MetLife insurance coverage spans seven main product lines: life, dental, vision, auto, disability, pet, and legal plans. What you actually get paid on depends on which policy you bought, which tier you chose, and where you are in the policy’s waiting periods and annual limits. The breakdown below walks through each product, the exclusions that trip people up, and how to file when you need to use the coverage.
Life Insurance
MetLife sells three types of life insurance: term, whole, and universal.
Term life covers a fixed period, commonly 10, 15, 20, or 30 years. Premiums stay level for the entire term, and MetLife pays the death benefit if the insured dies during that window. Once the term ends, coverage stops unless you renew, usually at a much higher rate. Term is the least expensive option and fits people who want protection while raising children or paying down a mortgage.
Whole life lasts your entire lifetime, with fixed premiums and a guaranteed death benefit. Part of each premium builds cash value that grows on a tax-deferred basis. You can borrow against that cash value or surrender the policy for it, though either move reduces the death benefit. Whole life costs significantly more than term for the same face amount.
Universal life is more flexible. You can adjust premium payments and the death benefit as your finances change. The cash value earns interest based on market conditions or a guaranteed minimum, depending on the policy. Underfund it and the policy can lapse.
Riders and Living Benefits
MetLife life policies can include optional riders. The accelerated death benefit rider lets you access part of the death benefit while still alive if a physician certifies you have 12 months or less to live, or 24 months in some states.1MetLife Pro. Client Fact Sheet – Whole Life Anything you draw under that rider reduces what beneficiaries receive later.
Group life through an employer often uses simplified underwriting, so a base level of coverage is available with no medical exam. Optional coverage above the guaranteed-issue amount usually requires health questions or an exam. Individually purchased policies use fuller underwriting, with premiums based on age, health history, and coverage amount.
Suicide Exclusion and Contestability
MetLife includes a suicide exclusion. If the insured dies by suicide within the first year of coverage, MetLife does not pay the death benefit and instead returns the premiums paid. The same rule applies to coverage increases within their own first year: only the prior amount pays.
Life policies also carry an incontestability clause. For the first two years the policy is in force, MetLife can investigate and potentially deny a claim over misstatements on the application. After two years, the insurer generally cannot contest the policy except in cases of outright fraud.
Dental Insurance
MetLife dental plans are tiered by procedure type. Preventive care such as cleanings, exams, and X-rays is covered at 100% under most plans with no deductible when you see an in-network dentist. Basic procedures like fillings and extractions are typically covered around 80%. Major services such as crowns, bridges, and dentures are often covered around 50%.2MetLife. What Does Dental Insurance Cover? Exact percentages vary by plan, and lower-tier options pay less on basic and major work.
Most plans cap what the insurer pays each year. On the MetLife FEDVIP Standard Option, the annual maximum is $2,000 per person for in-network and out-of-network care combined.3MetLife Federal Dental. 2025 Dental Plan Summary – Federal Dental Once you hit that ceiling, you pay 100% of any remaining dental costs for the rest of the year.
PPO vs. DHMO
PPO plans let you visit any dentist, though you pay less with someone in MetLife’s network. DHMO plans, available in some areas, require you to pick a primary dentist and get referrals to specialists. DHMO premiums tend to be lower, with less flexibility.
Orthodontics and Waiting Periods
Orthodontic coverage is available on some plans and often carries a separate lifetime maximum. On the FEDVIP Standard Option, that maximum is $1,500 per person; the High Option offers $3,000 per adult and $3,500 per child.4MetLife Federal Benefits. 2026 Dental Plan Highlights
Waiting periods are common for non-preventive work. Preventive care is usually covered immediately, but basic procedures often have a six-month waiting period, and major services may require a full year of coverage first.5MetLife. Insurance Waiting Period: What It Is and How It Works Some plans waive waiting periods if you had prior dental coverage with no gap. Many MetLife dental plans include a missing-tooth clause, so teeth already missing before your coverage started are not covered for replacement.2MetLife. What Does Dental Insurance Cover? Cosmetic procedures like whitening and appearance-only veneers are excluded.
Vision Insurance
MetLife vision plans cover annual eye exams, prescription eyewear, and contact lenses. In-network providers deliver the biggest savings.
Under MetLife’s 2026 FEDVIP vision plans, routine eye exams are fully covered at a $0 copay in-network. Frame allowances range from $85 to $250 depending on the plan tier and retailer, and standard lenses are fully covered after the eyewear copay. Contact lens fittings carry allowances of $120 to $150, and medically necessary contact lenses are fully covered after the copay.6MetLife FEDVIP. Federal Vision Plan Details Lens enhancements like progressive lenses, anti-reflective coating, and UV protection are partially or fully covered depending on the tier.
Out-of-network reimbursement is much lower. Out-of-network eye exams reimburse up to $45, and frames up to $70.6MetLife FEDVIP. Federal Vision Plan Details The FEDVIP figures are illustrative; employer-sponsored vision plans can differ.
Auto Insurance
MetLife auto insurance covers the standard categories. Liability pays for injuries and property damage you cause to others. Collision covers damage to your own vehicle from a crash. Comprehensive covers non-collision events like theft, vandalism, hail, and falling objects.
Deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverage run from $250 to $1,000 on most MetLife auto policies. Higher deductibles lower your premium and raise your out-of-pocket cost at claim time.
