Insurers must notify Group certificate holders (employees) ______ before cancellation?

• A. 5 days before cancellation
• B. 10 days before cancellation
• C. 15 days before cancellation
• D. 30 days before cancellation

Answer: (C)

Notifying certificate holders in advance is a protection that ensures employees can arrange alternative coverage before their group policy ends. In North Carolina, when a group health policy is canceled, insurers must give written notice to the certificate holders at least 15 days before cancellation. This timing gives employees and employers enough time to explore other options, such as enrolling in a new plan or pursuing any available continuation provisions. The other time frames don’t meet this requirement: 5 or 10 days would be too short for arranging new coverage, while 30 days is typically used for other notices like renewals rather than cancellation.