For plan members & families

If your employment is affected by COVID-19, either through temporary furlough or layoff, or reduced hours, and you lose your benefits, please talk with your employer about your options.

If you were paying for your benefits: Please talk with your employer about how they can continue to collect your payments and send them to Sun Life. If they’re unable to do so, call us; we may have more options for you to keep your benefits.

For Life insurance: You may be able to convert the life insurance coverage you had for yourself and any covered dependents to an Individual policy. Life insurance helps you provide the people you love with financial support when you can’t be there – and when they need it most.  If your only source of life insurance was through your employer, you may want to consider keeping coverage with Sun Life.  Please check your group insurance certificate or talk with your Benefits Administrator for more details.

For Dental or Vision coverage: You may be eligible to continue your group Dental and/or Vision benefits under COBRA for 18 months (longer in some situations).  You must elect COBRA continuation for you and your dependents on a timely basis. Please talk with your employer to determine if you are eligible, and how they can collect and remit your payments.

Here is more information about these and other benefits you may have received through your employer. You may still find these coverages valuable to you and your family. Your employer can tell you what coverages you had and the benefit amounts. You can also call us for more information. We’re here to help.

If you have Short-Term Disability coverage, here are some guidelines to help you determine if you are eligible for benefits:

• If you test positive for COVID-19 and are experiencing symptom, we will review your claim to determine if you are eligible for Short-Term Disability benefits. Quarantine by itself, with no signs of illness, does not meet the requirements for disability benefits.
• If you have flu-like symptoms but have not been tested or do not have a positive test result for COVID-19, we will review your claim as we do any other claim to determine your eligibility for Short-Term Disability benefits.
• If you do not have signs of an illness but are placed under quarantine by a doctor or public health official, you will not be eligible for Short-Term Disability benefits.

Most dental practices are now open and treating patients, including for preventive, non-emergency care.

• If your primary dentist/dental office remains closed, you may locate another in-network provider through our find-a-dentist search in your Sun Life account or the Benefit Tools mobile app. You may also visit www.sunlife.com/findadentist where you will need to select the dental network your plan uses.
• Sun Life accepts dental evaluations when performed remotely, through teledentistry. These consultations are subject to your plan's policy provisions, copayments and frequencies, like a regular office visit.
• If you are a member of most Sun Life dental PPO plans* Teledentistry services are available through Teledentistry.com. Please visit www.teledentistry.com/sunlife or call 866-410-9849 to get started.
  • For more information on teledentistry provided by TeleDentistry.com, view our flyer or watch our video.
• If you have a Prepaid/DHMO dental plan: There is a reimbursement for emergency dental treatment when your assigned dentist is not available. See your Evidence of Coverage (EOC) for details on emergency benefits and how to submit a claim for reimbursement.

*Teledentistry.com services are only available to members covered under dental PPO plans issued or administered by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada or, in New York, dental PPO plans issued or administered by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) who have access to the Sun Life Dental Network, Sun Life Focus Dental Network, Assurant Dental Network or Assurant Focus Dental Network. Members covered under a prepaid or indemnity plan are not eligible for services through Teledentistry.com.

Through Eyeconic, Sun Life Vision members can shop, virtually try-on and even purchase new glasses and contacts* using their Vision benefits—without taking a step outside. *Current prescription required.

You may have some questions related to your disability benefits on these topics:

• Medical documentation: We understand that some healthcare providers are experiencing a high patient load due to COVID-19. If you’re having trouble getting your healthcare provider to submit required medical documentation, we will accept notification that you tested positive for COVID-19 along with fully completed Employee and Employer Statements from the claim packet, the last day you worked before the illness, the date you first experienced symptoms, a description of your symptoms, the date you last experienced symptoms, and the date you expect to return to work.
  
• Check payments: If you receive your benefit checks in the mail, and don’t want to go out to the bank, please fill out this Direct Deposit form  so we can deposit benefits into your account.

Some states have expanded coverages in light of COVID-19. If your employer has Sun Life for their state disability plan or paid family leave, we will meet the new state requirements. These benefits have certain criteria that must be met in order for you to be paid. Talk with your employer or call us to discuss your situation. You can also visit these state websites:

New York: https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/COVID19

New Jersey: https://www.nj.gov/labor/worker-protections/earnedsick/covid.shtml

If you have critical illness insurance from Sun Life, we added a COVID-19 benefit. This benefit is available as of the later of the policy effective date or March 13, 2020 and has specific criteria that must be met for a benefit to be paid. Read about it here.