Living benefits, assignment of insurance and a court-directed beneficiary are different issues. A person facing one of them needs the actual insurance record and the appropriate claims or legal review. This guide helps organize the questions without asking a visitor to disclose a diagnosis or legal document on the website.
Identify the question before collecting documents
OPM describes a FEGLI Living Benefit for eligible insured employees, annuitants and compensationers with a documented prognosis of no more than nine months. Employees may request full or partial benefits; annuitants and compensationers may request only full benefits. The benefit relates to Basic insurance, and assignment prevents a Living Benefit election. OFEGLI provides the election form and handles the claim process.
Those conditions are not a medical assessment or claim approval. Ask OFEGLI for the current instructions and required evidence. Do not assume that a private policy's accelerated-benefit provision has the same rules or changes the federal claim.
Distinguish assignment from designation
OPM explains that a court order may direct an assignment, but a valid assignment form still must be filed to assign the insurance. A qualifying court order can separately affect who receives life insurance proceeds. These are different legal mechanisms; a document's mention of insurance does not settle its effect.
If there may be an assignment or applicable order, obtain a case-specific review from the administering office and qualified counsel. Do not assume that submitting a new beneficiary designation overrides it.
Prepare a private review index
| Question | Record to locate | Appropriate review |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage in force | Current Basic and Optional record | Employing or retirement office |
| Living Benefit request | OFEGLI instructions and claim receipt | OFEGLI with required medical evidence |
| Assignment status | Actual accepted assignment record | Administering office and counsel |
| Court-order effect | Certified order and receipt history | Administering office and counsel |
| Remaining coverage | Official post-election confirmation | Responsible benefit office |
An index can show where sensitive records are stored without reproducing them. Keep medical evidence, identity records and legal orders in the secure process requested by the responsible organization. A general website inquiry should contain only the question and a preferred contact route.
Ask about the effect before making another election
Have the responsible office explain which coverage is affected, what remains in force, how premiums are handled and what later changes are available. Keep the Living Benefit decision separate from Optional insurance and retirement-election questions. Do not treat a pending claim as a completed change in the insurance record.
If another person is helping with paperwork, ask what authority and documentation are required for that specific action. An ability to help organize records is not the same as authority to sign an election or direct payment. Resolve that issue before transmitting sensitive documents.
Preserve a clear completion record
Record the organization contacted, date, outstanding request and expected confirmation. If documents conflict, ask for written clarification rather than submitting competing instructions. Keep the accepted determination with the relevant insurance record so future reviews can identify what actually occurred.
The FEGLI election worksheet organizes coverage amounts. The life-event record audit tracks separate beneficiary and household tasks. Neither worksheet establishes medical eligibility, legal ownership or a claim entitlement.
Browse federal benefits, retirement and insurance topics or read how we prepare and check our guides.
Sources
- OPM: Living Benefits, checked November 3, 2026
- OPM: Court orders and FEGLI assignment, checked November 3, 2026
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