Death of a Member

SURS will send out a packet of information approximately 30-45 days (if annuitant at death), 45-60 days (if active or inactive at death) after the death has been reported. Included in the information will be a request for one certified copy of the member’s death certificate.

• If the member was in the Traditional or Portable plan, this packet of information will include a letter that will explain the benefits that are payable and the forms necessary to apply for benefits.
• If the member was in the Retirement Savings Plan (RSP), the packet of information will include a cover letter, withdrawal form, and a copy of the latest SURS RSP Quarterly Unified Statement of account value.

If assistance is needed with the application materials, contact a SURS Benefits Counselor toll free at 800-275-7877 or dial direct at 217-378-8800. SURS is unable to provide information pertaining to survivor or death benefits to anyone but the survivor(s) or beneficiary(ies).

Death and Survivor Benefit Assistance – This video is for Traditional and Portable plan members

• Average Processing Time: The average processing time is currently 90-120 days if annuitant/ 120-150 days if active or inactive from the date we are notified of the member’s death.
• Delays in Finalizing Claims:  There are several reasons why a claim may not be finalized within the average processing time.  The following reasons are the most common:
  • Survivor(s)/contingent annuitant birth verification and/or Marriage/Civil Union Certificate not on file:  SURS cannot pay a survivor or contingent annuitant benefit without these documents. For proof of birth date, SURS will accept a photocopy of one of the following documents:
    1. Birth Certificate
    2. Passport
    3. Baptismal Certificate
    4. Grade or High School Records
    5. Military Discharge Papers
    6. Social Security Verification Letter
  • Employer’s report of status and last payroll not received:  SURS will continue to contact the employer until this information is received.
  • Return of overpayments:  SURS pays retirement annuities at the beginning of every month.  If a member passes away in the middle of the month, the member is still entitled to the full month’s annuity.  In the event that an overpayment occurs, SURS is required to collect the overpayment.  If SURS is unsuccessful in recovering the overpayment, the amount will be recovered from the benefits payable.
  • Reciprocal Certifications:  If the member retired from SURS and another retirement system in Illinois under the provisions of the Reciprocal Act, an exchange of information may be needed to calculate the survivor benefits.  These claims generally take longer to finalize because SURS must receive a reciprocal certification from the other system before calculating the benefit.
• Beneficiaries:  In the event that there are no qualified survivors at the time of the member’s death, a death benefit will be payable to the designated beneficiaries.

Note to members: We encourage you to keep your SURS Beneficiary Designation Form current. This form is used to designate who you would like to receive your SURS death benefit and will help SURS locate your survivors and/or beneficiaries. You may contact SURS for a copy of this form or access it directly on the SURS Member website by visiting www.surs.org and clicking on Member Login. If you are an annuitant under the Retirement Savings Plan, you must contact the provider(s) if you wish to update your beneficiaries.

State of Illinois Insurance:  To be eligible for the State of Illinois Group Insurance Plan as a survivor, the original member must have at least five years of service credit with a state university or an agency of the State of Illinois.

Click here to view a list of SURS-covered employers.

1. After the death of the member is reported to SURS, the Insurance Team determines if there is an eligible survivor who may qualify for state health, dental, vision, and life insurance.

   Traditional & Portable Plans: Within 1-2 days, a letter, enrollment form, and participation election form are mailed to the qualified survivor/contingent annuitant.  If the member was an immediate annuitant – retired within one year of terminating state employment – optional life insurance forms are also sent.

   Retirement Savings Plan: Insurance paperwork will be sent to the qualified survivor once it has been determined that the survivor has chosen an annuity or was provided an annuity by the member.

2. The original member’s and any dependent’s health, dental, vision, and life insurance are terminated with Central Management Services (CMS) within 1-2 days.  Within the following 3-5 days,  a verification form showing the termination of insurance along with COBRA papers for any dependents that were covered under the original member will be sent out.

