US Code

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

5 U.S.C. § 8714a

Optional insurance

(a)
section 8704(a) of this title Under the conditions, directives, and terms specified in sections 8709–8712 of this title, the Office of Personnel Management, without regard to section 6101(b) to (d) of title 41, may purchase a policy which shall make available to each insured employee equal amounts of optional life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance in addition to the amounts provided in .
(b)
(1)
section 101(a)(13) of title 10section 1580 of title 10 An employee who is deployed in support of a contingency operation (as that term is defined in ) or an employee of the Department of Defense who is designated as emergency essential under shall be insured under the policy of insurance under this section if the employee, within 60 days after the date of notification of deployment or designation, elects to be insured under the policy of insurance. An election under this paragraph shall be effective when provided to the Office in writing, in the form prescribed by the Office, within such 60-day period.
(2)
section 8704(a) of this title The optional life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance shall be made available to each insured employee under such conditions as the Office shall prescribe and in amounts approved by the Office but not more than the greater of $10,000 or an amount which, when added to the amount provided in , makes the sum of his insurance equal to his annual pay.
(c)
(1)
Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the optional insurance on an employee stops on his separation from service or 12 months after discontinuance of his pay, whichever is earlier, subject to a provision for temporary extension of life insurance coverage and for conversion to an individual policy of life insurance under conditions approved by the Office.
(2)
(A)
In the case of any employee who retires on an immediate annuity and has been insured under this section throughout—
(i)
the 5 years of service immediately preceding the date of such retirement, or
(ii)
the full period or periods of service during which the employee was entitled to be insured, if less than 5 years,
the amount of optional life insurance only which has been in force throughout such period may be continued, under conditions determined by the Office.
(B)
In the case of any employee who becomes entitled to receive compensation under subchapter I of chapter 81 of this title because of disease or injury to the employee and has been insured under this section throughout—
(i)
the 5 years of service immediately preceding the date such employee becomes entitled to such compensation, or
(ii)
the full period or periods of service during which the employee was entitled to be insured, if less than 5 years,
the amount of optional life insurance only which has been in force throughout such period may be continued, under conditions determined by the Office, during the period the employee is receiving such compensation for disease or injury and is held by the Secretary of Labor or his delegate to be unable to return to duty.
(C)
The amount of optional life insurance continued under subparagraph (A) or subparagraph (B) of this paragraph shall be reduced by 2 percent at the end of each full calendar month after the date the employee becomes 65 years of age and is retired or is receiving compensation for disease or injury. The Office shall prescribe minimum amounts, not less than 25 percent of the amount of life insurance in force before the first reduction, to which the insurance may be reduced.
(3)
1
1 So in original. Probably should be “paragraph (1) of this subsection,”.
section 8701(a)(5) of this titlesection 371(a) of title 28section 8706(a) of this title Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(1) of this section, a justice or judge of the United States as defined by who resigns his office without meeting the requirements of , United States Code, for continuation of the judicial salary shall have the right to convert regular optional life insurance coverage issued under this section during his judicial service to an individual policy of life insurance under the same conditions approved by the Office governing conversion of basic life insurance coverage for employees eligible as provided in .
(d)
(1)
section 8706(b) of this titlesection 8714 of this title During each period in which an employee has the optional insurance the full cost thereof shall be withheld from his pay. During each period in which an employee continues optional life insurance after retirement or while in receipt of compensation for work injuries, as provided in , the full cost thereof shall be withheld from his annuity or compensation, except that, at the end of the calendar month in which he becomes 65 years of age, the optional life insurance shall be without cost to him. Amounts so withheld shall be deposited, used, and invested as provided in and shall be reported and accounted for separately from amounts withheld and contributed under sections 8707 and 8708 of this title.
(2)
If an agency fails to withhold the proper cost of optional insurance from an individual’s salary, compensation, or retirement annuity, the collection of amounts properly due may be waived by the agency if, in the judgment of the agency, the individual is without fault and recovery would be against equity and good conscience. However, if the agency so waives the collection of any unpaid amount, the agency shall submit an amount equal to the uncollected amount to the Office for deposit to the Employees’ Life Insurance Fund.
(3)
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), an employee who is subject to withholdings under this subsection and whose pay, annuity, or compensation is insufficient to cover such withholdings may nevertheless continue optional insurance if the employee arranges to pay currently into the Employees’ Life Insurance Fund, through the agency or retirement system which administers pay, annuity, or compensation, an amount equal to the withholdings that would otherwise be required under this subsection.
(e)
The cost of the optional insurance shall be determined from time to time by the Office on the basis of such age groups as it considers appropriate.
(f)
section 8705 of this title The amount of optional life, or life and accidental death, insurance in force on an employee at the date of his death shall be paid as provided in .

Pub. L. 90–206, title IV, § 404(1)81 Stat. 647Pub. L. 95–454, title IX, § 906(a)(2)92 Stat. 1224Pub. L. 95–583, § 1(c)92 Stat. 2481Pub. L. 96–427, § 694 Stat. 1834Pub. L. 98–353, title II, § 20698 Stat. 351Pub. L. 99–336, § 7(1)100 Stat. 639Pub. L. 99–335, title II, § 207(k)(3)100 Stat. 597Pub. L. 99–336, § 7(1)100 Stat. 639Pub. L. 105–311, § 6(2)112 Stat. 2951Pub. L. 110–417122 Stat. 4616Pub. L. 111–350, § 5(a)(12)124 Stat. 3841(Added , , ; amended , (3), , ; , , ; , , ; , , , as amended by , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , [div. A], title XI, § 1103(b), , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 111–350section 5 of title 412011—Subsec. (a). substituted “section 6101(b) to (d) of title 41” for “”.

Pub. L. 110–4172008—Subsec. (b). designated existing provisions as par. (2) and added par. (1).

Pub. L. 105–3111998—Subsec. (d)(3). added par. (3).

Pub. L. 99–336Pub. L. 98–353, § 2061986—Subsec. (c)(1). amended , generally. See 1984 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 99–335 amended par. (1) generally, effective . Prior to such effective date, par. (1) read as follows: “The optional insurance on an employee stops on his separation from service, 12 months after discontinuance of his pay, or on his entry on active duty or active duty for training, as provided in sections 8706(a) and 8706(c) of this title. Justices and judges of the United States described in section 8701(a)(5)(ii) and (iii) of this chapter are deemed to continue in active employment for purposes of this chapter.”

Pub. L. 98–353, § 206Pub. L. 99–3361984—Subsec. (c)(1). , as amended generally by , inserted sentence which deemed justices and judges described in section 8701(a)(5)(ii) and (iii) of this chapter to continue in active employment for purposes of this chapter.

Pub. L. 98–353, § 206Subsec. (c)(3). , added par. (3).

Pub. L. 96–427, § 6(a)section 8706(b)(3) of this title1980—Subsec. (c)(2)(C). , substituted provisions that the amount of optional life insurance shall be reduced by 2% at the end of each calendar month after the date the employee becomes 65 years of age and is retired or is receiving compensation for disease or injury and that the Office shall prescribe minimum amount of life insurance in force before the first reduction to which the insurance may be reduced for provisions that such optional insurance be subject to the same monthly reductions as required for regular life insurance under .

Pub. L. 96–427, § 6(b)Subsec. (d). , designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Pub. L. 95–4541978—Subsecs. (a), (b). substituted “Office of Personnel Management” for “Civil Service Commission” and “Office” for “Commission” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 95–583, § 1(c)(1)Subsec. (c)(1). , substituted reference to section “8706(c)” for “8706(d)”.

