Life Insurance: Term versus Whole

Understanding WAEPA’s Group Term Life Insurance

WAEPA’s coverage is Group Term Life Insurance*, meaning that a single contract covers an entire group of individuals (in WAEPA’s case, those individuals are exclusively Civilian Federal Employees). Typically, the contract extends to employees or members of a larger group, and the rates are calculated for the group rather than for individuals, so rates generally cost less compared to what someone would pay for their own life insurance product.

Also important to note: WAEPA’s coverage is Group Life Term Insurance. Like FEGLI, WAEPA’s coverage does not have a cash value. If you switch from FEGLI to WAEPA, you don’t “lose” premiums paid into your FEGLI program, since there was not a cash value built into them to begin with.

WAEPA’s Coverage Is Similar to FEGLI’s in Other Ways, Too:

• Both programs increase rates in five-year age bands
• Both programs exclusively serve employees of the Federal Government
• Neither program has a cash value component
• Both programs can be carried into retirement (but FEGLI does have limits and restrictions around this option)

The Unique Value of a WAEPA Membership

While WAEPA’s coverage is structured similarly to FEGLI, many Civilian Federal Employees find greater value in our offerings:

• WAEPA’s rates can cost less than FEGLI
• Typically, WAEPA members get a partial premium refund every year**
• WAEPA offers several auxiliary member benefits
• WAEPA coverage is fully portable: even if you change jobs or retire
• WAEPA’s coverage is not capped by your salary: FEGLI limits your coverage to up to five times your salary, whereas WAEPA offers up to $1.5 million in coverage regardless of your pay