Being sent to a combat zone does not cancel Federal Employee's Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) coverage. Civilian employees sent to a war zone or combat zone in a support capacity keep their FEGLI coverage, including Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage. Being sent to a combat zone does not affect the amount of FEGLI coverage, provided the employee is not engaged in combat. (Combat is not defined as including self-defense.)
If a federal employee working in a war zone is killed, regular death benefits are payable to the beneficiaries. In addition, accidental death benefits are also payable under Basic insurance (and Option A, if the employee had that coverage), unless the employee was in actual combat or nuclear weapons were used at the time of death.
The Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance decides whether to pay AD&D benefits only after thoroughly studying the facts and documentation surrounding an employee's death and OPM makes such determinations case-by-case. While we cannot say that in 100 percent of civilian deaths AD&D benefits will be payable, it is highly unlikely for a civilian to be in actual combat.
If an employee is not covered under FEGLI, and is deployed overseas, there is an opportunity to enroll for Basic FEGLI, plus Option A and/or Option B coverage based on the designation of deployment positions as emergency-essential.
If an employee is covered under Basic FEGLI, and is deployed overseas, there is an opportunity to enroll for Option A and/or Option B, or to increase coverage under Option B, based on the emergency-essential designation.
Death Gratuity Payment under Section 1105 of Public Law 110-181 - - If a Federal civilian employee dies of injuries incurred in connection with his or her service with an Armed Force in a contingency operation, his or her eligible survivors may receive a death gratuity payment up to $100,000. The gratuity is a one-time payment disbursed to the highest ranked survivor or survivors of the employee.