⚠️ 31-Day Window: When a group life insurance plan terminates, employees typically have only 31 days from the plan's termination to convert group coverage to an individual policy without providing evidence of insurability (no medical exam). This window is very short — act now.
What Is a Group Life Conversion Right?
Most group life insurance plans include a "conversion privilege" — the right to convert your group coverage to an individual policy without a medical exam when you leave the group. This right is especially important if you have health conditions that might affect your insurability in the private market.
How to Exercise Your Conversion Right
- Identify Spirit's group life insurance carrier. Check your Spirit benefits portal, your last benefits statement, or contact Spirit's HR or bankruptcy administrator. Common group life carriers include MetLife, Unum, Prudential, and Cigna.
- Contact the carrier directly. Call or write within 31 days of the plan termination date requesting conversion to an individual policy.
- Choose a coverage amount. You can typically convert up to the amount you had under the group plan.
- Expect higher premiums. Converted policies are almost always whole life insurance at much higher premiums than term coverage — but they require no medical exam.
Conversion vs. New Term Policy: Which Is Better?
| Option | Premium (Est., $200K, Age 38) | Coverage Type | Medical Exam | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group Conversion | ~$250–$400/mo | Whole life | No | Employees with health conditions |
| New Term Policy | ~$22–$40/mo | Term (20-yr) | Usually no (AUW) | Healthy employees |
For healthy Spirit employees: A new individual term policy almost always beats conversion. It provides more coverage at a fraction of the cost. The conversion right is primarily valuable for employees with health conditions who might otherwise be uninsurable or highly rated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most group life plans allow 31 days from the plan's termination date to convert coverage to an individual policy without a medical exam. This window is very short — if you had Spirit group life insurance, contact the carrier immediately to ask about your conversion options.
Converting group life insurance results in an individual whole life policy — permanent coverage that builds cash value. You keep the same coverage amount you had under Spirit's group plan without a new medical exam. The downside is that converted policies are significantly more expensive than term insurance for healthy individuals.
If you're healthy, buy a new individual term policy — it will provide more coverage at dramatically lower cost than a converted whole life policy. The conversion right matters most if you have health conditions (cancer history, heart disease, recent surgeries) that would make new coverage expensive or unavailable.
Spirit Airlines' group life insurance carrier may be MetLife, Unum, Prudential, or Cigna — check your Spirit benefits portal, last benefits statement, or contact Spirit's HR or bankruptcy administrator to identify the carrier and your conversion options.