What are Nevada's rules for converting group life insurance to individual coverage?

Nevada law provides specific conversion rights when group life insurance coverage ends, protecting employees who lose employer-sponsored coverage from being left without insurance options even if their health has changed.

Under Nevada law, an employee leaving a group plan has the right to convert to an individual policy without providing evidence of insurability—no medical exam or health questions—if they apply within 31 days of group coverage termination. This conversion right is triggered by: end of employment, reduction in hours that eliminates coverage, retirement, and in some cases plan termination.

Converted policies are typically individual whole life policies (not term), and premiums are based on the employee's current age—not their age when they joined the group plan. Premiums are calculated without medical underwriting, which means healthy individuals may find individual term coverage at competitive rates more cost-effective than conversion.

However, for employees who have developed health conditions since joining the group plan, conversion provides an invaluable opportunity to secure individual coverage that would otherwise be declined or rated significantly higher through standard underwriting.

Some group plans also offer portability—the ability to continue the group term coverage rather than convert to whole life. Portability requires application within a similar 31-day window.

Nevada employees should review their group plan documents for specific conversion and portability provisions, as terms vary by plan. Agents in our network can help you evaluate whether conversion, portability, or individual underwriting best serves your situation.