Add-On Coverages
MetLife sells several optional coverages that fill gaps in a standard policy:
- New car replacement pays to replace a totaled new vehicle with the same make and model, rather than paying only the depreciated value, if the loss happens within the first year of purchase or the first 15,000 miles, whichever comes first.
- Gap insurance covers the difference between the car’s actual cash value and the remaining balance on your loan or lease if the vehicle is totaled.
- Roadside assistance covers towing, lockout service, flat tire changes, and emergency fuel delivery.
- Rental reimbursement pays for a rental car while your insured vehicle is being repaired after a covered claim.
Discounts for safe driving records, bundling multiple policies, and insuring more than one vehicle can meaningfully reduce premiums. Ask what you qualify for at renewal.
What Auto Won’t Cover
Auto policies exclude damage during racing or organized speed contests. Commercial use of a personal auto policy, such as delivery driving, is typically excluded. Wear and tear, mechanical breakdowns, and intentional damage are never covered. If you drive for rideshare or delivery, you likely need a separate commercial or rideshare endorsement.
Disability Insurance
MetLife offers short-term and long-term disability, mostly through employers. Disability insurance replaces part of your income when illness or injury keeps you from working. Financial planners generally recommend coverage that replaces at least 60% of after-tax income.7MetLife. Short Term Disability Insurance
Short-term disability benefits typically last three months to one year, depending on the plan. Benefits begin after an elimination period, a set number of days you must be disabled before payments start. Long-term disability picks up where short-term ends, with 90- or 180-day elimination periods being most common for group plans.7MetLife. Short Term Disability Insurance
The definition of disability changes over the life of a long-term policy. For the first 24 months of benefits, MetLife uses an “own occupation” definition: you qualify if you cannot perform the duties of your specific job. After 24 months, the definition shifts to “any occupation,” meaning benefits continue only if you cannot perform any job you are reasonably qualified for by education and experience.8MetLife. Long-Term Disability Insurance: What Is It and How Can It Help? That shift catches people off guard, so understand it before you rely on long-term coverage.
Pet Insurance
MetLife Pet Insurance covers dogs and cats for accidents and illnesses. You customize the policy at enrollment with three variables:9MetLife Pet Insurance. Pet Insurance FAQs
- Reimbursement rate of 50%, 70%, 80%, or 90% of eligible expenses.
- Annual coverage limit from $500 to $25,000, or unlimited where available.
- Deductible from $0 to $2,500.
Covered expenses include surgeries, hospital stays, medications, diagnostic tests, hereditary and chronic conditions, and holistic or alternative therapies. Accident coverage starts at midnight after enrollment with no waiting period. Illness coverage begins 14 days after enrollment.9MetLife Pet Insurance. Pet Insurance FAQs Pre-existing conditions are not covered, and neither are conditions diagnosed during that 14-day illness waiting period. Routine wellness care like vaccinations and teeth cleanings is not in the base policy but can be added through an optional Preventive Care rider. Go a full policy year without filing a claim and your deductible drops by $50 automatically.10Your USG Benefits. Get the FAQs about MetLife Pet Insurance
Legal Plans
MetLife legal plans give access to a nationwide network of attorneys for a range of personal matters: buying or selling a home, estate planning and wills, adoption, traffic violations, debt collection, divorce and custody, immigration assistance, and identity theft.11MetLife. Legal Plans The plan includes unlimited consultations on personal legal questions. Legal plans are available only through participating employers, not as an individual purchase.
How to File a Claim
Filing starts with notifying MetLife online, by phone, or through your agent. Policies generally require prompt reporting, and delays create complications if MetLife needs to investigate the loss.
After you report, MetLife assigns an adjuster for auto and property claims or a claims examiner for life and disability claims. Documentation depends on the product:
- Life insurance: a certified death certificate and a completed beneficiary claim form.
- Dental: an itemized invoice from your dentist. Many dental offices submit claims electronically to MetLife for you.
- Auto: an accident report, repair estimates, and photographs of the damage. If another driver was at fault, their insurance information helps.
- Pet insurance: take your pet to any licensed vet, pay the bill, and submit the claim to MetLife for reimbursement. Claims are typically processed within five days.9MetLife Pet Insurance. Pet Insurance FAQs
MetLife may request additional records such as medical files, witness statements, or police reports before deciding coverage. The more complete your first submission, the faster the process moves.
If a Claim Is Denied
The first step after a denial or a payout you disagree with is an internal appeal. You submit additional documentation or a written explanation of why the denial was wrong, and MetLife’s claims team reviews it. Most internal appeals are decided within 30 to 60 days.
If the internal appeal fails, several external options remain. Filing a complaint with your state’s insurance department triggers a regulatory review of whether MetLife followed the law and the policy terms. For employer-sponsored plans governed by ERISA, you also have the right to request an external review by an independent review organization, which must issue a written decision within 45 days of receiving the request.12eCFR. 45 CFR 147.136 – Internal Claims and Appeals and External Review Processes
Some MetLife policies include a mandatory arbitration clause, sending disputes to a neutral third party rather than court. If your policy does not require arbitration, or if you believe MetLife acted in bad faith by unreasonably denying or delaying a valid claim, litigation is still available. Bad faith claims can produce damages beyond the policy amount, which is why insurers usually try to resolve legitimate disputes before that point.
One practical warning across all product lines: policy modifications require written approval from an authorized MetLife representative. A verbal promise from an agent does not change your policy terms. If someone tells you something is covered that isn’t reflected in your written policy, get the change in writing before you rely on it.