Pub. L. 95–583, § 1(c)(2)Subsec. (c)(2). , added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “So much of the optional life insurance in force on an employee on the date he retires on an immediate annuity or becomes entitled to receive compensation for work injuries which has been in force for not less than—

“(A) the full period or periods of service during which the optional insurance was available to him; or

“(B) the 12 years of service immediately preceding his retirement or beginning date of entitlement to compensation for work injuries and during which the optional insurance was available to him;

whichever is shorter, may be continued—

section 8706(b) of this title“(A) after retirement, under the same conditions (except with respect to cost but including reduction of the amount continued) as provided in ; or

section 8706(c) of this title“(B) while in receipt of compensation for work injuries under the same conditions (except with respect to cost) as provided in .”

Pub. L. 95–454Pub. L. 95–583, which substituted “Office” for “Commission”, was executed to text of subsec. (c)(2) as amended by . See Effective Date of 1978 Amendments note below.

Pub. L. 95–583, § 1(c)(3)Subsec. (d). , struck out “or 8706(c)” after “section 8706(b)”.

Pub. L. 95–454Subsec. (e). substituted “Office” for “Commission”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1998 Amendment

Pub. L. 105–311section 11(d) of Pub. L. 105–311section 8701 of this titleAmendment by effective on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–335section 702(a) of Pub. L. 99–335section 8401 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–353, § 206Pub. L. 99–336, § 7(1)28 U.S.C. 371(a)section 207 of Pub. L. 98–353Pub. L. 99–336, § 7(2)section 8706 of this titleAmendment by , as amended generally by , applicable to any justice or judge who retires under or (b) or 372(a) on or after , see , as amended generally by , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Pub. L. 96–427section 10(a) of Pub. L. 96–427section 8701 of this titleAmendment by effective , with amendment to have no effect in case of an employee who died, was separated, or retired before , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1978 Amendments

Pub. L. 95–583section 3 of Pub. L. 95–583section 8706 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

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

Effective Date

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

“(1)
section 8701 of this title The amendments made by section 404 of this Act [enacting this section and amending analysis preceding ] shall take effect on the first day of the first pay period which begins on or after the one hundred and eightieth day following the date of enactment [], or on any earlier date that the Civil Service Commission may prescribe, which is at least sixty days after the date of enactment []. In the case of an employee who dies during the period beginning on the date of enactment [] and ending on the effective date prescribed by or pursuant to this subsection, or during the sixty days immediately following such period if the Commission determines that he did not have a reasonable opportunity to elect the optional insurance made available by section 404, the insurance of such employee shall be determined as if the amendments made by section 404 had been in effect on the date of such death, and the employee had elected to receive the maximum amount of optional insurance available to him under such amendments. An employee who retires during the period beginning on the date of enactment and ending on the effective date prescribed by or pursuant to this subsection shall have an opportunity to elect the optional insurance made available by section 404.
“(2)
In the case of an employee in the service on the effective date prescribed by or pursuant to this subsection, (i) the period during which such employee may elect to receive optional insurance under the amendment made by section 404 shall not expire prior to the sixtieth day after such effective date, and (ii) for the purpose of determining the amount of insurance to be continued after retirement, the period during which such optional insurance was available to such employee shall not be considered to have commenced prior to the expiration of sixty days following such effective date.”
, , , provided that:

Retroactive Effect

Pub. L. 90–206section 405(c) of Pub. L. 90–206section 8704 of this titleEnactment of this section by to have no effect in the case of an employee who died, was finally separated, or retired prior to , see , set out as an Retroactive Effect of 1967 Amendment note under .

Availability of Certain Funds in Employees’ Life Insurance Fund

Pub. L. 96–427, § 1194 Stat. 1838

section 8714a(d) of title 5“Amounts credited to the Employees’ Life Insurance Fund under , United States Code shall be available for expenses incurred by the Office of Personnel Management in implementing the amendments made by sections 7 and 8 of this Act [enacting sections 8714b, 8714c, and 8701(d) of this title].”
, , , provided that: