Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

5 U.S.C. § 8704

Group insurance; amounts

(a)
An employee eligible for insurance is entitled to be insured for an amount of group life insurance equal to—
(1)
the employee’s basic insurance amount, multiplied by
(2)

If the age of the employee is

The appropriate factor is:

35 or under

2.0   

36

1.9   

37

1.8   

38

1.7   

39

1.6   

40

1.5   

41

1.4   

42

1.3   

43

1.2   

44

1.1   

45 or over

1.0.    

the appropriate factor determined on the basis of the employee’s age in accordance with the following schedule:
(b)

Loss

Amount payable

For loss of life

Full amount of the employee’s basic insurance amount.

Loss of one hand or of one foot or loss of sight of one eye

One-half the amount of the employee’s basic insurance amount.

Loss of two or more such members

Full amount of the employee’s basic insurance amount.

For any one accident the aggregate amount of group accidental death and dismemberment insurance that may be paid may not exceed an amount equal to the employee’s basic insurance amount.

An employee eligible for insurance is entitled to be insured for group accidental death and dismemberment insurance in accordance with this subsection. Subject to the conditions and limitations approved by the Office of Personnel Management which are contained in the policy purchased by the Office, the group accidental death and dismemberment insurance provides payment as follows:
(c)
The Office shall prescribe regulations providing for the conversion of other than annual rates of pay to annual rates of pay and shall specify the types of pay included in annual pay. For the purpose of this chapter, “annual pay” includes—
(1)
section 5545(c)(1) of this title premium pay under ; and
(2)
section 5545(c)(2) of this title with respect to a law enforcement officer as defined in section 8331(20) or 8401(17) of this title, premium pay under .
(d)
In determining the amount of insurance to which an employee is entitled—
(1)
a change in rate of pay under subchapter VI of chapter 53 of this title is deemed effective as of the first day of the pay period after the pay period in which the payroll change is approved; and
(2)
a change in rate of pay under section 5344 or 5349 of this title is deemed effective as of the date of issuance of the order granting the increase or the effective date of the increase, whichever is later, except, that in the case of an employee who dies or retires during the period beginning on the effective date of the increase and ending on the date of the issuance of the order granting the increase, a change in rate of pay under either of such sections shall be deemed as having been in effect for such employee during that period.

Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 593Pub. L. 89–737, § 1(3)80 Stat. 1164Pub. L. 90–206, title IV, § 40181 Stat. 646Pub. L. 92–392, § 1186 Stat. 575Pub. L. 95–454, title VIII, § 801(a)(3)(E)92 Stat. 1222Pub. L. 96–427, § 2(b)94 Stat. 1831Pub. L. 100–238, title I, § 103(b)101 Stat. 1744(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , title IX, § 906(a)(2), (3), , , 1224; –(d), , , 1832; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Derivation

U.S. Code

Revised Statutes and

Statutes at Large

(a)–(c)

5 U.S.C. 2092 (less (d))

Aug. 17, 1954, ch. 752, § 3 (less (d)), 68 Stat. 737.

(d)(1)

[Uncodified].

Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–737, § 3, 72 Stat. 831.

(d)(2)

5 U.S.C. 1183.

Sept. 2, 1958, Pub. L. 85–872, § 3, 72 Stat. 1697.

In subsection (a), the words “An employee eligible for insurance is entitled” are coextensive with and substituted for “Each employee to whom this chapter applies shall be eligible”.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 100–2381988—Subsec. (c)(2). inserted “or 8401(17)” after “8331(20)”.

Pub. L. 96–427, § 2(b)section 5313 of this title1980—Subsec. (a). , substituted new formula for group life insurance to be computed by multiplying the basic insurance with a factor to be obtained from the table based on age for provisions calling for group life insurance and an equal amount of death and dismemberment insurance in accordance with a schedule based on the basic pay with special provision for extension by the amount of increase in the annual rates of basic pay for positions at level II of the Executive Schedule under . Prior to this amendment, the table was as follows:

If annual pay is—

The amount of group life insurance is—

The amount of group accidental death and dismemberment insurance is—

Greater than—

But not greater than—

0  

$8,000  

$10,000  

$10,000  

$8,000  

9,000  

11,000  

11,000  

9,000  

10,000  

12,000  

12,000  

10,000  

11,000  

13,000  

13,000  

11,000  

12,000  

14,000  

14,000  

12,000  

13,000  

15,000  

15,000  

13,000  

14,000  

16,000  

16,000  

14,000  

15,000  

17,000  

17,000  

15,000  

16,000  

18,000  

18,000  

16,000  

17,000  

19,000  

19,000  

17,000  

18,000  

20,000  

20,000  

18,000  

19,000  

21,000  

21,000  

19,000  

20,000  

22,000  

22,000  

20,000  

21,000  

23,000  

23,000  

21,000  

22,000  

24,000  

24,000  

22,000  

23,000  

25,000  

25,000  

23,000  

24,000  

26,000  

26,000  

24,000  

25,000  

27,000  

27,000  

25,000  

26,000  

28,000  

28,000  

26,000  

27,000  

29,000  

29,000  

27,000  

28,000  

30,000  

30,000  

28,000  

29,000  

31,000  

31,000  

29,000  

32,000  

32,000  

Pub. L. 96–427, § 2(c)Subsec. (b). , inserted provision that an employee eligible for insurance is entitled to be insured for group accidental death and dismemberment insurance in accordance with this subsection and substituted reference to employee’s basic insurance amount for reference to the amount shown in the schedule in subsec. (a) of this section in four places.

