C. 5 years is correct. Hawaiʻi distinguishes between conversion caused by an individual's loss of eligibility and conversion resulting from termination or amendment of the group policy itself . Under HRS §431:10D-213, when the group contract terminates or is amended so that insurance for a class ends, an individual whose coverage terminates may qualify for an individual conversion policy if the person has been insured under the group coverage for at least five years immediately before termination .

This statutory conversion right is subject to additional limits. The amount of the individual policy may generally be capped at the smaller of the insurance that ceased, reduced by qualifying replacement group coverage, or the statutory maximum specified for this type of conversion. The conversion policy is issued without evidence of insurability when the requirements are met.

This rule differs from ordinary termination-of-employment conversion, where the key triggering event is loss of individual eligibility rather than cancellation of the entire group contract or insured class.

Options A and B understate the required period, while D imposes a longer period than Hawaiʻi law requires.

For examination purposes, candidates should associate five years of prior group coverage specifically with conversion following termination or amendment of the group policy itself.

Reference topics: HRS §431:10D-213; Group Policy Termination; Conversion; Minimum Prior Coverage.

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