FEGLI, or the Federal Employee Group Life Insurance program is a benefit offered to federal employees as a part of their overall FERS benefits. As group life insurance, you have life insurance available to you while you are working, and you may be able to carry it into retirement under certain conditions.
Young feds are encouraged to purchase life insurance through FEGLI if they have a need, especially if they have a family or would leave someone for whom they’re responsible if they die. How much insurance you need depends on various components, but FEGLI is cheap and can generally be afforded to the maximum level at younger ages. As you begin to age, FEGLI increases in cost and may no longer become a viable solution, especially if your retirement plan determines that you also will need long-term care insurance coverage as well.