COVID-19 Information for Plan Sponsors, Brokers & Advisors

MetLife is leveraging its existing Business Continuity Plans and revising these plans through the lens of a global pandemic. This includes reviewing several potential scenarios including employee and location outages as well as various work from home solutions and stress testing our plans.

We are focused on ensuring business operation continuity during this time. We have conducted pandemic exercises, stress tested critical processes and systems, and determined alternate solutions for all critical processes, including resources and technology. Our planning also included testing for a high number of resources being out due to illness and countermeasures and supplemental staffing should this situation arise.

MetLife remains committed to ensuring our customers get the service they expect. We are working with our customers in affected markets to promptly address any of their questions. This is being done on a local level to observe all regulations, adhere to policy terms, and ensure our customers can easily and quickly engage with us as necessary.

Yes, MetLife is prepared to handle a shift to a remote workforce. In fact, our staff is already equipped to work remotely and securely.

The health and well-being of our employees is our top priority. MetLife is closely monitoring the coronavirus situation around the world. We are taking a number of proactive steps to protect the well-being of our employees. These include:

• A ban on all non-essential air travel, both internationally and domestically
• Postponement of all large meetings, defined as 50 or more people, for the foreseeable future
• 14-day self-quarantines for those who have traveled to impacted areas or might otherwise have come into contact with infected persons
• Deep cleaning of facilities where our people work
• Regular consultations with medical professionals to ensure our policies remain robust

Our RIS Customer Solutions Center representatives are available to assist our annuitants. We have the resources and plan in place to ensure that the Call Center continues to operate uninterrupted even if our representatives are working remotely.

Our Call Center hours will remain the same: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 9:00 pm (EST).

We don’t expect any disruptions to our payment processing. Payment processing remains a top priority for us and we will do everything in our power to limit any negative impact to our annuitants.

However, if an annuitant is receiving a check in the mail for a benefit payment, they may want to consider taking advantage of electronic payment delivery by enrolling in direct deposit through our online portal, MyBenefits or by calling our Call Center at 1-800-638-2704. Direct deposit provides secure delivery of benefit payments to an annuitant’s bank account in the event of any unplanned disruption to services such as postal delivery.

Yes, they can call 1-866-438-6477 for a quote.

Annuitants will continue to have 24/7 access to their accounts through our self-service online portal, MyBenefits. They can review their account history and make administrative changes to their account.

Annuitants can make address changes and other changes to their account through our self-service online portal, MyBenefits or by calling 1-800-638-2704.

For any deals currently in active bidding and not yet closed we anticipate keeping to the previously agreed upon transaction timelines for preliminary quotes, final quotes and any other applicable deadlines. In addition, we are continuing to review any new bid requests as they are presented.

For these cases, we anticipate adhering to the previously agreed upon implementation timeline.

Our call center representatives will continue to be available to service annuitant requests. The call center representatives can be reached at 1-800-638-5656 and will operate during our normal business hours of Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET. In addition, our automated response system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Should it become necessary we have the resources in place to ensure that the call center continues to operate uninterrupted even if our representatives are working remotely.

We don’t expect any disruptions to our payment processing. Payments will continue to be administered on the previously set schedule. Payment processing remains a top priority for us and we will do everything in our power to limit any negative impact to our customers. If an annuitant has any changes to their preferred payment method, they should contact our call center representatives for assistance.

However, if an annuitant is receiving a check in the mail for a benefit payment, they may want to consider taking advantage of electronic payment delivery by enrolling in direct deposit. Direct deposit provides secure delivery of benefit payments to an annuitant’s bank account in the event of any unplanned disruption to services such as postal delivery.

The current market conditions are exactly what the Stable Value product structure was developed to address. No matter the situation, your Stable Value products provide both a guarantee of principle and interest to participants within the offerings.^* In addition, the methodology used for setting crediting rates on these offerings smooths out market volatility experienced within the portfolio over an extended period. The result to participants is a guaranteed interest rate, with limited fluctuation period to period, and established security of principle.

* Guarantees are subject to the financial strength and claims-paying ability of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company or Metropolitan Tower Life Insurance Company and are subject to policy terms and conditions.

Our RIS Customer Solutions Center representatives are available to assist our annuitants. We have the resources and plan in place to ensure that the Call Center continues to operate uninterrupted even if our representatives are working remotely.

Our Call Center hours will remain the same: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 9:00 pm (EST).

We don’t expect any disruptions to our payment processing. Payment processing remains a top priority for us and we will do everything in our power to limit any negative impact to our annuitants.

However, if an annuitant is receiving a check in the mail for a benefit payment, they may want to consider taking advantage of electronic payment delivery by enrolling in direct deposit through our online portal, MyBenefits or by calling our Call Center at 1-800-638-2704. Direct deposit provides secure delivery of benefit payments to an annuitant’s bank account in the event of any unplanned disruption to services such as postal delivery.

Yes, the Rate Desk is fully operational to meet all your quoting needs as usual.

Annuitants will continue to have 24/7 access to their accounts through our self-service online portal, MyBenefits. They can review their account history and make administrative changes to their account.

Annuitants can make address changes and other changes to their account through our self-service online portal, MyBenefits or by calling 1-800-638-2704.

Electronic communications (email/fax) are an efficient means of transmittal and can help expedite customer requests. Please remember to provide an email address for return correspondence, policy reporting, statements and other policy correspondence. This may be the broker or policy owner email address, as applicable.*

When sending email to the Client Executive, please copy (cc) the applicable general service mailbox or the Client Executive’s personal back-up.

*Certain documents require an “Opt In” for electronic delivery, as required by state and/or regulatory agency. Your Client Executive will let you know if requested information can be delivered electronically.

For disbursements, bank wire transfers are more efficient than paper checks. Disbursements include, but are not limited to loans, withdrawals, refunds, surrenders and claims. If you have any questions, please contact us at:

Executive Benefits
SBRService@metlife.com
FAX: 908-552-2121

Liability Funding
SBR_LF_Service@metlife.com
FAX: 908-552-2207

Please contact a member of the MetLife team below for more information:

Matt Gallina
Managing Market Director
Post Retirement Benefits
908-253-1728
mgallina@metlife.com

Jim Latham
Market Director
Post Retirement Benefits
908-253-2675
jlatham1@metlife.com