Death of an Employee

The death of an employee covered by an employer’s group health insurance is a qualifying event under COBRA.  Consequently, the surviving spouse and dependents of a deceased employee may be eligible for COBRA continuing coverage for up to 36 months.

Provide Notice to Your Plan - Within 30 Days of the Event

If an event occurs that triggers an employee’s or family member’s rights to COBRA coverage, the employer must notify its group health plan of the event. The group health plan is not required to act until it receives an appropriate notice of such a qualifying event.  When one of these events occurs, the employer has 30 days after the event to provide notice to the plan.

 The employer is required to notify the plan if the qualifying event is...