​Evidence of Insurability

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What is Evidence of Insurability (EOI)?

EOI is an application process through which you provide information on the condition of your health or your dependent's health in order to be considered for certain types of insurance coverage.

EOI is required for any life and/or disability insurance elections.

• Short-term and long-term disability insurance is offered through the Texas Income Protection Plan (TIPP), administered by ReedGroup. EOI for short-and long-term disability coverage is managed by Guardian Life Insurance. 
• ​Optional and Dependent Term Life insurance is offered through Minnesota Life Insurance Company, an affiliate of Securian Financial Group, Inc. (Securian). Life EOI is manage by Securian.

How do I provide EOI?

You can provide EOI by taking the following steps: 

To enroll or make coverage changes online:

1. Log in to your ERS account from the, Access My Account link at the top of the page.
2. At the Member Home Page, click on the appropriate action under My Insurance Information. (If you need to add a new dependent to your ERS account, you can do it here.)

To enroll or make coverage changes working with your benefits coordinator:

1. You will need to get a Benefits Election Form from your benefits coordinator.
2. Fill it out completely, indicating what coverage you are applying for or changing and sign it. Be sure to include your email address if you want to receive communications from the EOI underwriter by email (which will include information and a link for submitting your EOI online).
3. Return it to your benefits coordinator. Your benefits coordinator will enter the information and indicate if you prefer to receive your EOI application by mail or email.

If you have provided your email address, the EOI underwriter will send you confirmation via email with instructions for submitting EOI within five business days; the letter will take longer to process.

Submitting your completed EOI application online is faster and more efficient than mailing or faxing  it. If you choose not to email the EOI application, you can instead mail or fax it to the address or number provided by the EOI underwriter.

Answer all EOI questions truthfully and completely. The Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS) vigorously enforces laws against participants who defraud the Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP). Providing false answers on an EOI application for any GBP coverage is a violation of state insurance laws. You could have your coverage cancelled and be expelled from the GBP.

Review the EOI application to make sure all fields are complete. Missing information will delay the application processing.

Submit your online EOI application as instructed on the form or website. If you choose to submit a hard copy instead, mail it to the postal address specified or fax it to the number provided by the EOI underwriter. If the EOI underwriter does not receive the EOI application within 30 days, your coverage will remain unchanged and you will have to wait to reapply for during the next enrollment opportunity or QLE.

 

When does my coverage begin?

If you initiate EOI:

• during Summer Enrollment and get EOI approval prior September 1, coverage begins on September 1.
• during Fall Enrollment and get EOI approval prior to January 1, coverage begins on January 1.
• within 31 days of the effective date of a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) and get EOI approval, coverage starts the first day of the month after the approval date.