage, birth, adoption, divorce, death of a dependent), you can elect optional employee and spouse/domestic partner life coverage up to the guaranteed issue (GI) of $500,000 for optional employee life and up to the GI of $50,000 for optional spouse/domestic partner life without EOI. Any amount elected over the GI will require EOI.

During those applicable qualifying life events, you can also elect Voluntary Short-Term Disability coverage and/or uncap basic life over $50,000 (if you previously waived coverage over $50,000) without having to submit EOI.

Annual Open Enrollment

During annual open enrollment, employees who have $250,000 or more in optional employee life insurance can increase their optional employee life coverage up to $500,000 without EOI. Employees with less than $250,000 can only increase coverage by $250,000 during annual open enrollment. Any amount over $500,000 requires EOI.

Employees can also elect up to $50K in optional spouse life insurance without EOI during annual open enrollment. Any amount over $50,000 requires EOI.

If you previously waived Voluntary Short-Term Disability coverage or waived your basic life insurance over $50,000 and decide to elect VSTD and/or uncap basic life during annual open enrollment, EOI will be required.

How to Submit EOI

For Qualified Life Events through November 30, 2026: If you make a coverage election that requires Evidence of Insurability (EOI), your EOI application will be processed by Lincoln Financial. You must submit your EOI application within 30 calendar days of the date you make your life event election. The Lincoln Financial EOI application is available at: go.gwu.edu/mlp.

If Lincoln Financial determines that additional medical information is needed, you will have 60 calendar days from the date of Lincoln Financial's request to provide the required supporting documentation. Failure to submit the requested documentation within that timeframe may result in your EOI application being denied or closed.

For Qualified Life Events effective December 1, 2026, and later: If you make a coverage election that requires Evidence of Insurability (EOI), your EOI application will be processed by MetLife. You must submit your EOI application within 60 calendar days of the date you make your life event election.

After you complete and confirm your elections in the GW Benefits Enrollment System, you will be prompted to single sign on to the MetLife portal to complete the EOI process.

If MetLife determines that additional medical information is needed to review your application, you will have 60 calendar days from the date of MetLife's request to provide the required supporting documentation. Failure to submit the requested documentation within that timeframe may result in your EOI application being denied or closed.

For Open Enrollment 2027: If you make a coverage election that requires Evidence of Insurability (EOI), your EOI application will be processed by MetLife. You must submit your EOI application within 60 calendar days of the date you make your Open Enrollment election.

After you complete and confirm your elections in the GW Benefits Enrollment System, you will be prompted to single sign on to the MetLife portal to complete the EOI process.