Microsoft layoffs and voluntary exit · Redmond and Bellevue
Leaving Microsoft? Here is your insurance checklist.
Some benefits end on your last day and give you as little as 31 days to keep them. Your home, auto, and umbrella policies stay yours, but what you need from them can change. A plain checklist, with the deadlines and the official sources.
Get a free coverage reviewThe deadlines that come first
From Microsoft's 2026 corporate summary plan description. The insurers set the terms and rates, and the plan documents control.
31 days
to convert group life insurance to an individual policy, or continue it through Prudential's portability plan, with no medical questionnaire. One or the other, not both.
31 days
to continue AD&D coverage through the portability plan.
60 days
to convert base long-term disability, if you had it for at least 12 months. Supplemental LTD through MetLife is portable at the same discounted rate.
90 days
to buy your own MetLife legal plan if you were enrolled in group legal for at least a year. Group legal ends on the last day of the month you leave.
- Health coverage has its own rules. COBRA can continue employer health coverage for up to 18 months, and Washington Healthplanfinder gives you 60 days before or after your employer coverage ends to enroll. Trella does not sell health insurance, so start there.
- Pet insurance and identity protection: check directly. Microsoft offers pet insurance and includes identity theft protection with group legal. We could not confirm from public documents what happens to either after you leave, so ask the providers before your last day.
Your home, auto, and umbrella
- They are not tied to your job. Microsoft's public benefits site does not list an auto, home, or umbrella insurance program, so your personal policies continue as they are. Nothing to replace here.
- But your wealth may have just changed. Severance, vested stock, and option or ESPP sales can raise your net worth quickly. Liability limits set years ago may no longer match what a lawsuit could reach. This is the moment to check your umbrella.
- Selling or moving changes the policy. If you sell, rent out, or leave a home vacant while you relocate, your homeowners policy may need to change. Vacancy and rental use are common gaps.
- Working from home is different from running a business at home. The Washington Insurance Commissioner warns that many home business owners wrongly assume their homeowners policy covers them, and that a rider or a separate business policy is often needed. The Insurance Information Institute notes a homeowners policy may cover business equipment only up to about $2,500 at home and $250 away, and usually excludes business liability.
Starting a consulting business after Microsoft
- Get licensed. Washington requires a state business license, which comes with a UBI number, once your gross income reaches $12,000 a year, or sooner in some cases (Department of Revenue). LLCs and corporations register with the Secretary of State first.
- Workers comp is optional for a sole proprietor. Sole proprietors are not required to carry workers comp in Washington, but L&I offers optional coverage for owners. It becomes required once you hire employees.
- Your first client contract will likely ask for insurance. Professional liability (E&O) is the most common requirement for consultants, often with general liability and cyber. See insurance for independent contractors and E&O for consultants on Trella Commercial, or paste the contract into the contract insurance checker.
- Using AI in client work? Confirm your E&O covers it; some insurers have started adding AI exclusions. See AI liability insurance.
- Training while on unemployment. ESD's Self-Employment Assistance Program lets eligible unemployment claimants train to start a business while receiving benefits. See also ESD unemployment benefits and services for laid-off workers.
Microsoft's Washington layoff notices
Every Microsoft notice on Washington's official WARN layoff database for 2025 and 2026, as of October 26, 2026. Search "Microsoft" there for the latest.
| Notice received | Workers | Layoff date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 22, 2026 | 277 | Nov 21, 2026 | Redmond |
| Jul 6, 2026 | 605 | Sep 4, 2026 | Redmond |
| Sep 8, 2025 | 42 | Nov 7, 2025 | Redmond |
| Aug 4, 2025 | 40 | Oct 3, 2025 | Redmond |
| Jul 2, 2025 | 830 | Aug 31, 2025 | Redmond and Bellevue |
| Jun 2, 2025 | 305 | Aug 1, 2025 | Redmond |
| May 13, 2025 | 1,985 | Jul 12, 2025 | Redmond |
- Totals: 3,202 workers across five notices in 2025, and 882 across two so far in 2026.
- The October 2026 voluntary exit offer is separate. News reports describe a voluntary buyout offered to about 60,000 Microsoft employees worldwide (TechCrunch, Axios Seattle). It is not a layoff, and no WARN notice has been filed for it.
- Get notified of new notices. ESD offers email updates, and third-party trackers such as WARN Tracker summarize filings. The ESD database is the official record.
Frequently asked questions
Does my car or home insurance end when I leave Microsoft?
No. Microsoft's public benefits site does not list an auto, home, or umbrella insurance program, so your personal policies are your own and continue regardless of your job. What can change is what you need: a large severance, vested stock, a home sale, or a new home business can all call for different limits or coverage.
How long do I have to keep my Microsoft life insurance after leaving?
According to Microsoft's 2026 summary plan description, group life insurance ends when your job ends, and you have 31 days to either convert it to an individual policy or continue it through Prudential's portability plan, without a medical questionnaire. You can choose one, not both. Prudential sets the rates.
Is the October 2026 Microsoft voluntary exit offer a layoff?
No. News reports describe it as a voluntary buyout offered to about 60,000 employees, not a layoff, and no Washington WARN notice has been filed for it. The insurance checklist is the same either way: what ends with your job, what you need to replace, and what changes if you start your own business.
Where can I see Microsoft's official layoff notices?
Washington's Employment Security Department keeps a public WARN database. Search "Microsoft" to see every notice, with the number of workers, location, and layoff date.
Do I need business insurance if I start consulting after Microsoft?
Often, yes. The Washington Insurance Commissioner warns that many home business owners wrongly assume their homeowners policy covers them, and client contracts commonly require professional liability (E&O). Trella Commercial covers consultants and independent contractors.
One less thing to figure out on your way out.
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