3. The survivor must submit the participation election form and any applicable enrollment forms, to SURS, within 60 days.*

   -If the survivor was a dependent on the original member’s insurance, the survivor’s insurance will be effective the day after the date of death of the original member (no break in coverage).  All insurance will now be under the survivor’s name and Social Security number.  The survivor is also eligible to purchase optional life insurance if the member was an immediate annuitant. The survivor will now be considered a member of SURS.

   -If the survivor was not a dependent on the original member’s insurance, the survivor’s insurance will be effective the first of the month in which their survivor benefit begins.  All insurance will now be under the survivor’s name and Social Security number.  The survivor will now be considered a member of SURS.

   Note:  If the member was in the Retirement Savings Plan, insurance cannot begin until the providers have notified SURS that the annuity has been paid.

4. If life insurance is payable, SURS notifies MetLife of the death within 1-2 days of the report of death.  Within approximately five days, MetLife will send out life insurance applications to the beneficiaries listed on the Life Insurance Beneficiary Designation Form. MetLife will require a certified copy of the death certificate with the application for life insurance.

*Note:  If the survivor receives a retirement benefit and is eligible for state insurance as a retiree, the insurance will transfer to their retirement benefit.

*If the forms are not received within 60 days, the survivor will not be eligible to participate in the State Insurance Program until the next Benefits Choice Enrollment Period or upon experiencing a qualifying change in family status.

College Insurance Program (CIP):   To be eligible for CIP, the member must have been a full-time employee of any SURS-participating community college and eligible for benefits.

1. After the death of the member is reported to SURS, the Insurance Team determines if there is an eligible survivor who may qualify for CIP health, dental, and vision insurance.

   Traditional & Portable Plans:   Within 1-2 days, a letter and a CIP Benefit Recipient Group Insurance form are mailed to the qualified survivor/contingent annuitant.

   Retirement Savings Plan:   Insurance paperwork will be sent to the qualified survivor once it has been determined that the survivor has chosen an annuity or was provided an annuity by the member.

2. The original member’s and any dependent’s health, dental, and vision insurance are terminated with Central Management Services (CMS) within 1-2 days.  Within 30 days, SURS sends COBRA papers for any dependents that were covered under the original member.

3. The survivor must submit the CIP Benefit Recipient Group Insurance Form to SURS within 60 days.*

   -If the survivor was a dependent on the original member’s insurance, the survivor’s insurance will be effective the day after the date of death of the original member (no break in coverage).  All insurance will now be under the survivor’s name and Social Security number. The survivor will now be considered a member of SURS.

   -If the survivor was not a dependent on the original member’s insurance, the survivor’s insurance will be effective the first of the month in which their survivor benefit begins. All insurance will now be under the survivor’s name and Social Security number. The survivor will now be considered a member of SURS.

Note: If the member was in the Retirement Savings Plan, insurance cannot begin until the providers have notified SURS that the annuity has been paid.

*If the forms are not received within 60 days, the survivor will not be eligible to participate in the College Insurance Program until the next Benefits Choice Enrollment Period or upon experiencing a qualifying change in family status.

• Qualified Survivors (Traditional Plan):
1. Spouse or civil union partner, if he or she was married to the member for at least one year prior to the member’s death and is age 50 or older OR spouse or civil union partner under age 50 who is caring for another qualifying survivor (see #2 and #3).
2. Unmarried child(ren) under age 18, or up to age 22 if a full-time student.
3. Unmarried disabled child(ren) age 18 or older if disabled prior to age 18
4. Financially dependent parent(s) age 55 or older
• Qualified Survivor/Contingent Annuitant (Portable Plan and Retirement Savings Plan)
  • Before Retirement
    • Portable: Spouse or civil union partner if married to the member for at least one year prior to the member’s death
    • Retirement Savings Plan: Spouse or civil union partner if married to the member at the time of the member’s death
  • After Retirement: Contingent Annuitant (if elected)

Death Benefits

Survivor/Contingent Annuitant Benefits

Life Insurance

If you retired from a state university, you may have a term life insurance policy that would also be payable at the time of your death.  For more information, Click here or go to  MyBenefits.illinois.gov.