Benefits Breakdown: Managing Life Event Changes in Your Benefits Plan
Life happens. People get married, have children, lose other coverage, or move. In the world of employee benefits, these are called “qualifying life events.” These moments allow employees to make changes to their benefits outside of the normal open enrollment period.
What Is a Qualifying Life Event?
A qualifying life event (QLE) is a change in life circumstances that allows an employee to make updates to their benefits. These updates must be made within a specific window of time, usually 30 days from the date of the event.
Common Examples of Life Events
Marriage or divorce
Birth or adoption of a child
Loss of other coverage (e.g., spouse loses job)
Death of a dependent
Change in employment status
Dependent child turning 26
Why Timely Reporting Matters
Missing the 30-day window can mean the employee has to wait until the next open enrollment period to make changes. This can lead to gaps in coverage or additional costs—so timely communication is critical.
How Employers Can Help
Educate employees about what qualifies as a life event.
Make sure your HR team has a process in place for documenting and processing changes.
Use benefits platforms (like Employee Navigator) to simplify the process and keep everything organized.
Managing life events properly helps ensure employees have the right coverage when they need it—and protects your business from compliance issues.
For more information contact the Frost / Beck Insurance Agency. Call us at 419-592-4476, send an email to frost@frostins.com, or click here to submit your request today! Or, stop by and see us at one of our four convenient locations in Archbold, Napoleon, Holgate, or Whitehouse.
Ross Durham is a licensed Group Health Insurance Advisor at Frost Insurance Agency. Frost Insurance has four convenient locations in NW Ohio in Napoleon, Archbold, Whitehouse, and Holgate. Contact Ross for your Group Health Insurance needs.
Coming Next Week: We’ll explore how to use benchmarking data to evaluate and improve your employee benefits strategy.
