Getting “hitched”

Marriage

To add your spouse to your medical, dental, or other insurance coverage—or start or change the amount of a flexible spending account—you must provide Benefits with acceptable provisional documentation within 30 days of the wedding.

Because we know that official certificates can take several months to arrive, Benefits will accept the provisional documentation (like a church certificate) to temporarily enroll your spouse until your official government certificate arrives.

In order to finalize enrollment, you must submit the official state certificate within three months of the effective date of coverage or your spouse’s enrollment will be cancelled. Your spouse’s enrollment will begin the first of the month following the marriage/partnership date.

It will take two to three weeks from the transaction approval date for your spouse to show active in the insurance provider’s system; you may need to pay for services during that period of time and then submit a claim for reimbursement after your spouse’s insurance ID card arrives.

Registration of domestic partnership

To add your partner to your medical, dental, or other insurance coverage—or start or change the amount of a flexible spending account—you must provide Benefits with a copy of the state approved/stamped certificate within 30 days of the approval date. Your partner’s enrollment will begin the first of the month following the state approval date.

It will take two to three weeks from the transaction approval date for your partner to show active in the insurance provider’s system; you may need to pay for services during that period of time and then submit a claim for reimbursement after your partner’s insurance ID card arrives.

For marriage or registration of domestic partnership

For information on how to submit documentation, contact the HR Service Center.

Be sure to review your beneficiary designation on life, supplemental accidental death & dismemberment, and retirement plans. (Under federal law, your spouse is automatically entitled to a minimum of half of your retirement benefit upon your death whether or not you’ve listed him/her as your beneficiary, unless spouse has signed a notarized spousal waiver.)

If you already have dependent coverage on life or AD&D insurance, your spouse/partner is covered under these plans.

Please note that the portion paid by the university for your domestic partner’s benefits is considered imputed income to you, and corresponding taxes come out of every paycheck—unless you claim your partner on your income taxes.

For information on changing your name, see Legal Name Change.

Questions? Contact the HR Service Center.