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Employee Benefits Survey
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Life insurance plans: Maximum benefit amount

Table 20. Life insurance plans: Maximum benefit amounts, private industry workers, March 2018
(All workers with fixed multiple of earnings formula life insurance coverage = 100 percent)
Characteristics With
maximum
benefit
amount 		Maximum benefit amount1 With no
maximum
benefit
amount
10th
percentile 		25th
percentile 		50th
percentile
(median) 		75th
percentile 		90th
percentile
All workers
80
$50,000
$50,000
$250,000
$500,000
$1,000,000
20
Worker characteristics
             
Management, professional, and related
81
50,000
100,000
300,000
–
1,500,000
19
    Management, business, and financial
80
50,000
100,000
300,000
750,000
–
20
    Professional and related
82
50,000
100,000
300,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
18
Service
83
–
50,000
–
500,000
1,000,000
17
Sales and office
83
50,000
50,000
200,000
500,000
–
17
    Sales and related
86
50,000
50,000
–
500,000
–
14
    Office and administrative support
82
50,000
–
200,000
500,000
–
18
Natural resources, construction, and
 maintenance:
  Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and
  forestry
74
50,000
–
–
–
1,000,000
26
Production, transportation, and material moving
70
50,000
50,000
150,000
500,000
1,000,000
30
    Production
69
50,000
–
–
500,000
1,000,000
31
    Transportation and material moving
70
50,000
50,000
100,000
300,000
500,000
30
Full time
80
50,000
50,000
250,000
500,000
1,000,000
20
Part time
71
50,000
100,000
–
–
–
29
Union
70
50,000
70,000
–
500,000
–
30
Nonunion
81
50,000
50,000
250,000
–
–
19
Average wage within the following categories:2
             
    Lowest 25 percent
80
50,000
50,000
–
–
–
20
    Second 25 percent
80
50,000
50,000
150,000
500,000
1,000,000
20
    Third 25 percent
78
50,000
70,000
200,000
500,000
1,000,000
22
    Highest 25 percent
80
50,000
100,000
300,000
1,000,000
2,000,000
20
        Highest 10 percent
80
50,000
–
300,000
1,000,000
2,000,000
20
Establishment characteristics
             
Goods-producing industries:
      Construction
72
50,000
50,000
–
–
–
28
Service-providing industries
82
50,000
50,000
200,000
500,000
–
18
    Trade, transportation, and utilities
77
50,000
50,000
100,000
400,000
1,000,000
23
        Wholesale trade
86
50,000
50,000
200,000
400,000
1,000,000
14
        Retail trade
75
50,000
50,000
50,000
500,000
1,000,000
25
        Transportation and warehousing
74
50,000
50,000
100,000
250,000
500,000
26
        Utilities
63
50,000
–
300,000
750,000
1,000,000
37
    Information
81
50,000
200,000
–
2,000,000
–
19
    Financial activities
84
50,000
100,000
300,000
650,000
2,000,000
16
        Finance and insurance
83
50,000
100,000
300,000
750,000
2,000,000
17
            Credit intermediation and related activities
88
50,000
–
250,000
650,000
2,000,000
12
            Insurance carriers and related activities
71
100,000
–
500,000
1,000,000
2,000,000
29
    Professional and business services
82
50,000
–
300,000
1,000,000
2,000,000
18
    Education and health services
82
50,000
100,000
250,000
500,000
1,000,000
18
        Educational services
90
50,000
50,000
200,000
400,000
500,000
10
            Junior colleges, colleges, and universities
91
50,000
50,000
200,000
500,000
500,000
9
        Health care and social assistance
81
50,000
100,000
250,000
–
1,000,000
19
    Leisure and hospitality
92
20,000
–
–
–
1,000,000
8
1 to 99 workers
81
50,000
50,000
150,000
500,000
1,000,000
19
    1 to 49 workers
83
50,000
50,000
150,000
500,000
–
17
    50 to 99 workers
76
50,000
–
150,000
500,000
–
24
100 workers or more
79
50,000
–
300,000
750,000
–
21
    100 to 499 workers
79
50,000
50,000
200,000
500,000
–
21
    500 workers or more
80
50,000
–
400,000
1,000,000
–
20
Geographic areas
             
Northeast
77
50,000
–
200,000
500,000
1,000,000
23
    New England
79
50,000
100,000
200,000
500,000
1,000,000
21
    Middle Atlantic
76
50,000
–
250,000
500,000
1,000,000
24
South
82
50,000
50,000
250,000
–
–
18
    South Atlantic
85
50,000
50,000
250,000
750,000
2,000,000
15
    East South Central
77
50,000
50,000
250,000
–
1,000,000
23
    West South Central
81
50,000
–
200,000
500,000
–
19
Midwest
78
50,000
50,000
250,000
500,000
–
22
    East North Central
81
50,000
–
250,000
–
–
19
    West North Central
72
50,000
50,000
200,000
500,000
1,000,000
28
West
80
50,000
–
220,000
850,000
1,000,000
20
    Mountain
79
50,000
–
–
1,000,000
1,000,000
21
    Pacific
81
50,000
50,000
200,000
–
–
19
1The 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles designate position within each published series. For example, at the 50th percentile or median, half of the
participating workers receive the same as or more than the benefit shown, and half receive the same as or less than the benefit shown. At the 25th percentile,
one-fourth of the participating workers receive the same or less than the benefit shown. The remaining percentiles follow the same logic.
2Surveyed occupations are classified into wage categories based on the average wage for the occupation, which may include workers with earnings both
above and below the threshold. The categories were formed using percentile estimates generated using wage data for March 2018.

Note: Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals. Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did not meet publication criteria. For
definitions of major plans, key provisions, and related terms, see the "Glossary of Employee Benefit Terms" at
www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs/national-compensation-survey-glossary-of-employee-benefit-terms.htm.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey.