How can I enroll a dependent who does not have a Social Security Number?

If a dependent without a Social Security Number needs to be enrolled in benefits, we recommend the employee uses a dummy SSN consisting of all 9’s (Ex. 999-99-9999.) Once the SSN is assigned, the employee can update the dependent's record.

TIP:

Always try to provide an SSN if possible to avoid downstream implications with carriers!

In the case of a newborn, some carriers will enroll the dependent under the mother automatically for the first 30 days and then auto-terminate if they don't receive a record with all the valid demographic information (including the SSN.) However, most carriers do not follow this practice meaning a valid SSN is required at the time of enrollment.

This also applies to manual portal entries as carriers will still require a valid SSN. Exceptions should be handled through your broker as they can help coordinate with the carrier to ensure enrollment.