58-16-21. Termination of group life policy extended to dependents--Issuance of individual policy to spouse, application and payment of premium. Upon termination of insurance under § 58-16-18 with respect to the members of the family of any employee or member by reason of the employee's or member's termination of employment, termination of membership in the class or classes eligible for coverage under the policy, or death, the spouse shall be entitled to have issued by the insurer, without evidence of insurability, an individual policy of life insurance without health or other supplementary benefits, providing application for the individual policy shall be made, and the first premium paid to the insurer, within thirty-one days after such termination, subject to the requirements of subdivisions 58-16-39(1), (2), and (3). If any group policy terminates or is amended so as to terminate the insurance of any class of employees or members and the employee or member is entitled to have issued an individual policy under § 58-16-40, the spouse shall also be entitled to have issued by the insurer an individual policy, subject to the conditions and limitations provided above. If the spouse dies within the period during which he would have been entitled to have an individual policy issued in accordance with this provision, the amount of life insurance which he would have been entitled to have issued under such individual policy shall be payable as a claim under the group policy, whether or not application for the individual policy or the payment of the first premium therefor has been made.

Source: SL 1966, ch 111, ch 24, § 2 (3).