1. Each employee or member covered under the master policy whose coverage thereunder terminates for any reason other than the failure to make required contributions toward premiums or at the request of the employee or member, shall receive from the insurer thirty days’ prior written notice of termination or ineligibility. The notice shall state the reasons for discontinuance of coverage under the master policy, and shall explain the employee’s or member’s options for conversion to an individual policy.

2. If, within thirty days after receipt of notice of termination or ineligibility, application is made and the first premium is paid to the insurer, the employee or member shall be entitled to have issued to him or her by the insurer, or an affiliate within the same group of insurers, an individual policy, effective upon termination or ineligibility, with coverages and limits at least equal to the minimum coverages and limits of insurance as required by the applicable state law.

3. No individual notice of termination as provided in subsection 1 of this section and no conversion privilege as provided in subsection 2 of this section shall be required if the master policy is replaced by another master policy within thirty days. Coverage under the prior master policy shall terminate when the replacement master policy becomes effective.