Pub. L. 96–427, § 2(d)section 5545(c)(2) of this titlesection 8331(20) of this titleSubsec. (c). , expanded definition of “annual pay” to include premium pay under with respect to a law enforcement officer as defined in .

Pub. L. 95–454, § 906(a)(2)1978—Subsecs. (b), (c). , (3), substituted “Office of Personnel Management” and “Office” for “Civil Service Commission” and “Commission”, respectively, wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 95–454, § 801(a)(3)(E)Subsec. (d)(1). , substituted “subchapter VI of chapter 53” for “section 5337”.

Pub. L. 92–392section 5343 of this title1972—Subsec. (d)(2). substituted “section 5344 or 5349 of this title” for “” and added the exception.

Pub. L. 90–206section 5313 of this title1967—Subsec. (a). , in material preceding the table, struck out reference to an approximate relationship between the amount of group life insurance and the eligible employee’s annual pay and inserted reference to an automatic extension of the schedule correspondingly by the amounts of increases in the annual rate of basic pay for positions at level II of the Executive Schedule under , and raised the insurance coverages for both life and accidental death and dismemberment.

Pub. L. 89–737section 5545(c)(1) of this title1966—Subsec. (c). inserted provision that, for the purpose of this chapter, “annual pay” includes premium pay under .

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–238section 103(f) of Pub. L. 100–238section 3307 of this titleAmendment by effective , see set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

section 2(d) of Pub. L. 96–427section 5545(c)(2) of this titlesection 10(b) of Pub. L. 96–427section 8701 of this titleAmendment by applicable with respect to premium pay payable under from and after the first day of the first pay period which begins on or after , see , set out as a note under .

Pub. L. 96–427, § 2(f)94 Stat. 1832

“Subsections (b) and (c) of this section [amending this section] shall take effect beginning with the first pay period beginning on or after .”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

section 801(a)(3)(E) of Pub. L. 95–454section 801(a)(4) of Pub. L. 95–454section 5361 of this titleAmendment by effective on first day of first applicable pay period beginning on or after 90th day after , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

Pub. L. 95–454section 907 of Pub. L. 95–454section 1101 of this titleAmendment by section 906(a)(2), (3) of effective 90 days after , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1972 Amendment

Pub. L. 92–392section 15(a) of Pub. L. 92–392section 5341 of this titleAmendment by effective on first day of first applicable pay period beginning on or after 90th day after , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

Effective Date of 1967 Amendment

Pub. L. 90–206, title IV, § 405(a)81 Stat. 648

“The amendments made by sections 401 to 403, inclusive, of this Act [amending this section and sections 8707 and 8708 of this title] shall take effect on the first day of the first pay period which begins on or after the sixtieth day following the date of enactment []. In the case of an employee who dies or retires during the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and prior to the effective date prescribed by this subsection, the amount of insurance shall be determined as if the amendments made by section 401 [amending this section] were in effect for such employee during such period.”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1966 Amendment

Pub. L. 89–737Pub. L. 89–737section 4 of Pub. L. 89–737section 8114 of this titleAmendment by applicable with respect to premium pay payable from and after first day of first pay period which begins after date of enactment of , which was approved , see , set out in the note under .

Retroactive Effect of 1967 Amendment

Pub. L. 90–206, title IV, § 405(c)81 Stat. 648

section 8714a of this title“The amendments made by sections 401 to 404, inclusive, of this Act [enacting and amending this section and sections 8707 and 8708 of this title] shall have no effect in the case of an employee who died, was finally separated, or retired prior to the date of enactment [].”
, , , provided that:

1967 Adjustment in Amount of Insurance

Pub. L. 90–206, title II, § 220(b)81 Stat. 639

“For the purposes of determining the amount of insurance for which an individual is eligible chapter 87 of title 5, United States Code, relating to group life insurance for Federal employees—
“(1)
section 5332 of this title all changes in rates of pay which result from the enactment of this title [see Short Title Note under ] except Postal Field Service Schedule II, Rural Carrier Schedule II, and sections 207, 212, 213(d) and (e), 215, 219, and 225) shall be held and considered to become effective as of the date of such enactment []; and
“(2)
section 212 of this titlesection 5303 of this title all changes in rates of pay which result from the enactment of [enacting provisions set out as a note under ] and which take effect retroactively from the date on which the adjustments thereof are actually ordered under such section, shall be held and considered to become effective on the date on which such adjustments are actually ordered.”
, , , provided that:

Section 220(b) of Pub. L. 90–206Pub. L. 90–206section 3110 of this title[ effective , see section 220(a) (1) of , set out as an Effective Date note under .]