---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 8709"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "8709"
heading: "Insurance policies"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/8709"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart G — Insurance and Annuities"
  - "Chapter 87 — Life Insurance"
---

# §8709. Insurance policies

- (a) The [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management, without regard to [section 6101(b)](/usc/5/6101.md?p=b) to (d) of [title 41](/usc/41.md), may purchase from one or more life insurance companies a policy or policies of group life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance to provide the benefits specified by this chapter. A company must meet the following requirements:
  - (1) It must be licensed to transact life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance under the laws of 48 of the [States](/usc/5/8521.md?p=a-3) and the District of Columbia.
  - (2) It must have in effect, on the most recent December 31 for which information is available to the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3), an amount of [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) group life insurance equal to at least 1 percent of the total amount of [employee](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) group life insurance in the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18) in all life insurance companies.
- (b) A company issuing a policy under [subsection (a)](#a) of this section shall establish an administrative [office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) under a name approved by the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3).
- (c) The [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) at any time may discontinue a policy purchased from a company under [subsection (a)](#a) of this section.
- (d)
  - (1) The provisions of any contract under this chapter which relate to the nature or extent of coverage or benefits (including payments with respect to benefits) shall supersede and preempt any law of any [State](/usc/5/8521.md?p=a-3) or political subdivision thereof, or any regulation issued thereunder, which relates to group life insurance to the extent that the law or regulation is inconsistent with the contractual provisions.
  - (2) For the purpose of this section, “[State](/usc/5/8521.md?p=a-3)” means a [State](/usc/5/8521.md?p=a-3) of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18), the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and a territory or possession of the [United States](/usc/5/7103.md?p=a-18).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 596; Pub. L. 95–454, title IX, § 906(a)(2), (3), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1224; Pub. L. 96–427, § 5(a), Oct. 10, 1980, 94 Stat. 1834; Pub. L. 111–350, § 5(a)(11), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3841.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Derivation | U.S. Code | Revised Statutes and<br>Statutes at Large |
|  | 5 U.S.C. 2096 (less (c)–(e)). | Aug. 17, 1954, ch. 752, § 7 (less (c)–(e)), 68 Stat. 739. |

In subsection (a), the words “as determined by it” are omitted as unnecessary.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2011—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–350 substituted “section 6101(b) to (d) of title 41” for “section 5 of title 41” in introductory provisions.

1980—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 96–427 added subsec. (d).

1978—Subsecs. (a) to (c). Pub. L. 95–454 substituted “Office of Personnel Management” and “Office” for “Civil Service Commission” and “Commission”, respectively, wherever appearing.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 96–427 effective Oct. 10, 1980, with the amendment to have no effect in case of an employee who died, was separated, or retired before Oct. 10, 1980, see section 10(a) of Pub. L. 96–427, set out as a note under section 8701 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–454 effective 90 days after Oct. 13, 1978, see section 907 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.